Grafting: What is it? Why is it done?

 

Most of us are familiar with the term grafting, but do you know why so many fruit trees, roses, camellias, and other plants are grafted? Without getting too scientific, let’s talk about what grafting is, why growers use it, and what you should watch for in your own grafted plants.

 

 
 

What Is Grafting?

 

Grafting is a propagation technique that joins parts of two plants so they grow together as one plant.

The lower portion, including the root system, is called the rootstock. The upper portion is called the scion and produces the stems, leaves, flowers, and fruit above the graft.

On many grafted plants, you can actually see the graft union. It may look like a swollen or knobby area near the base of a rose or a slight bend, change in bark, or enlarged area on the lower trunk of a young fruit tree.

 

 
 

Why Are Plants Grafted?

 

Grafting allows growers to combine desirable characteristics from two different plants.

The rootstock may be selected for characteristics such as disease resistance, adaptability to certain soil conditions, cold tolerance, vigor, or its ability to control the mature size of the plant.

The scion is selected for the characteristics we want above ground—such as a particular fruit variety, flower color, growth habit, or other desirable traits.

Grafting is also an important way to reproduce cultivars that won’t reliably come true from seed. For example, planting a seed from a particular apple doesn’t guarantee that the resulting tree will produce the same type of apple. Grafting allows growers to preserve the desired variety.

 

 
 

What Should You Watch For?

 

• Watch for suckers growing from below the graft. Shoots emerging from the rootstock aren’t the same variety as the scion and should generally be removed at their point of origin. They may grow more vigorously and can eventually compete with the desired portion of the plant.

• Know where the graft union is when planting. Planting depth recommendations can vary depending on the type of grafted plant. For many grafted fruit trees and roses, the graft union is kept above the soil line to discourage the scion from developing its own roots and to make rootstock suckers easier to identify. Always follow the planting recommendations for the particular plant and rootstock.

• Pay attention if the top of the plant dies. The rootstock may remain alive even when the scion has been killed by cold, disease, damage, or another problem. New shoots emerging from below the graft will be rootstock growth and will not produce the same plant you originally purchased.

For example, a grafted rose may produce flowers with a completely different color or growth habit if only the rootstock remains. A grafted fruit tree may produce fruit very different from the named variety—or fruit of little value—if the scion has died.

 
 

Grafting Has Been Around a LONG Time!

 

Grafting has been practiced for thousands of years, and horticulturists use several different grafting and budding techniques depending on the plant and purpose.

It’s an incredibly useful form of plant propagation and is one of the reasons we’re able to reliably grow many of our favorite named varieties of fruit trees, roses, camellias, and ornamental plants.

And if you’re interested in learning how it’s done, grafting can be a fun gardening skill to explore! Start with a plant that’s commonly and successfully grafted, learn the appropriate technique and timing for that species, use clean, sharp tools, and enjoy watching the graft develop.