Pollination of fruit trees

Pollination of fruit trees

Principles and Choices of Pollinating Fruit Trees

Contents

Modified the Wednesday, 6 August 2025  by Aurélien 8 min.

When we talk about pollinators, we first think of foraging insects, primarily bees. Indeed, their role is crucial for the pollination of flowers on fruit trees. However, we also refer to pollinating varieties for fruit trees: a bee can forage on many flowers of an apple tree, but if it doesn’t have the right pollen in its hairs, fertilization and the formation of the apple may not occur!

Often, a fruit tree must have another tree of the same species nearby to enable fertilization and fruit formation. What does good pollination allow? What is a self-fertile variety? And a self-sterile one? What is the role of insects? What is incompatibility? And above all, which pollinating varieties should you choose for your fruit trees? Discover the answers to all these questions in this article!

Difficulty

Self-fertile or self-sterile fruit trees? The lowdown!

To produce fruit, a fruit tree needs to be pollinated. Good pollination is therefore essential for production, as well as for increasing the yield and quality of the fruit. Indeed, well-pollinated and fertilised fruits have better fruit set (this term refers to the transformation of the flower’s ovary into fruit), the fruits are less deformed and more resistant to climatic variations. In the garden, and particularly in the orchard, it is important to consider pollination when choosing, purchasing, and planting fruit trees.

Let’s start by examining what the terms self-fertile, self-sterile, as well as hermaphrodite, monoecious, and dioecious mean…

1) Hermaphrodite, self-sterile, and self-fertile fruit trees

Among hermaphrodite fruit trees (each flower bears both male and female organs), we distinguish between self-sterile varieties (or allogamous) that require pollen from another variety to be fertilised, and self-fertile varieties (or autogamous), which can fertilise themselves with their own pollen.

It is worth noting that even among self-sterile varieties, the presence of other varieties can enhance pollination.

Here is a summary table of self-sterile and self-fertile fruit trees.

Self-sterile fruit trees Self-fertile fruit trees
Almond tree

Cherry tree

Apple tree

Pear tree

Plum tree

 

Apricot tree

Sour cherry tree

Quince tree

Fig tree (common type)

Mulberry

Peach tree

Plum tree

Vine

Elderberry

 

To complicate matters, there are sometimes both self-sterile and self-fertile varieties within the same species, for example in plums. Recent varieties are increasingly selected to be self-fertile, so we see new self-fertile varieties emerging in groups that are predominantly self-sterile, such as in apples.

In the case of self-sterile fruit trees, your garden (or your neighbours’) must host different varieties to ensure good pollination. It is important that the flowering of these multiple varieties occurs at the same time! However, there is an additional caveat, incompatibility due to pollen. Some fruit trees of the same species, even if they flower at the same time, may be incompatible, as the pollen from one poorly fertilises the pistil of the other. Therefore, it is essential to choose compatible varieties. Incompatibility affects pear trees, plum trees, and cherry trees, but less so apple trees.

Moreover, one should not confuse the earliness of the fruit with the flowering period. Indeed, two varieties of fruit trees may flower at the same time, but one may have an early harvest while the other is late.

2) Monoecious and dioecious fruit trees

The kiwi (in the vast majority of varieties) is a some plants bear only female flowers while others bear only male flowers. It is therefore essential, for the pollination of this species, to have both female trees (which will bear the fruit) and male trees (for pollen only).

The monoecious fruit species bear distinct flowers on the same plant: only female flowers and only male flowers. It is common for female and male flowers not to mature at the same time; in this case, several varieties are recommended for good pollination. This is the case with the hazel tree.

The role of insects in the pollination of fruit trees

The fruit trees we cultivate are entomophilous, meaning that insects are their pollination vector. In fact, it is a very important vector: an apple tree isolated from insects but not from the wind will produce 12 times fewer apples than an apple tree accessible to insects, even when two compatible varieties are side by side.

Why and how to encourage their presence in the garden?

Encouraging the presence of insects is therefore essential for better production. The “best” pollinating insects (the most effective) for fruit trees are bees (both domestic and solitary) and bumblebees. Of course, many beetles, butterflies, flies, and mosquitoes also contribute, albeit to a lesser extent, to the transport of pollen between flowers of different varieties.

Pollinators need a wide diversity of flowering plants. In many vegetable gardens and orchards, flowering plants are not sufficient throughout the year. It is beneficial to provide them with food over a long period of the year. To achieve this, do not hesitate to sow and plant a variety of trees, bushes, and flowers.

