Gardeners enjoy the beauty and fragrance of flowers, but from a plant’s standpoint flowers have one very basic and essential function — to ensure the production of seeds and thus the next generation. For a plant to produce seeds its flowers must be pollinated, either through self-pollination or cross-pollination, and most plants have evolved to primarily use one strategy.
Pollination 101
1 of 2
A honey bee, with pollen attached to its hind leg, pollinating a watermelon flower.
Cross-pollination of this sweet corn kernel resulted in an unusual color.
