Subject: [NAFEX] which, if any, species might be compatible with P. serotina as understock?
Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2011 10:12:33 -0700
<< Does anyone know anything about which, if any, species might be
compatible with P. serotina as understock?>>
Yes, basically nothing. The Serotina is a raceme-bearing 'cherry'.
'Cherry' is a broad word describing plants that are very much unalike as
well as some that are alike. The raceme-bearing cherries like serotina
just aren't very similar to the cluster-bearing cherries like the sweet and
sour cherries grown for fruit. Think of a lobster and a crab . . . very
different from each other. Actually once in a fit of rashness I did try
grafting a sour cherry onto serotina. Many of the grafts did actually
'take' but their growth was almost nothing and long-term they died. We
don't call peaches cherries, and we don't call cherries peaches, both are
Prunus, well, we ought not to have a connective word 'cherry' that describe
both the raceme and cluster bearing cherries.
Serotina is something of a specialty with me, in that I found one wild
that was loaded at 6' tall. There used to be someone in NAFEX who passed
away who was very interested in serotina, as well. The serotina has a
unique american flavor, think of the Luden's wild cherry cough drops, its
similar to that. It's a flavor no other flavor comes quite near. The
serotina we discuss here, is the same cherry furniture is made from.
Charlie Paradise, Massachusetts
[NAFEX] which, if any, species might be compatible with P. serotina as understock?,
alden@waldenwinds.com, 06/22/2011