It is also good to encourage natural areas, to create country hedges, flowering strips, and to provide shelter for insects by offering piles of stones, compost heaps, bundles of hollow stems, and why not, insect hotels.

Discover other Fruit trees

Apple Pollination - Summary Table

The apple tree produces flowers that bloom for about 15 days. They produce a lot of nectar and pollen that attracts numerous pollinating insects. The apple tree is a highly self-sterile species, requiring pollinating varieties for good fruiting.

Variety Flowering Pollinating variety
Antares April Golden Delicious, Idared, Granny Smith, Reinette
Ariane April Royal Gala, Reinette, Golden
Belle de Boskoop April Golden, Starking Delicious, Reinette, Idared
Belle Fille de Salins Mid-May Reinette de Brive
Calville Rouge d’Hiver Mid-April Reinette, Golden Delicious
Choupette April (long flowering) Antares®, Goldrush®, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Reinette, Red Delicious, Braeburn, Elstar, Fuji and Idared.
Ballerina® Bolero March Ballerina® Maypole
Ballerina® Valse March Ballerina® Maypole
Ballerina® Polka March Ballerina® Maypole
Ballerina® Maypole March – April Ballerina® Bolero, Valse, Polka
Cox’s Orange Mid-April Calville blanche d’hiver, Jonathan, Reinette
Rhapsodie March – April Ballerina® Maypole, Reinette
Rondo® March – April Ballerina® Maypole, Reinette
Cybèle® Delrouval April Delbarestivale, Régali, Royal Gala, Reinette, Delbard Jubilé
Delbard Jubilé® Delgollune April Régali®, Delbarestivale®, Cybèle®, Harmonie®, Pomme des moissons®, Royal Gala®, Reinette
Delbarestivale® Monidel Mid-April Tentation, Royal Gala, Delbard Jubilé
Elstar April Gala, Golden Delicious, Cox Orange, Reinette, Granny Smith, Belchard, Melrose
Fuji April Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Gala, Topaz
Golchard ® April Starking Delicious, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith
Golden Delicious April Reinette, Granny Smith, Starking Delicious, Melrose
Grand Alexandre April Golden Delicious, Granny Smith
Granny Smith March – April Melrose, Idared, Golden Delicious
Jonagold April Starking Delicious, Melrose, Reinette, Ingrid Marie
Maggy® April Reinette, Golden
Melrose April Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Reinette
Mondial Gala April Granny Smith, Golden Delicious
Croquella® delgrina April – May Self-fertile
Garden Sun Red® April Self-fertile
Rambour d’Hiver April Reinette
Regali April Royal Gala, Delbard Jubilé, Harmonie, Tentation
Reinette April Golden Delicious, Idared, Melrose
Reinette de Brive May Reinette de Caux, Reinette, Golden Delicious
Reinette de Caux April Reinette
Reinette du Mans April – May Reinette
Reinette Grise du Canada April Granny Smith, Reinette, Idared, Golden Delicious
Royal Gala April Elstar, Reinette, Granny Smith, Golden
Winter Banana Late March Calville Blanche Hiver, Idared, Golden Delicious

 

Discover our wide range of apple trees for a diverse orchard in varieties!

Pear Pollination - Summary Table

Pear trees produce flowers that bloom over a period of one to three weeks depending on the varieties. Their flowers produce a lot of pollen but little nectar, which is also not very sweet, making it attractive to few pollinating insects. The pear tree is a highly self-sterile species and requires pollinating varieties for good fruiting.

Variety Flowering Pollinating variety
Angelys® April William’s, Conference, Doyenné du Comice
Delbardélice® Délété April Williams, Beurré Hardy, Peradel®, Fertilia Delbard®
Beurre Hardy April William’s, Conference, Doyenné du Comice, Louise Bonne
Conference March – April Doyenné du Comice, Général Leclerc
Deveci March – April William’s
Doyenné du Comice April William’s, Conference
Duchesse d’Angoulème March William’s, Louise Bonne
Garden Pearl March self-fertile
Garden Gem® Pyred March self-fertile
Jules Guyot April William’s, Conference, Général Leclerc
Louise Bonne March William’s, Conference
Super Comice Delbard®Delbias April William’s, Beurré Hardy, Comtesse de Paris, Fertilia Delbard®
Marguerite Marillat March William’s, Comtesse de Paris, Conference, Louise Bonne
St-Jean March William’s, Louise Bonne
Sucrée de Montluçon April Williams, Beurré Hardy, Conference, Delbard d’Automne®, Fertilia Delbard®
Obelus® March Angelys®, Doyenné du Comice
William’s April Doyenné du Comice, Conference, Packams, Guyot, Giffard, Général Leclerc, Angelys®, Alexandrine Douillard
William’s Rouge April Doyenné du Comice, Conference

Discover our range of pear trees: classic varieties as well as more original ones like the Nashis!

