Any such thing as male and female tree?

[Jimmy S.]

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

[William Wagner]

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.

Bill

[beecrofter]

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-

[Travis M.]

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

[hairyarms]

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

[Stewart Robert Hinsley]

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

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.

[beecrofter]

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

[David E. Ross]

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.

[kdsexton]

I have some of the same questions- and how do you know whether to get

2 of something, or to graft?

Karen

[David E. Ross]

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.