Recently we had a customer ask if he needed to replace his Red Apple tree that he lost in a storm last year to help pollinate his two Green Apple trees. Naturally, I was stumped on this, and had to go to the experts at the Morton Arboretum for answers. This is what they responded:

“The only way that the loss of the red apple tree would affect the green apple tree is if the red one was the only pollinator for the green one. An apple tree needs to be pollinated by an apple tree of a different variety. If the two green apple trees are the same variety they won’t pollinate each other. If they are different varieties and they bloom at the same time, they WILL pollinate each other. Also if there are any other apples or crabapples within 300 feet they could also act as pollinators if they bloom at the same time.

If your customer is worried about the quality or color of the fruit, he need not worry. The fruit will always be the same no matter who pollinates it.”

So now we know: we need two different varieties of Apples or Crabapples in order to pollinate the trees.

If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us here.