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Re: Open Pollinated



What does this term mean??  Why are open pollinated plants of
interest? Thanks, Judy

Judy,

Open pollenated plants produce offspring which are the same as, or very
similar to, the parent plant(s) when pollenated by itself or another of the
same variety.  Hybrid plants are created by cross pollenating different
varieties of the same species.  They will not breed true to type when
pollenated with another of the same variety and will sometimes even be
sterile, depending upon the genes present in the cross.

People cross pollenate plants to try to improve on the traits of the parent
plants.  Usually, the offspring of a hybrid plant will be a throwback to one
of the parents.  That is, it will exhibit more of the tendencies of one of
the original parents.

Hybrids which are made which do breed true are called F2 hybrids.  These can
breed true for a generation before repeated pollenations start to exhibit
more of the characteristics of the original parent plants.  Most of the
hybrid seeds available commercially are F1 and are a result of repeated
crossings of two to five or more different varieties.  Seed producing
companies push the hybrid plants because they then control the source of the
seed.  Open pollenated plants can be propagated by anyone who grows them in
a climate which will allow the plant to bear to seed forming stage, and,
therefore, the seeds for these plants cannot be completely controlled by the
seed producers.

Heirloom plants are open pollenated varieties which have been passed down
from generation to generation, breed true to type, and have a history which
can be traced, usually back to the original breeder.

I hope this helped you, or at least did not confuse you too much.

Cliff Parker
Holden, ME
zone 4

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