I try to keep my hybridizations focused and I generally have a goal in mind, although I am frequently surprised by unexpected results. An understanding of basic Mendelian genetic concepts can help the hybridizer produce  superior hybrids. Taking hybrids to the next generation is more time consuming but is a worthwhile endeavor. Here is an example from one of my crosses: 

I crossed the following 2 plants:

                                                                        

                                                                   X

                   

major                                                                bayeri

                                                                 

                                                                

The progeny resulting from such a cross are known as the F1 generation.

Here is one of my (major X bayeri) F1 hybrids:

In most cases F1 plants from such a cross are usually very similar to each other and that was the case with the major x bayeri plants. The major x bayeri plants were very robust and healthy, a result of hybrid vigor.    These hybrids were quite beautiful, but sometimes F1 plants can be boring looking. Why is this? F1 plants inherit a copy of each of the parents genomes. Interesting traits can become masked in F1 plants because specific genes are no longer in a homozygous state. For example, in bayeri one or more genes confers the shiny leaf surface trait. (For the sake of simplicity let's say this is controlled by a single gene.) Each bayeri plant has two copies of this gene; the gene is homozygous. The corresponding gene in major is a different version of the gene that does not confer shiny leaves. The  F1 hybrid inherits one copy of this gene from bayeri and a copy from major.The gene is in a heterozygous state in the F1 hybrid. If the bayeri gene is recessive the shiny leaf trait will be hidden in the F1 parent.  By crossing F1 plants to each other you will create an F2 population where such genes become homozygous again and traits are unmasked. (This explanation is, of course, oversimplified; Please click here for a more detailed and thorough explanation of Mendelian inheritance.)

The take home message is that you will almost always get better hybridization results by taking hybrids to the F2 generation, because interesting traits conferred by recessive genes are unmasked in the F2 population.

The F2 progeny from the major X bayeri cross are better than the F1 hybrids. Here are some of them:

This plant combines the shiny

leaves of bayeri and the white

leaf throat coloration of major.

This plant combines the

leaf shape of bayeri and

the spination of major. 

The spiny leaf trait of

major is expressed in a

remarkable way in some

of these hybrids.

Sometimes in F2 hybrids genes

come together to produce

unexpected results like this plant

with it's beautiful red coloration

(neither grandparent

is particularly red).

This might be my                                                                                 favorite of the F2s