Hi mrcmb99,

You're asking kind of a tough question given that apple trees across the country are doing different things based on the local weather.  John's ABCD corresponds to the following, in terms of the flowering seasons of apple varieties within a particular local area; when that occurs will vary:

Early (A), Early Midseason (B), Late Midseason (C), and Late (D).

I have quite a few apple references which I consulted to try and answer your question, but each of the published references relates to a different area in the world, so I can't give any specific recommendation (sadly).  However, John S. is right in saying that Arkansas Black (one of my taste favorites) has sterile pollen and will not, therefore, pollinate itself or any other apples.  As near as I can tell, Liberty, Honeycrisp, and your potential future Pink Pearl acquisition are all diploids and will likely have fertile pollen at some level (--pollen fertility levels vary--).  

I don't know whether your neighbors have any apples (--perhaps even "just" crabapples--), but if there are diploid apples blooming in your neighborhood when your apples are in bloom then your apples should get pollinated and potentially produce fruit.

"Normal" apples are diploid, meaning that they have two pairs of chromosomes.  "Triploid" apples have 3 pairs of chromosomes and can't properly pollinate the others.  It gets a bit complicated, but, if you're interested in the details you could google various things that you're wondering about.  If you can find good, clear reference sites, you'll find that genetics is pretty fascinating stuff.  : )

Reinettes

Roughly:

          A flowering at the time, can pollinate A and B flowering time groups

          B flowering can pollinate flowers from groups A, B, and C

          C time of flowering can pollinate flowering of B, C and D 

          D flowering can pollinate C and D flowers

Triploid apples, pollen is sterile, they're not usually self-fertile so should have a flowering time-compatible, self-fertile (I read) variety for pollination; or two different other pollen providers, in due flowering time, to be able to set fruit (as well as to cross pollinate those two). The triploid does not contribute to the pollen needs of the 'cousins'.

As I read it.

Hi again mrcmb99,

Good comments from some of my fellow Forum members.  This may be totally irrelevant, but I lived in southeastern Michigan during my high school years (Walled Lake).  I remember that up my road and across the street, was an old, abandoned and undeveloped apple orchard.  I have no clue what variety of apples they were, but despite often being "worm"-riddled, I enjoyed eating some whether they were ripe or not.  I have no problem with a tart, unripe apple, but I just always disliked the summer apples that would almost immediately go mealy and mushy....  

I'm just glad that I've been exposed to later-maturing apples with exquisite combinations of flavors largely based upon their relative composition of acids to sugars.  Among apples alone, the range of flavors can be amazing.  Don't be afraid to taste a diversity of apple varieties before planting trees.  

...However, don't forget that once you have some established apple trees you can also graft onto them other varieties!  If you have a lack of space for more more than a few trees, the option of grafting other varieties onto the trees that you already have provides opportunities for more diversity.  Diversity is the spice of life!

Reinettes