For vine crops, large yields are primarily dependent upon adequate pollination. Where both staminate and pistillate flowers occur separately on the same plant, the plants are referred to as being monoecious. Most muskmelon cultivars bear staminate flowers first and bisexual flowers later on the same plant, and are referred to as being andromonoecious. Cucurbit flowers are usually open for only one day.
Male flowers appear first, produce pollen, and drop off.
Developing fruits will, however, temporarily inhibit the development of other fruit-producing flowers on the same runner and sometimes on the same vine. A large combined drop of male and female flowers does not necessarily mean a poor crop. Estimated crop yields should be assessed by counting developing fruit and not from the number of blossoms. As well, the triploid or seedless watermelons do not require pollination. Cucumbers will generally have staminate flowers borne in clusters of 5 at leaf-bearing nodes, with each flower being formed on a slender penduncle or stem.