Apple tree - Which do you think is the overgrown rootstock

6 years ago

This may not be a question anyone can answer and I'll just have to wait and see... I'm not super familiar with standard apple rootstocks, and I'm also not very familiar with crab apples...

We recently bought a house with an apple tree in the backyard. There were no fruit last summer, but this summer I see quite a few obviously developing apples. However, I'm pretty sure this tree has been overtaken by its rootstock. There are about 5 small trunks, and when it bloomed most of them bloomed hot pink, with one or 2 blooming pale pink. The foliage is darker and reddish on the hot pink branches, and it has tiny shriveled fruit about the size of a pea. The apples are on the Trunks with pale pink flowers and green foliage.

So what I keep wondering is this... Would this likely be an ornamental crabapple that is being overtaken by its rootstock which is now fruiting? Or would it more likely be a fruiting variety of apple that is being taken over by a non-fruiting rootstock? I was hoping someone more familiar with rootstocks might venture a guess. So curious as to whether these apples that develop will amount to anything... also wondering if I should take down the rootstock tree at this point, although I don't know which it is... it may be too far gone, also...

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Comments (8)

TurkeyCreekTrees Zone 5B
6 years ago
A picture would be useful.
Jean
6 years ago
Perhaps the neighbors know. Ask.
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juliaarugula
Original Author
6 years ago
Tree overall

Close up of reddish leaves with tiny fruit (these branches had showy hot pink flowers)

Greener leaves with developing fruit - these branches had pale pink flowers

Trunks at the bottom. Taking this photo, I noticed some suckers of the reddish leafed variety (with small fruit). Does that mean it's probably the rootstock? Does this rootstock growth look way too established to bother trying to cut it back?
juliaarugula
Original Author
6 years ago
Also, the only info the neighbors were able to provide was that their kids picked and ate a small hard apple that didn't taste very good the year before we moved in. But they aren't plant people - in fact, they told me they picked it from the black cherry sapling that I cut down (so they didn't even have the right tree). So who knows if the apple was ripe. Other neighbors aren't of any more help... either too new, or not plant people. Or both.
TurkeyCreekTrees Zone 5B
6 years ago
From the looks of it I would say the red colored growth is very likely the root stock. The Budagovsky (B9), (B118) all have that typical coloration. Looks like the far left and possibly the far right trunks are root stock from the picture. I am sure you can tell from the leaves. I would go ahead and remove those 2 trunks now. IMO I would leave the "regular" apple now and prune out a trunk or two next dormant pruning. I would not rip out the tree and start over looks to be healthy and it can be pruned into a more productive tree if you like the taste of the apples. Otherwise you can graft it over to something else.
juliaarugula
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks! That's what I was hoping to hear. I'll move along with your recommendations...
juliaarugula
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
One more question. Is there a disadvantage to having a multi-trunked tree? I've cut back the rootstock and I am left with 3 trunks of the fruiting tree. Is it better for the vigor of the tree to cut back to 1 trunk when dormant, or is this just a matter of aesthetic preference? Thanks!
Konrad..just outside of Edmonton Alberta
6 years ago
You can leave 3 trunks, [of the good apple] if you have room and prune it so sunlight gets in, or you can graft a couple over, then you have 3 cultivars... more work, for your yard and don't want to graft I'd probably go with single trunk... you can cut all now.

Apple tree - Which do you think is the overgrown rootstock

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TurkeyCreekTrees Zone 5B

Jean

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Apple tree - Which do you think is the overgrown rootstock

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TurkeyCreekTrees Zone 5B

Jean

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