Growing peaches is a rewarding endeavor. Many people worry about the need for a second tree, a common requirement for many other types of fruit. The vast majority of common peach varieties, such as ‘Redhaven,’ ‘Elberta,’ and ‘Reliance,’ are self-fertile. This means a single tree can produce a full crop of fruit entirely on its own. You do not need a partner tree for your peach harvest, making peaches an excellent choice for smaller yards or urban gardens.
The Pollination Status of Peach Trees
Peach trees are considered self-pollinating because their flowers possess both the male and female reproductive structures necessary for fruit production. This characteristic, known as self-fertility, means pollen from a flower’s anther (male part) can successfully fertilize the ovule within the same flower’s pistil (female part). This is an advantage over fruits like most apples or pears, which require cross-pollination from a different, compatible variety. The peach flower’s structure allows for this reliable process, meaning growers can plant a single variety without concern for cross-pollinators. While planting a second, different peach variety may improve the total fruit set, this is not a necessity for a successful harvest.
The Mechanism of Fruit Set
While the peach flower is self-fertile, moving the pollen within the flower to achieve fertilization still requires assistance. Pollination is the physical transfer of pollen grains from the stamen to the stigma. This transfer is accomplished primarily by insects, especially honey bees, which are attracted to the early spring blossoms. As a bee visits a flower, it inadvertently brushes against the anthers, picking up pollen, and depositing it onto the stigma of the same flower. Wind also plays a supplementary role in shaking the pollen loose. The window for successful pollination is brief, as the flower must be fertilized immediately after opening for the fruit to set.
Why Peaches Fail to Fruit (Beyond Pollination)
If a self-fertile peach tree is not producing fruit, the cause is almost certainly a factor other than the need for a second tree.
One of the most common reasons is the tree’s requirement for a specific number of “chilling hours” during the winter dormancy period. Chilling hours are defined as the cumulative number of hours the tree spends with temperatures between 32° and 45°F (0° and 7°C). If a variety does not receive its required number of chilling hours, it may fail to break dormancy properly. This lack of adequate cold can result in poor or absent flowering. Conversely, weather can also cause failure if a late frost occurs after the tree has already blossomed, as the delicate flower buds are easily killed by temperatures at or below freezing.
Pruning technique is another major determinant of fruit production, as peaches bear fruit exclusively on wood that grew during the previous season. Improper pruning that removes too much of this one-year-old wood, or an overall lack of pruning that leads to excessive shading, can significantly reduce the available fruiting sites. The tree may also drop fruit prematurely due to environmental stressors, such as severe water stress from drought or an imbalance from over-fertilization, particularly with high-nitrogen formulas that promote leaf growth over fruit development.