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nafex - [NAFEX] pawpaw and hardy kiwi pollination

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  • From: Mauch1@aol.com
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [NAFEX] pawpaw and hardy kiwi pollination
  • Date: Thu, 08 May 2003 13:25:59 -0400

I can't answer for hardy kiwi. When mine come into
production, I hope the insects around will do an adequate job.

Pawpaw, except for a few cultivars, I think you'll need two
trees. They don't mature all the flowers at the same time,
and some flowers will be receptive to pollen and some will be
shedding pollen. Pawpaws have an unusual flower. Inside the
petals, there is what looks like a ball with a nub sticking
out. The ball is the male stamens and the nub is the female
pistil. When the pistil is receptive the stamens are still a
hard green ball. Once the stamens start shedding the "ball"
has become a somewhat fluffy gray. You can use a brush, but
if you have enough flowers to spare, I'd pick one of the
earlier flowers that is now shedding pollen and walk it over
to your other tree, and lightly brush the nub of flowers where
the stamens are a hard green ball with the grayish
fluffy part of the "male" flower (Once you were at the tree,
I'd have stripped the petals off of the "male" flower).

Hope this helps.

Chris Mauchline
SE PA, zone 6
40° 5' N 75° 51'W
~650 ft elevation

>Does anyone know the best method for gathering, transporting
>and disseminating pollen for these two plants? If I
>gather pollen with a camel hair brush for instance, how do I
>store it for a day or two as the stigmas become receptive?
>Any ideas? Thank you.






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