What Does Open Pollination Mean?
Open pollination is a term that refers to plant varieties that are pollinated through naturally occurring means. These plants bear seeds that will produce plants that are identical to the parent plant. Open pollinated plants are also very genetically diverse and can be more adaptable to local growing conditions. Older strains of open pollinated plants are referred to as “heirlooms.”
Open pollination can be carried out in two different ways. The first way is through an external means such as birds, insects, water, or wind. The second way is through self-pollination, which occurs when the male and female parts are contained in the same plant.
