Idared Apple
Pollination & Compatibility Guide
Idared apple pollination requirements, bloom group 2 timing, and compatible partners. Complete guide to cold storage longevity, heavy bearing, and disease.
Idared is Self-Sterile (Needs 1 Partner)
Idared needs at least one compatible pollinizer from bloom group 1–3 to set a reliable crop.
- Chromosome Ploidy
- Diploid (2n)
- Required Companions
- 1 Diploid Partner
- Bloom Group
- Group 2 (Early-Spring)
- Harvest Timing
- Late (+5d 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 1 to 3 provides matching blossom overlap.
Compatible Pollination Partners (63)
| Cultivar | Bloom Group | Overlap Type | Harvest | Primary Uses | Interactive Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Late ±5d delta | Cider, All-Purpose | Test Cross | |
Winter Banana | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Late ±5d delta | All-Purpose | Test Cross |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Late ±15d delta | All-Purpose | Test Cross | |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Mid ±20d delta | All-Purpose | Test Cross | |
Macoun | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Mid ±20d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Jonamac | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±30d delta | All-Purpose | Test Cross |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Mid ±30d delta | All-Purpose | Test Cross | |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±35d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±40d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
Summerred | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±40d delta | All-Purpose | Test Cross |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±40d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
Mollie's Delicious | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±45d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Sansa | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±45d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Jersey Mac | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±50d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±50d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Incompatible Varieties & Exclusions (14)
These varieties overlap in flowering time with Idared but cannot fertilise it due to sterile pollen (triploids) or shared genetic incompatibility alleles.
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.
A direct parent (Cox's Orange Pippin × Idared) — roughly half the pollen is non-functional, so it is not a reliable partner.
Gravenstein produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
A direct parent (Jonathan × Wagener) — roughly half the pollen is non-functional, so it is not a reliable partner.
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.
Ribston Pippin produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Roxbury Russet produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Spigold produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Tompkins King produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Grower Commentary: Idared Early Bloom, Storage Power & Orchard Care
Idared is a diploid, self-sterile cultivar developed at the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station from a cross of Jonathan × Wagener (released 1942). Flowering early in bloom group 2, Idared produces heavy volumes of viable pollen over an extended early bloom window, making it a premier early-season pollinizer for companion cultivars like McIntosh, Discovery, and Granny Smith.
Parentage exclusions: Descending directly from Jonathan, Idared shares incompatibility alleles with Jonathan and should not be paired with Jonathan as its sole pollen companion.
Idared is an agronomic cornerstone of commercial apple production in Central and Eastern Europe (particularly Poland and Hungary) owing to its exceptional storability. Fruit holds firm texture and crisp sub-acid balance in standard refrigerated air storage for 6 months, and up to 8–10 months in controlled atmosphere storage without breakdown.
The tree is moderately vigorous with a productive, spreading spur habit and consistent annual bearing. However, Idared is highly susceptible to fire blight (Erwinia amylovora) and powdery mildew (Podosphaera leucotricha), requiring proactive management during early bloom and vegetative shoot extension.
Key Orchard Considerations for Idared
Abundant, highly viable early pollen makes Idared an exceptional companion for early and early-mid flowering cultivars.
Exclude Jonathan as a solitary cross-pollination partner due to direct shared S-incompatibility alleles.
High susceptibility to blossom fire blight and powdery mildew requires prompt preventative spray coverage from pink bud onward.
Take Idared 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 Idared 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.