Apples Are Self Unfruitful, Cross-pollinator Required

A frequent question of newbie fruit gardeners is what will pollinate what. Do I need many varieties or can all be the same variety? The four common terms are used:

Self-pollinated: transfer of pollen occurs within the same variety.

Cross-pollinated: transfer of pollen occurs between two varieties.

Self-unfruitful: low fruit set unless the blossoms are fertilized with pollen of another variety.

Self-fruitful: varieties that set fruit with their own pollen.

Apple: self-unfruitful with two or more varieties required for good cross-pollination. Some varieties are poor pollen providers (‘Winesap’, ‘Jonagold’, ‘Mutsu’ are examples) and a third variety is required.

Pear: mostly self-unfruitful with two or more varieties required for good cross-pollination. Asian pears do not pollinate European pear varieties.

Plum: Japanese plum, represented by varieties ‘Burbank’, ‘Shiro’, ‘Santa Rosa’, and ‘Methley’, are self-unfruitful. European varieties do not pollinate Japanese varieties.

European plum, represented by ‘Stanley’ and ‘Damson’, are self-fruitful and pollinate other European varieties. All other European plums require pollen from another variety.

Sour (Tart) Cherry: self-fruitful; recommend ‘Montmorency’, ‘Early Richmond’, ‘Meteor’

Sweet Cherry: self-unfruitful, cross pollination required; recommend ‘Hedelfinger’, ‘Ranier’, ‘Viva’, ‘Valera’, ‘Venus’, ‘Hardy Giant’. The variety ‘Stella’ is self fruitful.

Peaches: self-fruitful, but heavier yields when two or more varieties are planted.

Strawberries – self-fruitful

Blackberries – self-fruitful

Raspberries – self-fruitful

Grapes – American bunch, French hybrids, V. vinifera types – self-fruitful

Grapes – Muscadine – self-unfruitful, cross pollination required

Blueberry – self-unfruitful, cross pollination required

Hardy kiwi – self-unfruitful, cross pollination required

Gooseberry, Currant – self fruitful

Elderberry – self-unfruitful, cross pollination required