Key Benefits of Cross-Pollination
- Ensures Fruit Set: Many popular fruit trees (apples, pears, most sweet cherries, Japanese plums) require pollen from a different variety to produce fruit at all.
- Increases Yield: Even trees considered "self-fruitful" (like some plums, apricots, tart cherries) produce significantly more fruit when cross-pollinated.
- Improves Fruit Quality: It can lead to larger, better-tasting, and more consistently sized fruits.
- Boosts Genetic Health: Genetic variation from different pollen creates healthier, more resilient trees and future generations.
- Enhances Adaptability: Diversity helps plants adapt to changing environments and diseases.
How it Works
- Pollen Transfer: Bees and other pollinators carry pollen from one tree's flowers to another's.
- Fertilization: This pollen fertilizes the female part of the flower, leading to the development of fruit and seeds.