Pollination
Fruit tree pollination can seem a bit overwhelming at first so here the following notes to help explain it.
The flowers on a fruit tree need to be pollinated, (receive pollen from a different flower), usually by
flying insects, if they are to become fruit.
Some fruit trees are self fertile, i.e. they can pollinate themselves; most however, need pollen from
another tree of the same species, but of a different variety.
Since not all varieties go well together below in detail a pollination overview for apple, plums, cherries is
used to help you choose fruit trees.
Note: none of the charts below are complete. The information is without guarantee.
Apples
Apple trees are wonderful, but they require other apple varieties around in order to be pollinated. Pollination is carried out by insects, but it can be difficult to know which apple varieties pollinate each other. We have made a list to keep track of which varieties require which pollination partner to make it a little easier:
| Sort |
Partner |
| Adams Pearmain | Filippa, Gul Richard, James Grieve, Transparante Blanche |
| Alice | Aroma, Cox Orange, Ingrid Marie, James Grive, Katy, Sylvia, Transparante Blanche |
| Alkmene | Adams Pearmain, Åkerö, Antonovka, Beauty of Bath, Egremont Russet |
| Anna | Alkmene, Egremont Russet |
| Antonovka | Alkmene, Calville Blanc, Cortland, Egremont Russet, Laxton's Superb, Spartan |
| Aroma | Alice, Cortland, Cox Orange, Ingrid Marie, James Grieve, Signe Tillisch, Summerred |
| Arreskov | Cox Orange, Gul Richard, James Grieve, Laxton's Superb |
| Arthur Turner | Beauty of Bath, Discovery, Katy, Michelin |
| Beauty of Bath | Arthur Turner, Egremont Russet, James Grieve, Katy, Spartan |
| Belle de Boskoop | Alice, Cortland, Cox Orange, Discovery, Filippa, Ingrid Marie |
| Berner Rosen | Boiken, Cox Orange, Eldrött Duväpple, Filippa, Gul Richard, James Grieve |
| Blenheim | Cox Orange, Eldrött Duväpple, Filippa, Gul Richard, James Grieve |
| Bodil Neergaard | Cox Orange, Cox Pomona |
| Boiken | Cox Orange, Cox Pomona, Filippa, Gul Richard, James Grieve, Åkerö |
| Bramley | Aroma, Cox Orange, Filippa, James Grieve, Katy, Maglemer, Transparante Blanche |
| Brownlees Russet | Adams Pearmain, Alkmene, Beaty of Bath, Katy, Knobby Russet |
| Brown's | Calville Blanc, Ellis Bitter, Laxton's Superb, Michelin |
| Calville Blanc d'Hiver | Adams Pearmain, Beauty of Bath, Brown's, Cortland, Discovery |
| Cortland | Alice, Aroma, Cox Orange, Discovery, Filippa, Ingrid Marie, Katy |
| Cox Orange | Alice, Arreskov, Boiken, Cox Pomona, Ingrid Marie, Signe Tillisch |
| Cox Pomona | Boiken, Cox Orange, Filippa, Gul Richard, James Grieve |
| Curltail | Cox Pomona, Ellis Bitter, Ingrid Marie, Lord Burghley, Michelin |
| Danzig Kant | Cox Orange |
| Discovery | Alice, Aroma, Cortland, Cox Orange, Eldrött Duväpple, Summerred, Åkerö |
| Early Golden Russet | Anna, Cortland, Major, St Edmunds Pippin, Spartan, Sunrise |
| Egremont Russet | Arthur Turner, Beauty of Bath, Cox Orange, Discovery, James Grieve |
| Ellis Bitter | Brown's Calville Blanc, Laxton's Superb, Michelin |
| Eldrött Duväpple | Aroma, Cox Orange, Discovery, Filippa, Guldborg, Summerred |
| Filippa | Alice, Aroma, Cox Orange, Discovery, Ingrid Marie, Katy, Åkerö |
| Fredrik | Cortland, Cox Orange, Discovery, Laxton's Superb, Summerred, Sylvia |
