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Table of contents
- Pome fruit: 6 self-pollinators
- 7 self-fertile stone fruit trees
- 2 types of berries
- 5 exotics presented
There are numerous fruit trees that can easily pollinate themselves and thus save a lot of space in the garden, on the terrace or in the greenhouse. We present 20 species in detail.
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Pome fruit: 6 self-pollinators
chokeberries(chokeberry)
- all 3 species form edible fruits
- Growth height: up to 250 cm
- shrubby growth, upright, deciduous, dark green foliage
- educable as a standard to a fruit tree
- Flowering period: May to early June
- single double panicle flowers, white
- Harvest time: late August to mid-October
- Fruits black, round, extremely rich in vitamins, birds like to eat them
- sour aroma
- Self-pollinating attracts numerous pollinating insects
- sunny to half-shady, sandy, dry, fresh, well-drained
- hardy
Edible mountain ash 'Edulis'(Sorbus aucuparia 'Edulis')
- Growth height: 600 to 1,500 cm
- fast growth, slender, multi-stemmed, pyramidal crown, deciduous, dark green foliage
- Flowering period: May to mid-June
- single double umbels, white, many flowers
- Harvest time: end of August to beginning of November, first frost intensifies the taste
- Fruits are edible, pleasantly sour taste, orange or red, extremely rich in vitamins, birds like to eat them
- sunny to semi-shady, solitary position, not demanding on soil
- hardy
serviceberry(Sorbus torminalis)
- Growth height: 700 to 2,500 cm
- upright growth, dense, round crown, attractive autumn colors, deciduous, intense green foliage with bluish underside
- Flowering period: May to mid-July
- single double panicle flowers, white, small
- Harvest time: from October
- Fruits reddish to brown with white spots, apple-shaped, quite small, overripe fruits popular with birds
- Boil fruit before eating
- Taste reminiscent of marzipan or almonds
- Sunny to semi-shady, avoid salty soil, dry, fresh, nutritious, prefers lime, well-drained
- needs winter protection
medlar(Mespilus germanica)
- Growth height: 500 to 600 cm
- crooked growth, broad crown, deciduous, intense green foliage
- Flowering period: late April to mid-June
- single double flowers, on short shoots, white, large
- Harvest time: late October to late November
- Fruits orange-brown, spherical, hairy, covered with small warts
- sweet aroma, fine acidity
- sunny to semi-shady, nutritious, calcareous
- hardy
quince(Cydonia oblonga)
- Growth height: 400 to 800 cm
- Shrubby small tree, upright, spreading crown, deciduous, dull green foliage
- Flowering period: May to mid-June
- single double flowers, white, pink, large
- Harvest time: October, check ripeness
- Fruits yellow, large (up to 500 g), pear-shaped, extremely rich in vitamins, covered with tannic fluff
- acidic sweet taste, skin intensely bitter
- wash and heat before consumption (eliminates bitter taste of peel)
- sunny to semi-shady, moist, fresh, deep, nutritious
- hardy
service tree(Sorbus domestica)
- Growth height: 400 to 3,000 cm
- short stem, broad, round crown, deciduous, glossy green foliage
- Flowering period: May to June
- single double umbels, white, many flowers
- Harvest time: September to the end of October
- Fruits are reddish-yellow to olive-brown, shaped like small apples or pears, quite large
- attracts pollinating insects and birds
- bitter taste, much tastier due to processing
- Sunny to semi-shady, fresh, nutritious, well-drained, does not tolerate salt
- hardy
- tolerates heat very well
7 self-fertile stone fruit trees
apricot(Prunus armeniaca)
- also known as apricot
- Growth height: 500 to 1,000 cm
- Vigorous growth, broad crown, deciduous, green foliage
- Flowering time: March to April
- single double flowers, solitary or in pairs, white, pale pink
- Harvest time: mid-July to early September (at the latest)
- Fruits light yellow, orange, reddish, round, smooth, juicy, size depends on variety
- aromatic taste, sweet
- attracts pollinating insects
- sunny, humic, normal, permeable
- hardy, late frosts sometimes problematic
A notice:
If you want to cultivate the Cherrykose (apricot and cherry hybrid), you don't need pollinators either. They fertilize themselves easily.
Cowardly(Ficus carica)
- Growth height: 250 to 500 cm
- Growth habit depends heavily on the variety, mostly broad crown, twisted or bent trunk, deciduous
- forms irritating milky sap in all parts of the plant except the fruits
- Flowering time: March to mid-August (strongly dependent on climate)
- inconspicuous flowers
- Harvest time: mid-August to late December
- Fruits are green to violet in colour, soft flesh, characteristic shape
- sweet aroma
- sunny, loamy, loose, nutritious, acidic
- hardy, winter protection recommended
elder(Sambucus)
- Growth height: 100 to 1,500 cm
- loose growth, upright, deciduous, dark green foliage
- Flowering period: June to mid-July
- single double racemes, umbrella racemes or terminal flowers, white
- Harvest time: late September to mid-October
- Fruits red, blue or black, round, small
- tart aroma, sometimes bitter, sweet aftertaste
- Flowers also edible
- attracts pollinating insects and birds
- sunny to semi-shady, nutritious, moist, normal, well-drained
- hardy
peach(Prunus persica)
- Growth height: 100 to 800 cm
- well-branched growth, upright, crown mostly close to the ground, deciduous, mid-green foliage
- Flowering time: April to mid-May
- single double flowers, fivefold, yellow, pale pink, red
- Harvest time: late July to early September
- Fruits hairy, round or flat, juicy, greenish or yellow, usually red on the sunny side
- sour-sweet taste
- sunny to half-shady, humic, fresh and moist, well-drained
- hardy
- apricots (Prunus persica var. nucipersica) can also fertilize themselves
plum(Prunus domestica)
- Growth height: 600 to 1,000 cm
- medium growth, sparse, deciduous, intense green foliage
- Flowering time: April to mid-May
- Umbellate inflorescences, 2 to 3 flowers per inflorescence, white, white-green, yellow-green
- Harvest time: July to mid-October (depends heavily on the variety)
- Fruits yellow-greenish, yellow, reddish, purple, blue, blue-black, lilac, black, round or ovoid, smooth skin
- sweet to sour aroma (depending on variety and duration of ripening)
- sunny to half-shady, humic, fresh and moist, well-drained
- pollen donor
- hardy
A notice:
All plum subspecies such as damsons and mirabelle plums also belong to the self-pollinators. These can be recognized by the botanical name Prunus domestica subspecies.
