Do Green Pepper Plants Need to Be Pollinated to Produce Peppers?

The green pepper's self-pollination makes it an easy plant to grow.

During plant pollination, pollen grains from one plant transfer to a flower on another plant and fuse with the egg cell found inside. From this, plants produce seeds and fruit. Some plants must be pollinated in this manner; some are self-pollinating.

Types

There are two types of pollination, and different plants have different capabilities. Cross-pollinated flowers must receive pollen from another flower. Self-pollinated flowers contain both male and female structures and are able to pollinate themselves.

Pepper Plants

Pepper plants self-pollinate, according to the University of Minnesota Extension. Although pollination occurs, it occurs within a single flower. This means growers don't have to worry about planting multiple plants, attracting pollinators or hand-pollinating peppers.

Significance

Aside from one less worry for vegetable gardeners, self-pollination also means that gardeners can save seeds from this year's pepper crop for planting next year. Because cross-pollination rarely occurs, according to the Texas A&M University Extension, the seeds usually produce plants that resemble the parent plant, unless the plant was a hybrid.

References

• Estrella Mountain Community College: Flowering Plant Reproduction--Fertilization and Fruits
• University of Florida IFAS Extension: The Birds & the Bees -- Pollination in the Garden
• University of Minnesota Extension: Saving Vegetable Seeds -- Tomatoes, Peppers, Peas and Beans
• Texas A&M University Extension: Pepper