| Foxwhelp Cider | Alkmene, Egremont Russet, Knobby Russet, Skovfoged, Tremlett's Bitter |
| Gravensteiner | Aroma, Discovery, Eldrött Duväpple, Filippa, Astrakan, Sävstaholm |
| Gul Richard | Pomona, Laxton's Superb, Åkerö |
| Guldborg | Aroma, Discovery, Eldrött Duväpple, Filippa, James Grieve, Katy, Maglemer |
| Gyllenkroks Astrakan | Alice, Filippa, James Grieve, Katy, Maglemer, Sävstaholm |
| Hampus | Gyllenkroks Astrakan, Transparante Blanche |
| Ingrid Marie | Brown's Cox Pomona, Curltail, Discovery, Rubinola, Spartan, Sunrise |
| James Grieve | Alice, Aroma, Cortland, Cox Orange, Discovery, FIlippa, Ingrid Marie |
| Jonagold | Alice, Aroma, Cox Orange, Discovery, Filippa, Ingrid Marie, Katy |
| Katy | Alice, Aroma, Cox Orange, Guldborg, James Grieve, Summerred |
| Knobby Russet | Adams Pearmain, Åkerö, Cortland, Katy, Skovfoged, St Edmunds Pippin |
| Lady of Wemyss | Adams Pearmain, Alkmene, Calville Blanc d'Hiver, Discovery, James Grieve |
| Laxton's Superb | Alice, Aroma, Boiken, Cox Orange, Filippa, Gul Richard, Ingrid Marie |
| Lord Lambourne | Beauty of Bath, Cox Orange, Discovery, Egremont Russet, Spartan |
| Maglemer | Filippa, Gyllenkroks Astrakan, Transparante Blanche, Åkerö |
| Major Cider | Alkmene, Calville Blanc, Cortland, Egremont Russet, Laxton's Superb |
| Merton Worcester | Adams Pearmain, Alkmene, Brownlees Russet, Calville Blanc d'Hiver |
| Michelin | Berner Rosen, Cox Orange, Discovery, Ellis Bitter, Spartan |
| Redfree | Alkmene, Calville Blanc, Cortland, Cox Orange, Laxton's Superb, Michelin, Spartan |
| Rött Kaneläpple | Bergius, Erstaa, Grenman, Huvitus, Pirja, Samo |
| Rubinola | Cox Orange, Cox Pomona, James Grieve |
| Ribston Pippin | Alkmene, Calville Blanc, Cortland, Cox Orange, Egremont Russet, Major, Spartan |
| Skovfoged | Alkmene, Egremont Russet, Foxwhelp, Knobby Russet, Tremlett's Bitter |
| Sunrise | Alkmene, Calville Blanc, Cortland, Egremont Russet, Major, Michelin, Redfree |
| Signe Tillisch | Cortland, Cox Orange, Filippa, Gul Richard, Ingrid Marie, James Grieve |
| Spartan | Alkmene, Aroma, Cortland, Cox Orange, Discovery, Filippa, Ingrid Marie |
| Spigold | Brown's, Calville Blanc, Cortland, Ellis Bitter, Laxton's Superb, Redfree, Spartan |
| St. Edmunds Pippin | Adams Pearmain Åkerö, Beauty of Bath, Cortland, Discovery, Foxwhelp |
| Summerred | Aroma, Cortland, Discovery, Filippa, Guldborg, Sävstaholm |
| Sylvia | Alkmene, Cortland, James Grieve, Katy, Maglemer, Sävstaholm, Transparante Blanche |
| Sävstaholm | Alkmene, Astrakan, Katy, Summerred, Transparante Blanche, Åkerö |
| Transparante Blanche | Aroma, Discovery, Guldborg, Astrakan, James Grieve, Katy |
| Tremlett's Bitter | Brown's, Laxton's Superb, Michelin |
| White Astrakan | Gyllenkroks Astrakan, Sävstaholm, Transparante Blanche |
| Worcester Pearmain | Beauty of Bath, Cox Orange, Egremont Russet, James Grieve |
| Åkerö | James Grieve, Maglemer, Signe Tillisch, Summerred, Sävstaholm, Transparante Blanche |
Cherries
Sweet cherry tree pollination is done primarily through honeybees and most cherry trees require cross-
pollination (the assistance of another of the species). Only a couple, such as the sweet cherries Stella have the ability to self-pollinate. Pollination of cherry trees is necessary to get fruit, so it’s best to have a compatible cultivar planted at least 30 m from the variety.
