Most Attractive To Bumblebees?

joseph · July 13, 2014

So far this year I have found two cultivars and one (possibly hybridized) plant which have the trait of open anther cones and exerted stigmas. They should be very susceptible to cross pollination. It is very early in my tomato flowering season, and frost is expected soon, so I'll watch for more.

Here's photos of what some of the flowers looked like:

Croatian Brandywine: The person that sent it to me said, "The bees were all over this last summer". I can understand why...

DX 52-12. An almost heirloom local variety that was developed specifically for my valley by Alvin Hamson for the Campbell's Soup Company. Alvin taught me to prune apple trees when I was a teenager. I am thrilled that this great variety has a good start towards the traits I am looking for. It is a Moscow type tomato.

An off-type plant that showed up in the Matina row. I suspect it of being a natural hybrid.

Typical Flower on a modern industrial cultivar. All closed up so that the bees are not interested and even if they were it would be hard to achieve cross-pollination. Even the flower petals are pointed in a direction to discourage approach by insects.

July 13, 2014	#10
joseph Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake Posts: 1,244	So far this year I have found two cultivars and one (possibly hybridized) plant which have the trait of open anther cones and exerted stigmas. They should be very susceptible to cross pollination. It is very early in my tomato flowering season, and frost is expected soon, so I'll watch for more. Here's photos of what some of the flowers looked like: Croatian Brandywine: The person that sent it to me said, "The bees were all over this last summer". I can understand why... DX 52-12. An almost heirloom local variety that was developed specifically for my valley by Alvin Hamson for the Campbell's Soup Company. Alvin taught me to prune apple trees when I was a teenager. I am thrilled that this great variety has a good start towards the traits I am looking for. It is a Moscow type tomato. An off-type plant that showed up in the Matina row. I suspect it of being a natural hybrid. Typical Flower on a modern industrial cultivar. All closed up so that the bees are not interested and even if they were it would be hard to achieve cross-pollination. Even the flower petals are pointed in a direction to discourage approach by insects. Last edited by joseph; July 13, 2014 at 10:09 PM.