Kingston Black Apple
Pollination & Compatibility Guide
Kingston Black apple pollination guide: diploid bittersharp cider apple, late bloom group 5. Compatible partners, cropping habit and pressing notes.
Kingston Black is Self-Sterile (Needs 1 Partner)
Kingston Black needs at least one compatible pollinizer from bloom group 4–6 to set a reliable crop.
- Chromosome Ploidy
- self sterile
- Required Companions
- 1 Diploid Partner
- Bloom Group
- Group 5 (Late-Spring)
- Harvest Timing
- Late Season (Anchor @ 0d)
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 4 to 6 provides matching blossom overlap.
Compatible Pollination Partners (30)
| Cultivar | Bloom Group | Overlap Type | Harvest | Primary Uses | Interactive Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 5 | Full Overlap | Late Concurrent (±0d) | Cider | Test Cross | |
| Group 5 | Full Overlap | Late Concurrent (±0d) | Cider | Test Cross | |
Northern Spy | Group 5 | Full Overlap | Late ±5d delta | All-Purpose, Storage | Test Cross |
| Group 5 | Full Overlap | Late ±10d delta | Cooking | Test Cross | |
| Group 4 | Full Overlap | Mid Concurrent (±0d) | All-Purpose | Test Cross | |
Melrose | Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late Concurrent (±0d) | All-Purpose, Storage | Test Cross |
Tolman Sweet | Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late Concurrent (±0d) | Cooking, Cider | Test Cross |
Beni Shogun | Group 4 | Full Overlap | Mid ±5d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Tydeman's Late Orange | Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late ±5d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
| Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late ±10d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
| Group 4 | Full Overlap | Mid ±10d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
| Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late ±10d delta | All-Purpose | Test Cross | |
Hawkeye (Original Delicious) | Group 4 | Full Overlap | Mid ±10d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Kandil Sinap | Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late ±10d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Newtown Pippin | Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late ±10d delta | All-Purpose, Storage | Test Cross |
Incompatible Varieties & Exclusions (6)
These varieties overlap in flowering time with Kingston Black 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.
Jonagold produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Orleans Reinette 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: Kingston Black Late Bloom and Cider Quality
Kingston Black is a diploid, self-sterile bittersharp cider apple from Somerset, introduced in Herefordshire around 1820, and its ploidy has been measured at two sets of chromosomes. Bloom is late, in group 5, and the pollen is viable. Few apples overlap that late, so choose cider partners deliberately and confirm the flowering dates on your own site before planting a block.
Harvest comes at about the same time as Golden Delicious in maritime north-west European conditions, and the record lists cider as the use. Kingston Black is one of the few varieties whose juice makes a balanced single-varietal cider, with tannin, acid and sugar in one fruit. That reputation is why growers accept its slow, awkward habits.
Expect a modest, irregular crop and a tree that rewards patience. It has a reputation for scab and canker pressure, so site it on well-drained ground, keep the canopy open and cut out cankered wood promptly. Thin lightly in heavy years to soften any biennial swing, and avoid planting in frost pockets.
Key Orchard Considerations for Kingston Black
Choose a vigour-matched rootstock on well-drained soil to reduce canker and wet-feet problems.
Scout through the season and cut out cankered shoots before they spread.
Pick fully ripe and press for quality; suits farm cider and premium blends.
Take Kingston Black 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 Kingston Black 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.