sour cherries(Prunus cerasus)
- Growth height: 100 to 1,000 cm
- well-branched growth, upright, slightly hanging, deciduous, medium-green foliage
- Flowering time: April to May
- single double umbel flowers, white
- Harvest time: 4. and 5. Cherry week (2. July to 24. July)
- Fruits red or dark red, roundish, juicy
- Mild acidity in taste, tart to spicy
- sunny to half-shady, humic, fresh and moist, well-drained, nutritious
- hardy
Sweet Cherry 'Lapins'(Prunus avium 'Lapins')
- one of the few self-pollinating varieties of the species
- Growth height: 300 to 600 cm
- compact growth, steep, sparsely branched, deciduous, soft green foliage
- Flowering time: April to May
- single filled, radial symmetric, white
- Harvest time: 6. and 7. Cherry week (26. July to 20 August)
- Fruits dark red, large, juicy
- sweet in taste
- sunny, normal, permeable
- hardy
2 types of berries
currants(Ribes species)
- Growth height: up to 150 cm
- upright habit, small tree, some species develop thorns, deciduous, intense green foliage
- Flowering period: May to early June
- single double, in umbellate, racemose or umbrella racemes inflorescences, white, greenish, yellowish, red, purple
- Harvest time: from St. John's Day (24. June) to the end of August (strongly dependent on species and variety)
- Fruits red or black, round, small
- Taste depends on the type and variety
- sunny to semi-shady, nutritious, humic
- hardy
Black mulberry(Morus nigra)
- Growth height: up to 1,200 cm
- upright habit, densely branched, decorative, rounded crown, deciduous, dark green foliage
- Flowering period: May to mid-June
- inconspicuous flowers, yellowish color
- Harvest time: July to mid-August
- Dark purple or black fruits, shape reminiscent of blackberries
- sweet and sour aroma, spicy character, intense
- sunny to half-shady, normal, prefers chalky soil, well-drained
- hardy, winter protection or winter quarters required in particularly cold areas
5 exotics presented
pomegranate(Punica granatum)
- Growth height: 250 to 500 cm
- bushy growth, upright, with thorns, deciduous, green foliage
- Flowering period: June to September
- single bell-shaped flowers, white, yellow, red
- Harvest time: September to mid-October (only from the 2nd standing year)
- large, red pods, filled with numerous seeds, juicy, round, juice stains
- sunny, sandy, loamy, fresh, well-drained, loose, requires a high proportion of minerals
- hardy to -5°C, hibernate in the winter quarters
persimmon(Diospyros persimmon)
- Growth height: 1,000 to 2,000 cm
- Growth reminiscent of apple trees, scaly bark, upright, deciduous, dark green foliage with light green underside
- Flowering period: May to June
- radially symmetrical flowers, yellowish, greenish, inconspicuous
- Harvest time: late September to late October
- large fruits, shape and color depending on the variety or subspecies, mostly yellow, orange, red, very rich in vitamins
- furry, needs to mature, then tart to sweet (depending on maturity)
- Sunny to semi-shady, sheltered, loamy, humic, deep, does not tolerate lime, rich in nutrients
- hardy to -15°C, winter protection may be necessary in cold regions
grapefruit(Citrus maxima)
- Growth height: up to 300 cm
- bushy habit, upright, sprawling, evergreen, with thorns in the leaf axils, light green foliage
- strongly varying flowering time
- solitary or in spikes, white
- Harvest time strongly dependent on flowering time (depending on the temperature, it sometimes fails)
- Fruits are green to yellow in color, round, very large (up to 20 cm in diameter), extremely rich in vitamins
- Taste fundamentally bitter with subtle sweetness or acidity
- sunny, well structured, permeable, with drainage
- not hardy, does not survive even the slightest frost
- exclusively bucket maintenance
Yuzu(Citrus junos)
- Growth height: 150 to 300 cm
- bushy habit, upright, with thorns, evergreen, intense green foliage
- Flowering period: May to early June
- simple, white
- Harvest time: October to December
- Fruits intensely yellow, rounded, extremely rich in vitamins
- sunny, semi-shade tolerable, protected, well structured, well-drained, with drainage, rich in nutrients
- hardy to -12°C, can be planted out in suitable locations, otherwise only keep in tubs
Lemons(citrus lime)
- Growth height: 400 to 500 cm
- bushy habit, upright, fast-growing compared to other citrus species, evergreen, green foliage
- Flowering period: May to mid-August
- single flowers, white, intense scent, sometimes even rotten
- Harvest time: September to the end of November (ripeness depends on size)
- high yields possible
- Fruits sunny yellow, fist-sized, oval, oblong
- intense sour taste
- sunny, ideally facing south, sheltered, high-quality citrus soil recommended for fruit trees, humic, well-drained
- not hardy, winter protection or winter quarters necessary
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