Apple

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Apple

Malus – Apples and Crabapples
Apples are generally not self-fertile and require cross-pollination with another variety for optimal fruit set and size. For successful pollination to occur, bloom periods must overlap. Apples are generally categorized as having early, mid or late season bloom periods. To assure adequate pollination, select at least 2 or 3 varieties that bloom within the same time. Early bloomers should be planted with early or midseason bloomers; late bloomers with late and midseason blooming cultivars. One cultivar commonly used for pollination of many apple trees is ‘Golden Delicious’, which is considered a mid-season blooming cultivar. Triploid apple cultivars, such as ‘Jonagold’ and ‘Gravenstein,’ are self-sterile and cannot supply viable pollen, making them unsuitable as pollinizers.
Flowering crabapples are becoming a popular pollination method with commercial growers because they are easily cared for and bloom times are generally longer than other apple species. In an orchard planting, all trees should be within 100 feet of the pollinator tree. Wind does not carry pollen from one apple tree to another. Consequently, bees are indispensable in an orchard. Use one good hive per acre.
The chart below lists the blooming time of apples and crabapples we sell at our nursery. Please note, not all varieties may be currently available.