Plum Pollination - Summary Table

The plum tree produces an early flower that blooms for about 2 to 3 weeks and produces a variable amount of nectar, attracting many pollinators due to the early flowering. Plum varieties are self-fertile and self-sterile, but the presence of various varieties always increases fruiting.

Variety Flowering Pollinator variety / self-fertility
Mirabelle de Metz March Reine-Claude dorée or Reine-Claude d’Althan
Mirabelle de Nancy Early April self-fertile
Golden Japan March Methley
Miraclaude® March-April self-fertile
Goldust® April self-fertile
Prune d’Ente (pruneau d’Agen) April self-fertile and good pollinator
Victoria March (spreading) self-fertile and good pollinator
Quetsche d’Alsace April self-fertile
Quetsche Stanley Late March self-fertile and good pollinator
Reine Claude d’Oullins Mid-March self-fertile and good pollinator
Reine Claude de Bavay Mid-March self-fertile and good pollinator
Reine Claude Dorée ouverte April Reine Claude d’Oullins or Mirabelle de Nancy
Thames Cross Late March self-fertile
Crimson Glo April Myrobolan
Reine Claude d’Althan (violette) April Reine Claude dorées and Reine-Claude d’Oullins
Quetsche Blanche de Létricourt April self-fertile

Discover our range of plum trees: Reine-Claude, Quetsche and Mirabelles!

Cherry Tree Pollination - Summary Table

The cherry tree produces a flower that blooms for about 10 days and produces a lot of nectar, thus attracting many pollinators. The cherry tree is a highly self-sterile species, requiring pollinator varieties for good fruiting. The effective range of a pollinator variety is within a radius of 20 to 30 metres.

An important warning regarding significant pollen incompatibilities in cherry species; be sure to respect the pollinator varieties at the time of planting.

Variety Flowering Pollinator varieties / self-fertility
Belle Magnifique March – April self-fertile, fruits better if planted next to Burlat, Reverchon, Marmotte, Napoleon
Bigalise® Enjidel March – April Burlat, Sweetheart®
Burlat March – April Napoleon, Reverchon, Van
Canada Giant® March – April Hedelfingen
Cœur de Pigeon April Napoleon, Burlat
Délice de Malicorne March – April Burlat, Belle Magnifique
Hedelfingen April Summit, Van
Marmotte March – April Burlat, Reverchon
Napoléon March – April Burlat, Van
Reverchon April Napoleon, Burlat, Hedelfingen
Stark Gold March – April self-fertile, fruits better if planted next to Burlat
Sweetheart® March – April self-fertile
Van March – April Napoleon, Burlat
Early Rivers March – April Burlat, Reverchon, Marmotte, Napoleon
Cherry Boop® March – April self-fertile
De La Saint-Jean® Gardel March – April self-fertile
Garden Big® March – April self-fertile
Hâtif Delbard® Rivedel March – April Burlat, Décile de Malicorne
Summit March – April Napoleon, Van, Hedelfingen

Discover our range of sweet and sour cherry trees.

Kiwi Pollination - Summary Table

Kiwi is a dioecious species, at least for the vast majority of varieties. Female plants bear the fruits while male plants provide the pollen. One male plant is needed for every five to six female plants. Some recent varieties are self-fertile (male and female flowers on the same plant) and can be planted alone.

Female variety Corresponding male pollinator variety
Hayward Atlas, Tomuri
Wonder Tomuri
Minkigold Minkimale
Golden Delight Golden Delight
Ken’s Red (kiwifruit) Issai (kiwifruit)

 

Self-fertile kiwi varieties:

  • Solissimo
  • Jenny
  • Issai (Kiwifruit)

Discover our range of kiwi and kiwifruit, male and female varieties, and self-fertile varieties.

Useful resources

  • This excellent document lists nearly 200 trees, bushes, and single flowers, organised by flowering period and for their nectariferous and pollen-producing interest.

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