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The Basics!
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100%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40% 30%
Standard / Seedling
<<<<<<<<<<<<<Semi-Dwarf
range>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
<<Full dwarf>>
Listed in approximate order of dwarfing / size
control--- results can vary with your site and the vigor of grafted scion.
GiselaŽ 5 USPP 9622 (148-2 cv) [45-60%]---
A very good, dwarfing rootstock for sweet cherries. Very precocious and
early bearing. May need some support. More tolerant to virus
infection than Mahaleb or Mazzard. Suitable for high density cherry
systems where early production in the third year is expected. Needs more
management of heavy fruit load than other rootstocks in order to maintain proper
vigor and fruit size. More dwarfing on east coast than west
coast. Fair
availability of sweet cherry varieties--- recommended for limited
planting.
GiselaŽ 12 USPP 9631 (195-2 cv) [60-75%]---
A precocious, semi-dwarfing stock very suitable for all sweet cherry
varieties. Adapts well to all soil types. Open and
spreading tree structure. Good virus resistance. No suckering.
Support recommended, although it is well anchored. More dwarfing on east
coast than west coast. Very
limited availability of sweet cherry varieties--- recommended for testing.
GiselaŽ 6 USPP 8954 (148-1 cv) [65-90%]---
A precocious, semi-dwarfing stock very suitable for all sweet cherry
varieties. Adapts well to all soil types and does well on heavy
soils. Open and spreading tree structure. Good virus
resistance. No suckering. Support recommended, although it is well
anchored. More dwarfing on east coast than west coast. Fair
availability of sweet cherry varieties--- recommended for limited planting.
MaxmaŽ 14 [70-75%]--- A newer dwarfing cherry
rootstock that has just recently been reintroduced back into the U.S., where it
was originally bred. Reported to be compatible with most sweet cherry
varieties, precocious and productive. Tolerant of wet soils and iron
chlorosis resistant. Very
limited availability of sweet cherry varieties-- recommended for testing at this
time.
Mahaleb [90%]--- Typically used for tart
cherries and some sweet cherries. Deep rooted, drought tolerant, cold
hardy and highly productive. Susceptible to oak root fungus, root
knot, and phytophthera. Best for light sandy soils. The most
productive rootstock for tart cherry. Not used often for sweet
cherry. Mostly
available on tart cherry--- very limited on sweet cherry.
Mazzard (Prunus avium) [100%]---The most
common standard-size sweet cherry rootstock. Produces a very vigorous tree
with good anchorage. Some tolerance to phytophthera and moderately
resistant to oak root fungus. Will grow on a wide range of soils.
Susceptible to crown gall and bacterial canker. Very few suckers.
Typically used for sweet cherries, but also can be used for Montmorency and tart
cherries to be planted in wetter, poorly drained sites where mahaleb cannot
grow. Almost
all sweet cherry varieties are available on Mazzard. Some tart cherry
availability.
Peaches are almost exclusively available on seedling peach rootstock.
Almost all peach rootstocks are suitable for lighter, well drained, sandy-loamy
soils. They do not tolerate wet conditions or wet, poorly drained
soils. Mounding of planting sites or raised beds created for a better
drained soil condition will help prolong tree life and reduce winter injury from
late hardening off in the fall. Most peach seedlings rootstocks come from
cannery pits, although some nurseries grown their own cultivars for the seed for
their rootstock. Typical varieties used for seed include Halford, Lovell,
Tennessee Natural, and Bailey. There is still some debate whether there
are significant hardiness differences between the cultivars, but most growers
consider Bailey as being on the hardier end, while Halford may be on the less
hardy end of the spectrum. However, if peaches are a significant
commercial crop in your area there is little chance of winter injury, it may not
matter which rootstock is used. However, if peach production is marginal
or there has been a history of frequent winter injury, then the perceived
hardier varieties may be a better choice.
There are no significant commercial dwarfing rootstocks for peach at this
time. However, research continues for dwarfing rootstocks with commercial
potential that may be suitable for the commercial grower. We do not
recommend any other rootstock than seedling at this time.
Myrobalan (Prunus cerasifera) 29C---
An improved selection of the most common seedling rootstock used for plums,
prunes, and sometimes peaches. Vigorous and not considered a dwarfing
rootstock. Resistant to armillaria root rot (oak root fungus) and
nematodes. Adaptable to a wide range of soils. Usually well
anchored, but somewhat shallow rooted. Prone to suckering. Not
used or recommended for commercial peach plantings, normally, unless wetter, poorly drained
soil conditions warrant.
Seedling peach--- Sometimes used for plums and
prunes, since no incompatibility exists. Typically suitable for well
drained, sandy soils, but some concern that they may be more short lived than
myrobalan. We do not normally recommend peach root for plums and prunes,
,except under very sandy soil conditions.
The recommended rootstock for apricots is manchurian or seedling apricot
root. It is hardy and productive, although apricots are somewhat slow to
come into bearing. Full grown, mature trees can reach 30 feet tall after
many years, but production usually commences after four or five years on
smaller trees.
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