Can Two Kieffer Pears Pollinate Each Other?

Self-Fertility

• It's possible for a lone Kieffer pear tree to produce fruits because pollinating insects will transfer pollen among blossoms on the same tree's branches. Fruit production with one tree is sporadic and inconsistent; planting another Kieffer pear tree nearby improves fruit set on both trees.

Cross-Pollination Insight

• Plant the second Kieffer pear within 30 feet of the first for the best cross-pollination and production of fruits. Any European or Asian pear tree within 300 feet of a Kieffer pear can provide pollen for fertilizing flowers. Ornamental or callery pears, such as Bradford or Chanticleer, are not effective pollinators for Kieffer and other edible pear trees. Honeybees are the primary pollinator of pears and tend to bypass blooming pear trees since pear blossoms aren't particularly rich in nectar. Instead, bees in early spring tend to frequent cherry, plum or peach trees in bloom rather than pears.

Pollination Concerns

• Kieffer pear trees bloom in late winter or very early spring when temperatures are cool with potential nighttime frosts and freezes. Cold, rainy and windy weather at the time of pear blossoming dissuades honeybees from pollinating the flowers. Moreover, nighttime temperatures below freezing will destroy exposed pear blossoms as well as any newly forming baby pear fruits. These weather factors greatly affect fruit production on Kieffer pears, causing fruit set to vary year to year, even if plenty of pear trees exist within the orchard for cross-pollination.

Regional Advice

• In general, fruit trees of the same variety are not the best sources of pollen to ensure the best cross-pollination. Kieffer pear trees may bloom and cross-pollinate each other differently in different regions based on climate and other orchard nuances. Ideally, plant one other pear fruit variety next to Kieffer pear trees to supply the pollen. Any other pear fruit tree, European or Asian, works as long as it blooms at the same time as the Kieffer pear trees. Contact your local cooperative extension office for region-specific recommendations about growing pear trees and yielding the best fruit crops.