An apple a day……
Apples and people have a long history dating back approximately 4000-10000 years and there are literally thousands of varieties available to us and more being discovered all the time!!
With so much information available its hard to know where to look.
We’ve put together a few useful websites that you can visit for valuable info on taste, origins and
pollination requirements of different types of apples.
Heritage apple ID - https://www.sces.org.nz/heritage-apple-identification
Polllination groups - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/pdfs/applepollinationgroups.pdf
Keepers Nursery - A UK based site with lots of valuable (and filter-able) info on pollination and different classifications!
An australian based site with information on pollination groups -
https://www.growveg.com.au/guides/apple-pollination-groups-choosing-compatible-trees/
Apples that are triploid (three‐set chromosome) are commonly known for their vigor, large fruit, and resilience. Because triploids produce sterile pollen, they must be grown alongside compatible pollinators.
In New Zealand, apple varieties are grouped by their flowering time, from Group A (Early) to Group D (Late), where varieties within the same group, or adjacent groups (like A and B, B and C, C and D), can pollinate each other, with Group D overlapping the latest.
Key pollinators like Gala, Golden Delicious, and Granny Smith are in different groups, meaning you must plant a variety from a compatible group to ensure fruit production. A crab apple tree like Golden Hornet is a guaranteed pollinator for any apple variety.
Understanding Apple Pollination Groups in NZ
Group A (Early): Flowers first in the season.
Group B (Mid-Early): Flowers after Group A, with overlap.
Group C (Mid-Late): Flowers after Group B.
Group D (Late): Flowers last, overlapping with Group C.
We hope you find this information useful in helping decide what to plant and when!