Plants & Cross Pollination

Before you start your pollinator garden, let’s refresh what you may already know about plants and the pollination process.

First, take a look at the anatomy of a mature flower. Click on each icon in the image below to learn more.

Flower Diagram

Name for the male part of the flower (anther & filament)

The male part of the flower that stores pollen grains

Supports the anther

The female part of the flower where the pollen grains are deposited

Between the stigma and ovary, contains a tube for the pollen to travel to the ovary

Contains the flower’s egg, or ovule

Name for the female part of the flower (stigma, style and ovary)

Now, get familiar with the pollination process. There are two ways a plant can be pollinated: self pollination and cross pollination. In this course, we will focus on cross pollination, including our very important pollinators!

Cross pollination

The movement of pollen between flowers on separate plants

Self pollination

The transfer of pollen grains from an anther to a stigma within a flower or between flowers on a single plant

Click through each slide to learn about the steps of cross pollination.

Pollen from the anther is rubbed or dropped onto a pollinator.
Pollen from the anther is rubbed or dropped onto a pollinator.
The pollinator transports the pollen to a flower on a different plant, where the pollen sticks to the stigma.
The pollinator transports the pollen to a flower on a different plant, where the pollen sticks to the stigma.
The flower is fertilized and later produces fruit and seeds.
The flower is fertilized and later produces fruit and seeds.
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