Brogdale - Home of the National Fruit Collection

Brogdale Orchards Ltd
Macknade Natural Garden Centre
Selling Road
Faversham
Kent
ME13 8XF

Tel: +44 (0)1795 858140
Fax: +44 (0)1795 531710

Brogdale Orchards Plant Centre
are now trading from:-
Mount Ephraim Gardens
Staple Street
Hernhill
Near Faversham
Kent
ME13 9TX

Tel: +44 (0)1795 858140
Email: plantcentre@btconnect.com

Choosing a fruit tree: POLLINATION

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image © Gracebrook Orchards NZ

Most apples pears and older varieties of cherry are not self-fertile. They need to be pollinated by a different variety that blossoms at the same time.

Varieties are divided into flowering groups and each will need to be pollinated by another in the same group or adjacent groups. These are diploid varieties.
e.g. An apple such as Red Falstaff in group 3 needs to be pollinated by Winter Gem also in 3 or alternatively Egremont Russet in Group 2, or Ashmeads Kernel in Group 4.

Triploid varieties e.g. Bramley produce sterile pollen and cannot pollinate any other variety. To produce fruit the triploid will need two pollinators, so you will need three trees all from the same or adjacent flowering groups. Varieties like Bramley are indicated by T3 in our availability list.

Many plums and more modern varieties of cherry are self- fertile, so they can set fruit by themselves, this is indicated by S.F. in our list.

Some cherries are incompatible with others and need what are called ‘universal donors’ as pollinators, the newer self-fertile varieties are very effective for this. Where applicable we have indicated suitable pollinators.

Plums that are not self fertile varieties need a group pollinator like apples and pears.

Pears cross pollinate in the same way as apples. However, some varieties cannot cross pollinate within their own group.
These are indicated by the letters NTG i.e. Not This Group, in our availability list, they don’t pollinate other varieties within their group, however other varieties in their group can pollinate them.
e.g. Doyenne du Comice and Concorde are both in group 4. Although Comice will not pollinate Concorde, the latter is a good pollinator for Comice, and because Concorde is self fertile (S.F) it will produce its own fruit through self pollination.

If the pollinator for Comice was not a self fertile variety then you would need a pollinator from an adjacent group.

An exception is Louise Bonne of Jersey and Williams’ Bon Chretien, these two varieties are completely incompatible

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