The sour cherry varieties are almost all self-fruiting. This means they can get pollen from the same
cultivar to produce fruit. These trees are self-pollinating but do better with another cultivar nearby.
The sweet cherries, with few exceptions, need pollen from a different but compatible cultivar to set
cherries. Pollinating a cherry tree in the sweet category with the same cultivar will not result in fruit.
To check in detail the cherry sort and its pollination partner here:
| Sort | Partner |
| Bower Heart | Merton Glory, Stella |
| Büttners Rote |
Merton Glory, Merton Premier, Van |
| Kelleriis | Self fertile |
| Lapins | Self fertile |
| Merton Glory | Büttners Rote, Stella, Van, Big Black Bigarrå |
| Merton Late | Lapins, Merton Glory |
| Merton Premier | Merton Glory, Büttners Rote, Van |
| Regina | Stella, Sunburst, Sylvia |
| Morello | Self fertile |
| Stella | Self fertile. Good pollinator |
| Big Black Bigarrå | Erianne, Merton Glory |
| Sunburst | Self fertile |
| Van | Büttners Rote, Erianne, Merton Glory, Merton Premier |
Plums
Many plums are self/fertile. But plum trees develop better and more fruit if the flowers are fertilized
(pollinated) from another variety.
| Sort | Partner |
| Normal Prune | Self fertile |
| Belle de Louvain | Jefferson, King of Damson, Mirabelle de Nancy, Reine Claude de Violette, Rivers Early Prolific, Victoria |
| Bonne de Bry | Rivers Early Prolific, Laxton Gage, Reine Claude de Brahy, Victoria, Washington |
| Experimentalfältets Prune | Self fertile, Reine Claude d Oullins |
| Yellow Eggplum | Self Fertile |
| Kirkes | Hackman, Jefferson, Opal, Reine Claude Althans, Reine Claude d Oullins, Victoria |
| Reine Claude Althans | Experimentalfältets Prune, Hackman, Herman, Jefferson, Opal, Reine Claude d Oullins, Victoria |
| Reine Claude de Brahy | Belle de Louvain, Rivers Early Prolific, Laxtons Gage, Violette Reine Claude, Victoria, Washington |
| Reine Claude d Oullins | Self fertile |
| Green Reine Claude |
Experimentalfältets Prune, Hackman, Reine Claude Althans, Reine Claude d Oullins, Victoria |
| Reine Claude de Violette | Belle de Louvain, Kirkes, King of Damsons, Mirabelle de Nancy, Victoria |
| Mirabelle de Nancy | Self fertile, Reine Claude d Oullins, Victoria |
| Victoria | Self fertile |
| Washington | Czar, Experimentalfältets Prune, Reine Claude d Oullins, Victoria |
Pears
After apples, pears are one of the most popular fruit trees and they are a valuable asset to the garden. Finding the right pollination partner for your pear variety is crucial. Therefore, we contribute a chart below:
| Sort | Partner |
| Bambinella | Clapps Favourite, Doyenné du Comice, Conference, Packhams Triumph |
| Clapps Favourite | Esperens Herre, Conference, Williams |
| Clara Friis | Conference, Esperens Herre, Williams |
| Coloreé de Julliet | Conference, Esperens Herre, Williams |
| Conference | Coloreé de Juliett, Esperens Herre, Williams |
| Doyenné du Comice | Conference, Esperens Herre, Pierre Corneille |
| Esperens Herre | Clara Friis, Coloreé de Juliett, Pierre Corneille |
| Greypear | Esperens Herre |
| Grev Moltke | Pollinated by most other varieties, except specificly from Greypear |
| Packhams Triumph | Clapps Favourite, Conference |
| Pierre Corneille | Conference, Esperens Herre |
| Williams | Clapps Favourite, Conference, Coloreé de Julliet |