Knowledgebase
Pollination by hand #816639
Asked November 18, 2022, 9:42 AM EST
I think my cantaloupe vine has only male blossoms , but not sure I know my cucumber has only female blossoms but those are easy. How do I tell the cantaloupe female blossoms?
Clinton County Michigan
Expert Response
Lee, thanks for the question.
Cantaloupes and cucumbers are both in the family and have male or female flowers (and sometimes flowers with both sexes). A female flower has an inferior ovary (i.e., below the sepals). That is the swelling (like a small fruit) you find under the flower. Male flowers will not have this but will have a somewhate longer stalk. Male flowers (staminate)will have pollen on its anthers, and the female flowers (pistillate) will have the stigma to receive the pollen. Once familiar with the different structures you can also identify the sex. Check out the following pics:
cantaloupemaleflowerb08-12-09.jpg (462×500) (greatstems.com)
cantaloupefemaleflower08-12-09.jpg (333×500) (greatstems.com)
I hope this is helpful.
Sent from my iPhone
On Nov 19, 2022, at 9:33 AM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
HI Lee,
Since Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo) and Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) are not of the same specie and they will not cross pollinate. It is not uncommon to have lots of male flowers show before female flowers in cucurbits. This is thought to encourage pollinators. A plant in stress will produce mostly male flowers. All female flowers may indicate you have a gynoecious cucumber variety that needs a monoecious variety to be pollinated.
