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

In article ,
"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 a single asian pear that bears.

I also have a male holly planted on purpose.

Single and double flowers yet another variable.

Have fun wading about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit_tree_pollination


Bill

--

S Jersey USA Zone 5 Shade
http://www.ocutech.com/ High tech Vison aid
This article is posted under fair use rules in accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and is strictly for the educational
and informative purposes. This material is distributed without profit.

Don't know if it's sex but some varieties of Asian Pears need another
variety close by to have good production. Same as some apples. You
can find out which varieties grow well together.

Having 2 trees of the same variety won't do much for you.

Ginko! Now there's a tree where sex counts. It takes 20 years before
trees bear fruit. Many cities planted them without knowing the sex
and decades later ended up with a stinking mess. These days nurseries
graft from known male trees so there won't be any stinky fruits.
Smells like dog shit.

On Apr 20, 3:30 pm, "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

You have single sex trees that are either male or female aka
"monoecious"
And you have trees that produce both pollen and have ovaries aka
"dioecious"

But some trees that are dioecious are also self infertile and cannot
pollinate themselves.

If you want to find the skinny on which trees need what, look for the
pollination handbook on the AI Root Website
It's called McGregors Pollination Handbook.
here is the link-http://www.beeculture.com/content/
pollination_handbook/

"Jimmy S." wrote in message
t...
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?

Kiwi come in male and female plants. One of each is needed if you want
fruit.

--
Travis in Shoreline Washington

On Apr 21, 5:30 am, "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

This subject is much more complex than it first appears. Yes there
are species of plants that have separate male and female plants,
clearly in this case you need at least one of each, an example is the
kiwifruit. Pears are not in this category.

The reason that you may be told to get more than one of certain fruit
and nut trees is that although they are both male and female often
their self fertility is low or non-existent. In some cases to get the
best result you just need more than one plant of the same cultivar in
other cases different cultivars are better. The latter situation is
common.

In the case of pears some are self-fertile but many will produce a
much reduced yield unless paired with the right cultivar. You didn't
say what type you have so I cannot look it up.

David

In message .com,
beecrofter writes
On Apr 20, 3:30 pm, "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

You have single sex trees that are either male or female aka
"monoecious"
And you have trees that produce both pollen and have ovaries aka
"dioecious"

You have monoecious and dioecious reversed. For more detail than the OP
probably wants see

http://www.malvaceae.info/Biology/SexDistribution.html


But some trees that are dioecious are also self infertile and cannot
pollinate themselves.

The usual situation in Rosaceae is that plants are synoecious (all
flowers produce pollen and have ovaries) but there are exceptions. I
would expect that pears are the same, and the need from a separate
pollinator arises from self-incompatibility rather from the trees being
gendered. However to be sure one has to investigate, as you say below,
the situation obtaining in a particular species, or even a particular
cultivar.

If you want to find the skinny on which trees need what, look for the
pollination handbook on the AI Root Website
It's called McGregors Pollination Handbook.
here is the link-http://www.beeculture.com/content/
pollination_handbook/


--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

On Apr 21, 7:33 am, Stewart Robert Hinsley
wrote:
In message .com,
beecrofter writes





On Apr 20, 3:30 pm, "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

You have single sex trees that are either male or female aka
"monoecious"
And you have trees that produce both pollen and have ovaries aka
"dioecious"

You have monoecious and dioecious reversed. For more detail than the OP
probably wants see

http://www.malvaceae.info/Biology/SexDistribution.html



But some trees that are dioecious are also self infertile and cannot
pollinate themselves.

The usual situation in Rosaceae is that plants are synoecious (all
flowers produce pollen and have ovaries) but there are exceptions. I
would expect that pears are the same, and the need from a separate
pollinator arises from self-incompatibility rather from the trees being
gendered. However to be sure one has to investigate, as you say below,
the situation obtaining in a particular species, or even a particular
cultivar.



If you want to find the skinny on which trees need what, look for the
pollination handbook on the AI Root Website
It's called McGregors Pollination Handbook.
here is the link-http://www.beeculture.com/content/
pollination_handbook/

--
Stewart Robert Hinsley- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

That has been happening lately, I also reversed some items on my taxes
and ended up filing an extension.
In any case McGregors will prove very usefull.
Thanks
Tom

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


Besides Ginkgo and some hollies (Ilex), ash trees (Fraxinus) and
Asparagus have the sexes separated.

I strongly recommend planting only male ash trees. 32 years ago, I
didn't realize how important that is. Now, the most common weed in my
garden is the seedlings of the ash tree I planted long ago.

For eating, some prefer female Asparagus officinalis. The ornamental A.
densiflorus 'Sprengeri' has attractive berries (as does A. officinalis).
However, those berries quickly become new plants, possibly another weed.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

Considering many trees these days are grafts. Buying 2 trees of the
same variety amounts to buying the same tree with 2 individual
rootstocks.

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

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