North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Anton Callaway <marillen@earthlink.net>]

I assume from the replies so far that you are somewhere in Zone 7 (???). 
I have numerous cultivars grafted on OHxF 51 in Zone 7 (N. GA 
Appalachian foothills).  It is definitely my favorite pear rootstock.  I 
have lost none (out of 20 or so) to fireblight in the last ca. 20 years 
since I planted my first 51 graft.  That's not to say that none of the 
scions died.  All 3 Harvest Queen's died, but the advance of the blight 
stopped at the 51 junction and the rootstock sprouted out heatlhy new 
growth.  With no pruning, it makes a tree about 50% of standard in that 
region.  They can easily be kept smaller.  Before I wax poetic any 
longer about this stock, I should add that I know of no supplier for it. 
I have heard that rootstock producers don't like it because it is 
relatively difficult to get many stocks per mother plant, so they 
stopped producing it years ago.  
I also have multiple trees on each of the following stocks:
P. calleryana (excellent stock for Zone 7, if you don't mind a larger tree)
Angers quince (30-40% standard, but I don't recommend it, if it even 
smells blight, the whole tree is dead)
Provence quince (40-50% standard, for some reason, I've not have much 
blight loss of these  Jim Lawson recently told me that he sees little 
blight on this stock in the nursery)
P. communis seedling (big tree, blight=dead, don't like it)

I have very limited experience with 513 in Zone 8, so I can't add much 
except they haven't croaked in their first year.  

Hope this helps,

Anton

Kevin Bradley wrote:

> I did a little searching on the internet and in nafex archives. Came 
> up with very little. I was trying to find that post done by I think it 
> was Doc Lisenby about pear rootstocks, mentioning either OH x F 513 or 
> OH x F 51. From what I recall, I believe he said that he had tried 
> many of the OH x F stocks and was disappointed but that 51 or 513 was 
> the best bet available but still not what one would expect.
> Has anyone had any experience with these two?
> Thanks for your response Tanis.
> I had just read that Bartlet produces a smaller tree than the generic 
> P communis. And that P betulifolia produces a larger tree.
> Tanis, I get the impression that this was recently discussed, I will 
> look for you posts on OH x F and Bartlet.
> Thanks again
> Kevin Bradley