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Relatively recently, honeysuckle began to be grown in private plots. There are many varieties of it. To obtain berries, it is better to choose varieties of self-fertile honeysuckle. They pollinate well, and the harvest ripens richly.
Does honeysuckle need a pollinator?
Honeysuckle inflorescences are bisexual and require cross-pollination. Pollen is carried by insects. It is important that different varieties of this crop cross-pollinate with each other. This will increase the yield and taste of the berries.
For the garden it is better to purchase not 2, but 4 shrubs with different varietal characteristics
Each of them has its own best pollinator. The greater the variety of honeysuckle species in the garden, the higher the harvest of blue berries.
How is honeysuckle pollinated?
Not all types of fruit crops are self-sterile. To obtain a harvest, several pollinating shrubs are planted.During the growing season, bisexual paired flowers ripen. Each of them blooms for 1 day. An insect can pollinate even one flower, but the fruits ripen in pairs.
Honeysuckle is a cross-pollinated crop. Flower pollen is carried by insects, wind, and birds. The shrub needs 2-3 varietal pollinators. In the garden they are planted at a short distance from each other.
At what distance does honeysuckle pollinate?
This crop grows slowly. An adult shrub can reach impressive sizes. When planting, the distance between seedlings is made at least 2.5 m. This will allow the tree to grow in the future, and there will be no problems with pollination of neighboring bushes.
When planted closer together, different types of a given crop merge into one bush. In this case, pollination is difficult. You may not even wait for the berry harvest.
How to choose a pollinator for honeysuckle
Before purchasing seedlings, study the characteristics of each of them. The young tree should have good yield, bloom at the same time as its partner, and correspond to the climatic conditions of the region. In the description of the seedling, breeders indicate which varieties of self-fertile honeysuckle are best combined.
How many honeysuckle bushes need to be planted for pollination?
The described crop is an expensive plant that cannot be propagated independently by layering or cuttings. Gardeners have to buy shrubs. To save money, plant a couple of bushes nearby. Ideally, there should be 4 of them. This is how honeysuckle cross-pollinates in the best way and produces a high yield.
Self-pollinating varieties of honeysuckle
In order for different varieties of honeysuckle to mix (cross-pollinate), it is important to choose them correctly. They are planted in pairs, not far from each other.
Self-fertile variety Nymph
The shrub is valued for the high taste of its fruit. It is also highly frost-resistant. Shoots can withstand temperatures down to -50°C. The crop is intended for cultivation in regions with long and cold winters.
The fruits of this honeysuckle are edible, but the shrub requires pollinators to produce ovaries. The variety is classified as a crop with an average period of fruit ripening. The height of the bush does not exceed 2.5 m. The leaves are elongated, oval-shaped, dark green.
The berries are oblong, spindle-shaped, uneven, lumpy
The weight of one fruit does not exceed 0.9 g. The berries are sweet and aromatic, tasting score is 4.7 points out of 5 possible.
Self-fertile variety Amphora
This is a low-growing plant, the height of which is approximately 1.5 m. The crown is compact and round. The decorative qualities of this shrub allow it to be used as a hedge or garden decoration.
The flowering of this ornamental and fruit crop is abundant, the petals are narrow, initially pale pink, later pure white
The fruits of the Amphora variety are large, up to 2 cm in length, weight can reach up to 3 g. Their shape is elongated, the surface is smooth, the color is bluish-blue with a slight smoky coating. The taste is sweet and sour, with a slight bitterness, tasting score - 4.5 points.
Self-fertile variety Blue Bird
This is an early crop that can be cultivated even in areas classified as risky farming areas. This is a medium-sized, self-fertile variety that was bred in the last century.
The height of the bush reaches 2 m, the crown is wide, spreading, thickened, taking the shape of a ball or ellipse.
The length of the berries does not exceed 2 cm, and the weight is 1 g; they are oblong, thick, and shaped like a barrel.
The skin of the berries is thin, delicate, dark blue, almost black, covered with a bluish coating that is easily erased. The taste and aroma of the fruit is sweet and sour, reminiscent of blueberries. Tasting score – 4.5 points.
The best honeysuckle pollinators
Every self-fertile varietal plant requires the same pollinator. Some of them are universal, well suited to almost all types of honeysuckle.
Self-fertile variety Blue Spindle
This crop is used as a pollinator for all types of honeysuckle. This is a universal, unpretentious variety that is planted only together with others.
The self-fertile shrub does not grow more than 1.5 m, has a rounded and compact crown. When exposed to the sun, its shoots turn dark red or purple.
The shape of the berries resembles a spindle: it expands towards the center and narrows at the edges
The surface of the fruit is uneven, tuberculate. The length of the berry can reach up to 2.7 cm, weight - up to 1 g. The color is light blue, there is a bluish coating. The taste of the fruit is sweet and sour, but due to the bitter taste, its tasting score is only 3.7 points.
This self-fertile crop is used as a pollinator for other dessert varieties: Blue Bird, Amphora, Nymph. The fruits are practically not consumed fresh; they are processed into compotes and jams.
Self-fertile variety Kamchadalka
This is a low-growing shrub, the height of which does not exceed 1.5 m. The crown is compact, dense, narrowed, and obverse-conical in shape.
The leaves of self-fertile Kamchadalka are oval, oblong, pale green, the bush is not densely covered with them
The berries are medium in size, their length does not exceed 2 cm, and their weight is 1 g. The shape is elongated, oval, the apex is pointed.
The pulp of the fruit has a sweet and sour taste, but its consistency is fibrous.Taste qualities are rated at 3.8 points.
This self-fertile crop is suitable for pollinating the following representatives of the species: Berel, Cinderella, Blue Spindle.
Self-fertile variety Berel
The height of the bush exceeds 2 m. The crown is spreading, the shoots are large, strong, and straight. The leaves are oblong, oval, their lower part is slightly pubescent. The variety is classified as early ripening.
The berries are pear-shaped or conical, their color is blue-black with a purple tint.
The surface is uneven, bumpy. The whitish coating almost never appears. During the season, up to 4 kg of fruit can be collected from one self-fertile bush. Their taste is sweet and sour, and bitterness is also present. Tasting score – 4.1 points.
Self-fertile variety Cinderella
This honeysuckle is not very productive, but its berries are sweet and have a pleasant strawberry flavor.
The self-fertile variety Cinderella is a low-growing shrub, the height of which is only 0.8 m, while the crown is spreading and dense. The shoots are thin, curved, slightly pubescent.
The berries are large, their weight can reach up to 1.5 g, and their length can be up to 2 cm, the shape is elongated, spindle-shaped.
The skin of the fruit is thin, delicate, dark blue or purple. There is a bluish coating on the surface.
The taste of the berries is good: sweet, with a slight bitterness, which is practically not noticeable. The tasting score depends on the climatic conditions in which the shrub is cultivated; it ranges from 4.8 to 5 points.
Cinderella is suitable for all of the above varieties of honeysuckle, which pollinate each other.
Conclusion
Almost all varieties of self-fertile honeysuckle are suitable for pollinating each other. You can choose a couple of productive bushes with high-tasting berries.In addition to them, a compact honeysuckle tree is planted, which is suitable for pollinating each representative of the species. Blue Spindle is considered such a universal variety.
