nafex@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

List archive

[NAFEX] natural dwarfs as rootstocks

From: "Ed Forest" <edforest55@hotmail.com>
To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [NAFEX] natural dwarfs as rootstocks
Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2004 02:35:43 +0000

Heron,
I don't have any experience with such a project but, like most of us amateurs, I'm always ready with an opinion: I think it makes sense, M robusta 5 has been used by Cummins as a parent due to its hardiness, woolly apple aphid resistance, and other factors if I recall. I wonder if he considered some of the natural dwarfs as roostocks, some of them may not have been out when he began his breeding. I do seem to recall that Meteor cherry has been used as a hardy semi dwarfing stock for sweet cherry and sour cherry, so why not use nat semi dwfs with apples? It can't be that hard to get a few scions to root and do some experiments, (or can it?) if you would like to coordinate something like that with me let me know.
Kevin Bradley
PS, I've seen a Kerr that was about 20 ft tall in N Dakota so I don't think that would be the best one to start with. Most of the naturally dwarfing apples seem to be naturally SEMI dwarf around 12 - 15 feet.
PS Are you aware of Malus micromalus? It has been sold for many years by wholesalers but I have never heard of anyone trying it.
Also, Beautiful Arcade might be worth some trials here, there should be plenty of info from Canada on that one where it has been used for some time.
Don't know nuttin about sergenti or pumila.

You wrote:
I am wondering if anyone has any experience with or opinions about using naturally
dwarfing seedling apple crab "species" such as Malus kerr, pumila, or sargentii as
rootstock to impart dwafing and maintain hardiness. These are reasonably hardy and
sargentii is something like a 10 foot shrub. Will grafting cultivars onto these
seedlings impart these desired characteristics?
Heron Breen
Maine Zone 4

<html><DIV>Kevin Bradley </DIV></html>

[NAFEX] natural dwarfs as rootstocks, Ed Forest, 11/29/2004