Rival Apricot
Pollination & Compatibility Guide
Rival apricot pollination guide: strictly self-incompatible early apricot, Moorpark seedling, named partners and frost planning. Partners and bloom overlap.
Rival Needs a Compatible Apricot Partner
WSU release (Toyama, 1971). STRICTLY SELF-INCOMPATIBLE. Requires a cross-pollination partner of overlapping early bloom such as Goldstrike, Goldbar, or Perfection. Do not plant alone. Rival needs at least one compatible pollinizer from bloom group 1–3 to set a reliable crop.
- Ploidy / Pool
- Diploid · Pool C
- Required Companions
- 1 Compatible Partner
- Bloom Group
- Group 2 (Mid-Spring)
- Harvest Timing
- Mid Season
Flowering Period & Overlap Window
Apricots flower before peach, plum and cherry, so bloom overlap and spring frost decide most outcomes. Self-fertility varies by origin: many Mediterranean-type cultivars set alone, while several North American releases need a compatible partner flowering at the same time.
Rival flowers within the apricot Group 1–3 window. Partner-dependent cultivars need a compatible apricot whose flowers overlap in the same days.
Compatible Pollination Partners (18)
| Cultivar | Bloom Group | Overlap Type | Harvest | Primary Uses | Interactive Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Mid | Fresh Eating, Canning, Drying, Preserves | Test Cross | |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early | Fresh Eating (Hybrid) | Test Cross | |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
Katy | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Royal Rosa | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early-Mid | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Supercot | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early | Fresh Eating, Canning | Test Cross |
Wenatchee Moorpark | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Mid | Fresh Eating, Canning, Drying | Test Cross |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Early | Fresh Eating, Canning, Preserves | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Late | Fresh Eating, Canning, Drying, Preserves | Test Cross | |
AC Harojoy | Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid-Late | Fresh Eating, Canning, Freezing, Jam | Test Cross |
Canadian White | Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid | Fresh Eating, Preserves | Test Cross |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Early | Fresh Eating, Freezing, Canning | Test Cross | |
Harogem | Group 3 | Full Overlap | Late | Fresh Eating, Canning, Freezing, Jam | Test Cross |
Nugget | Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid | Fresh Eating, Drying | Test Cross |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid | Canning, Drying | Test Cross |
Incompatible Varieties & Exclusions (7)
These cultivars cannot serve as pollinizers for Rival because their flowering does not overlap, their pollen is unsuitable, or they share the same incompatibility group.
apricot incompatibility groups are only partly mapped, so only cultivars documented as reliable donors are offered. Goldbar is not one of them — that is a gap in the data, not evidence it is incompatible.
apricot incompatibility groups are only partly mapped, so only cultivars documented as reliable donors are offered. Goldrich is not one of them — that is a gap in the data, not evidence it is incompatible.
apricot incompatibility groups are only partly mapped, so only cultivars documented as reliable donors are offered. Goldstrike is not one of them — that is a gap in the data, not evidence it is incompatible.
A direct parent (Moorpark open-pollinated seedling) — roughly half the pollen is non-functional, so it is not a reliable partner.
apricot incompatibility groups are only partly mapped, so only cultivars documented as reliable donors are offered. Perfection is not one of them — that is a gap in the data, not evidence it is incompatible.
apricot incompatibility groups are only partly mapped, so only cultivars documented as reliable donors are offered. Sundrop is not one of them — that is a gap in the data, not evidence it is incompatible.
apricot incompatibility groups are only partly mapped, so only cultivars documented as reliable donors are offered. Tomcot is not one of them — that is a gap in the data, not evidence it is incompatible.
Grower Commentary: Rival is Strictly Self-Incompatible
Rival is a Washington State University release from 1971 and a Moorpark open-pollinated seedling. The source notes describe it as strictly self-incompatible, so it should never be planted alone. Bloom is Group 2, and the record names Goldstrike, Goldbar or Perfection as partners with overlapping early flowering. Because it has viable pollen, it can also serve those trees in return.
Group 2 flowering is early, so the pairing has to survive frost at the same moment as the flowers. If one partner loses its blossoms, the other may set little or no crop. Plant on well-drained slopes, keep the partner nearby and record bloom dates. Perfection opens later than Rival, so verify overlap rather than assuming it.
Rival ripens mid-season. Thin the crop, keep the canopy open and confirm rootstock and drainage details with the nursery. No cultivar chill figure is stored, so compare local winter records with the Group 2 timing before committing acreage.
Key Orchard Considerations for Rival
Strictly self-incompatible; needs an overlapping Group 2 partner.
Goldstrike, Goldbar or Perfection; check actual bloom dates.
Both trees flower early, so one frost can remove pollen and fruit.
Take Rival 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 Rival 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.