You might have certainly heard of the term hybrid plants if you are an amateur gardening enthusiast or have been practicing gardening for a long time.
You might have some questions regarding this type of plant, such as what are hybrid plants? What are the most popular breeds? Continue reading to have a better idea about hybrid plants, including how they are hybridized, distinct sorts, and more.
Hybrid Plants: Definition & Examples
A hybrid plant is created by crossing two unique plant species and nurturing the seed that results from the cross-pollination.
A plant that is created as a result of hybridization grows from that hybrid seed.
Plants used for Commercial hybridizing are made sure that their offsprings retain some of the desired characteristics of the parent variety.
Hybrids are created for a variety of reasons, including immunity to diseases, improving the size of flower petals, plant size or fruit size, improved blooming, color, flavor, or any other reason a plant can be regarded as unique. Many existing commercial plants sold now are hybrids.
The Hybridization Process
During a hybridization process, a pollen grain from the desired plant species is taken and inserted into the flower of different species.
It depends on the breeder, which plant should be served as a female plant and which one should serve as the male counterpart. The female plant must contain a pistil, whereas a male plant should contain a stamen which is a male reproductive part of the plant.
Instead of being natural, the pollen grain is manually inserted into the female reproductive part of the plant, which is the pistil. Also, it made sure that all the stamens were removed before carrying out the hybridization process.
This ensures the prevention of any possible self-pollination. The resultant fruits produced by hybridization are collected, and their seeds are carefully extracted for further usage.
Most Popular Hybrid Plants
Now that we have a good idea about the hybrid plant let’s go over some of the types of commercially used breeds:
Hybrid Lilies
Asiatic hybrid plants, on the other hand, are considerably smaller and often do not have a scent. Flowers in vibrant colors of rose, yellow, pink, gold, orange, and white are available.
The blooming time period of the Asiatic lilies is usually during the early summer. In comparison, the Oriental lilies typically grow during the late part of the summer.
When grown in a suitable medium with adequate light and proper hydration, hybrid lilies can simply be cultivated in domestic pots. The fluoride contained in various widely used growing mediums is likely to cause some cases of leaf scorch in lilies.
Sweet Corn
Hybrid corn accounts for the majority of corn farmed across the globe. These kinds’ qualities have made them easier to grow for domestic gardeners. Apart from that, these hybrid corns tend to be sweeter than any regular grown corn. And for optimal pollination and proper corn growth, these hybrid corns are generally produced in relatively giant farms.
Breeders usually sow the seeds in a location that is getting adequate sun rays. Also, the soil should be rich, well-drained, and deep.
After the final frost, sow the seeds roughly two weeks later. Breeders primarily harvest the ears of the corn during the brief milk stage. During this timespan, punctured kernels release milky-coloured liquids.
Olympia
Olympia is a special type of hybrid spinach, which is renowned among breeders for its exceptional growth. Apart from being big, the leaves of the Olympia hybrid have a characteristic dark green color. These hybrid plants grow best during the summer or the spring season.
However, their leaves tend to be resistant to warm climate conditions, and they can easily survive bolting. In only 48 days of sowing the seed of Olympia, they can be harvested in their fully grown state, significantly if they are grown under favorable conditions.
When the soil temperature is around 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the Olympia seeds can be sown, and their germination period is about two to three weeks.
Stargazer Lilies
These oriental hybrids have large, fragrant flowers that can reach 8 inches across their diameter and come in various colors, including pink, red, white, and purple.
They usually bloom best during late summer after a vigorous growth period in the summer. Plants are frequently sold in the spring and can be simply grown in pots.
Plants bulbs that are thrice their size in length should be sown for optimal result. The best sowing period of these hybrids is around spring or fall, or summer.
During its growing cycle, you should provide it with an adequate water supply and make sure to detach the spent flowers to redirect all the energy for the growth of the plant.
Meyer Lemon Trees
Tue Meyer lemon hybrid trees result from a typical hybridization process between the Mandarin orange trees and a lemon tree. This mandarin orange tree is generally brought in from china. This kind of lemon is much sweeter than ordinary lemons, making it a desirable ingredient for various chefs and gardeners.
These hybrid lemon trees can be easily cultivated in a warm environment.
They are generally cultivated in plant pots and brought inside during the winter months. Purchase 2- to 3-year-old trees and place them into a well-drained, a little sandy, and somewhat acidic soil. Make sure to keep the soil moist but try not to waterlog in all the time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Why are Hybrid Plants Cultivated?
Hybrid plants tend to have a better size of flowers, fruits, and leaves the regular plants. This makes them ideal for being used for commercial products.
Q2: Can a hybrid plant have seeds?
Most of the hybrid plant possesses seeds, however, some of them might be sterile and can’t be reproduced.
Q3: How are hybrid plants created?
Hybrid plants are created by cross-pollinating two plants from completely different species, to attain the desired characteristics.
Final Thoughts
With the increased level of Competition within the consumer brand, every company is trying their best to improve their products to entice more customers. Making hybrid products is a great way to achieve the desired results without the usage of harmful chemicals.
This article can provide great insights and will give you a proper explanation of what hybrid plants are or an overview of the most popular breeds.
