Thread: Any such thing as male and female tree?
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Old 24-04-2007, 03:47 AM posted to rec.gardens,rec.gardens.edible
David E. Ross David E. Ross is offline
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Default Any such thing as male and female tree?
wrote:
On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 19:30:05 GMT, "Jimmy S."
wrote:

I was told by my local nursery folk when I tried to purchase an asian pear
tree.
He said that I should plant at least two's that way they can
cross-pollinate
one another, and hopefully one is male and the other is female !

I was aware of cross-pollination business, but I really got lost when
he mentioned about male/female plant!! I would like you experts
in this forum to comment on the subject --- he seemed to know what
he was taking about. If he was right -which I doubt it, how do I correctly
pick the right sex?


Thanks in advance


JIMMY


I have some of the same questions- and how do you know whether to get
2 of something, or to graft?

Karen

Generally, cross-pollination is not an issue about distinct genders of
trees. For some stone fruits (e.g., certain plum varieties), it
requires a different variety, not a different gender. For citrus,
pollination is not needed at all.

Yes, some growers do top-work a rootstock to provide for
cross-pollination. That is, they graft more than one variety onto the
same rootstock. However, grafting is not always possible. For dates,
you need a male palm to provide pollen, one male tree for about 100
female trees; but palms cannot be grafted.

--

David E. Ross
http://www.rossde.com/.

Anyone who thinks government owns a monopoly on inefficient, obstructive
bureaucracy has obviously never worked for a large corporation. © 1997
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