Grafting

Grafting joins parts of two plants so their tissues unite and grow as one plant. The joined plants retain distinct genetic identities, while the rootstock and scion contribute different traits.

Scion: The shoot or bud grafted onto another plant to supply the desired stem, leaves, flowers, or fruit. It forms the upper portion of the grafted plant and carries the chosen cultivar.
Fruit tree propagation: The production of fruit trees by methods that preserve the traits of a selected cultivar. Grafting reproduces named cultivars that do not reliably retain their traits from seed.
Plant meristem: A region of undifferentiated plant cells that divides to produce new tissues and organs. Meristems in the graft partners continue producing shoots and roots after union.
Budding: A grafting method that uses a single bud as the scion. It is a compact grafting alternative to joining a larger stem section.
Rootstock: The rooted lower plant onto which a scion is grafted. Its roots and lower stem can determine vigor, size, and adaptation to soil conditions.
Dwarfing rootstock: A rootstock that restricts the size or vigor of the grafted tree. It makes fruit trees smaller and easier to manage in orchards and gardens.
Plant vascular system: The xylem and phloem tissues that transport water, minerals, and organic substances through a plant. A functional graft must connect the partners’ vascular systems.
Layering: A propagation method that roots a stem while it remains attached to its parent plant. Unlike grafting, it creates a new plant without joining two individuals.
Vascular cambium: A layer of dividing cells that produces secondary xylem and phloem in many plants. Successful grafts align cambial regions so new conducting tissues can bridge the partners.
Topworking: Changing a tree’s variety by grafting new scions onto its established branches or trunk. It can replace a mature tree’s cultivar without starting over with a young tree.

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