@jianhuayegreentree, I have uploaded a picture. Two cicles are the areas of two branches i grafted early spring but they did not survive finally. They are the only branches at that time. All other branches are the new growrh this year. I will try to graft again next year. preferably, i would like not to cut the main trunk but any other branches will be fine. i can choose the topmost two branches (two red lines) other than the main trunk to graft. do you think what the probability for them to survive? i am thinking it may be easier for scion to survive when tree become bigger because the growth vogor will reduce so the competition between scion and other growth may not be that strong. how big is your tree that you had grafted successfully? A picture of the tree and the growth condition of the survived brach would be very helpful. Thanks for the comments. @jianhuayegreentree.

Like you, I recently bought a potted,grafted Shenandoah 'tiny' plant and transpotted it into a bigger pot, where it has grown OK with 2 small branches developing full-sized healthy leaves. An identicle-looking tiny grafted KSU Atwood from the same seller that was packaged the same, growing in the same kind of nursery pot, repotted by me the same into the same kind of tall pot on the same day in the same soil mix with the same fertilizing and the same watering and the same Sunlight....never had one bud on the tiny scion grow out. It's rootstock sent out a couple shoots, but even these declined and died. I have used Miracle Grow, Super Thrive, and some granular fertilizer to nourish both. My conclusion is that the tiny root system is not reliable to support the tiny grafted scion. I have more confidence in clipping off the scion and regrafting it to a mature paw paw with a developed root system. I do not know what the patent restrictions dictate, but if I am going to invest $$ on a valued scion that is only being kept alive by an immature, very vulnerable rootstock, that is not a safe bet to make again. It would be a whole lot better taken care of if it was grafted onto a "Mango paw paw that has been in the ground for several years and is 8 or 9 feet tall". I wish that paw paw roots on tiny plants were as eager to grow and hardy as,.. say,...mulberries. Maybe that would be the best focus of additional paw paw research. Vigorous hardy rootstocks.

I've got mixed emotions on this one. I've had a number of grafted pawpaws rock along just fine for 2-3 years, then suddenly, the grafted stem dies back to the ground, and new suckers shoot up. In that respect, I'm a bit concerned that your Susquehanna may be getting ready to 'abort', but cutting the suckers back to ground level may not alter the course already in progress. I've had persimmons throw up vigorous suckers that did, indeed 'take over' and outgrow the grafted variety when I wasn't watching closely enough, resulting in the graft declining and dying. But, as franktank indicates, the suckers will be producing food to increase energy reserves for next year. With pecans, we encourage a 'trashy trunk' - small diameter branches low down, to feed & grow the root system, pruning them off once they reach an inch or so in diameter at their attachment to the trunk. I'll often let them grow vigorously, but if they get too strong, I'll break them over before they reach the height of my graft, or at least pinch out the terminal buds. I might be inclined to try this with pawpaw suckers - leave them in place, but pinch out the terminal bud, allowing well-developed leaves to manufacture some food for root development and next year's growth, while hopefully not hastening decline/abortion of the grafted variety on the original stem.

Hi Ano, I have some very small (American) persimmon seedlings. You are welcome to some; bear in mind that most persimmons require both a male and a female closeby for pollination and fruit production. So about 50% chance of that with 3 seedlings, sex unknown. However: the cultivar 'Meader' is unusual in that it is parthenocarpic -- it sets large fruit, with a few sterile seeds generally, *without* a pollinator. So that might be worth the additional time and expense to procure? Also note that many opinions exist as to the best-tasting American persimmon; I considered putting in a 'Prok' also but decided to use the space for Chinese mulberries instead. Another cheap possible source: state university nurseries generally raise and sell a variety of trees, once-a year, bareroot, in the late autumn. These sales are usually not well publicized. -- Stan in Hamilton, NJ 609.731.3882