Ambrosia Apple
Pollination & Compatibility Guide
Ambrosia apple pollination requirements, bloom group 4 timing, and compatible partners. Complete guide to non-browning flesh, spur habits, and thinning.
Ambrosia is Self-Sterile (Needs 1 Partner)
Ambrosia needs at least one compatible pollinizer from bloom group 3–5 to set a reliable crop.
- Chromosome Ploidy
- Diploid (2n)
- Required Companions
- 1 Diploid Partner
- Bloom Group
- Group 4 (Mid-Spring)
- Harvest Timing
- Late (-10d from Golden Delicious)
Flowering Period & Overlap Window
Apple flowering periods are classified into numbered bloom groups (1 through 6). A variety reliably cross-pollinates with cultivars in its own group or adjacent groups (±1 group).
Any compatible diploid apple flowering within Group 3 to 5 provides matching blossom overlap.
Compatible Pollination Partners (74)
| Cultivar | Bloom Group | Overlap Type | Harvest | Primary Uses | Interactive Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 4 | Full Overlap | Mid Concurrent (±0d) | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
Hawkeye (Original Delicious) | Group 4 | Full Overlap | Mid Concurrent (±0d) | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Kandil Sinap | Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late Concurrent (±0d) | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
| Group 4 | Full Overlap | Mid Concurrent (±0d) | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
| Group 4 | Full Overlap | Mid ±10d delta | All-Purpose | Test Cross | |
Melrose | Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late ±10d delta | All-Purpose, Storage | Test Cross |
Tolman Sweet | Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late ±10d delta | Cooking, Cider | Test Cross |
Beni Shogun | Group 4 | Full Overlap | Mid ±15d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Snow (Fameuse) | Group 4 | Full Overlap | Mid ±15d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Tydeman's Late Orange | Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late ±15d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
| Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late ±20d delta | All-Purpose | Test Cross | |
Newtown Pippin | Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late ±20d delta | All-Purpose, Storage | Test Cross |
White Winter Pearmain | Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late ±20d delta | All-Purpose, Storage | Test Cross |
| Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late ±20d delta | All-Purpose, Cider | Test Cross | |
York Imperial | Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late ±20d delta | All-Purpose, Storage | Test Cross |
Incompatible Varieties & Exclusions (14)
These varieties overlap in flowering time with Ambrosia but cannot fertilise it due to sterile pollen (triploids) or shared genetic incompatibility alleles.
Arkansas Black produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Ashmead's Kernel produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Baldwin produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Belle de Boskoop produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Blenheim Orange produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Bramley's Seedling produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Fall Pippin produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Jonagold produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Karmijn de Sonnaville produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Mutsu (Crispin) produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Orleans Reinette produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Spigold produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Stayman Winesap produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Zabergau Reinette produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Grower Commentary: Ambrosia Pollination, Spur Habit & Chemical Sensitivity
Ambrosia is a diploid, self-sterile cultivar discovered as a chance seedling in the Mennell family orchard in Similkameen Valley, British Columbia (c. 1990). Flowering in bloom group 4 (mid-to-late season), it produces abundant viable pollen and cross-pollinates readily with companion diploids such as Gala, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, and Braeburn.
Parentage and compatibility: While open-pollinated, genetic markers suggest Golden Delicious and Jonagold parentage. Because Ambrosia is an open diploid with strong pollen viability, it demonstrates broad compatibility with mid- and late-season diploid apples.
Culinary traits and non-browning flesh: Ambrosia is celebrated for its honeyed, low-acid sweetness, fine texture, and exceptionally slow oxidation rate upon slicing. This non-browning trait makes it a premier fresh-slice and salad apple in commercial retail.
Canopy management and chemical sensitivity: The tree displays an upright, compact spur-bearing habit of moderate vigor well-suited to high-density spindle plantings. However, Ambrosia is notably sensitive to certain chemical thinning agents (such as carbaryl or high-rate ATS) in cool, damp post-bloom conditions, requiring careful rate adjustment and weather timing to avoid phytotoxicity.
Key Orchard Considerations for Ambrosia
Plant alongside reliable diploid companions flowering across groups 3–5 to ensure consistent pollination coverage.
Calibrate post-bloom chemical thinner concentrations carefully; avoid applications during cold, humid weather windows.
Compact spur habit and upright growth adapt well to dwarfing rootstocks (M9, G41) with minimal summer corrective pruning.
Take Ambrosia from Planning to Planting
Use Kropigo's free browser tools to model your block density, tree counts, and pollinizer rows, then maintain permanent orchard records row by row.
Pollination Checker
Check Ambrosia against supported cultivars with compatible flowering and pollination data.
Commercial Block Planner
Calculate high-density tree spacing, row geometry, and establishment costs.
Block Record Keeping
Track pruning, chemical thinning, and harvest tallies block by block from the orchard.