CONIFER GRAFTING: ROOTSTOCKS OF CHOICE

Dr. Hannah Mathers, Assistant Professor, OSU and James Beaver, Private Plant Breeding Consultant Over the last several years the nursery industry in the Pacific Northwest has been producing a wide variety of conifer cultivars. Unique high quality conifers, has become one of the trademarks of the nursery industry in the Pacific Northwest. Public demand for new and interesting plants, especially dwarf and semi-dwarf conifers, has been very high. There has also been a tremendous increase in demand for vertical or pyramidal conifer forms. Increasingly, big houses are placed on ever-smaller lots. Vertical conifers help to bring the landscape into perspective with the lot. Grafting is a technique used to unite parts of different plants by bringing the cambium of each into contact and then creating a situation under which the cut surfaces grow together (Macdonald 1986). Grafting is the main reason why so many unique conifers with unusual forms can be offered in todays retail market. Conifer grafting usually involves bench grafting. Bench grafting covers grafting and budding techniques carried out inside a covered structure, normally a shed or greenhouse (Macdonald 1986). The type of bench grafting most often used on conifers is the side veneer graft. Side veneer grafts are also used for Abies, Acer, Alnus, Betula, Picea, Pinus, as well as the other conifers listed in the table below. Production of Rootstocks The rootstock or understock is the lower part of the graft. It usually possesses a root system, which will support the subsequent shoot development from the scion (Macdonald 1986). The scion is the part of the graft that will provide the new shoot system. Roots, unlike tops of plants, have no distinct period of dormancy and are able to grow whenever temperatures, moisture, and other conditions are favorable (Westwood 1978). The root system therefore can have a tremendous impact on the plants over all health and quality. Rootstocks, in fruit tree and ornamental production, are selected for their ability to increase stress tolerance, including cold, drought, heat, flooding and/or salt stress. In the area of cold stress, rootstocks can have several effects including influencing chilling requirements. Chilling requirements in turn effect flowering and time of propagation (Kester, personal communication 1999). Rootstocks are also selected for their ability to impart resistance to pests, including insects and diseases. An example of this would be in choosing an understock for five needle pines such as Pinus strobus. The understock for Pinus strobus cultivars was always Pinus strobus but now Pinus koraiensis is used because Pinus strobus is so susceptible to root rot. Root stock choice can also influence the anchorage ability of the plant. Some understocks can provide better root architecture for certain locations such as street plantings. Dr. Dave Burger is examining these root architecture differences at the University of California, Davis, CA. Rootstocks can be selected to reduce suckering, increase tolerance to different soil conditions and types,

increase tree performance including vigor and nutrient utilization, and induce dwarfing. Rootstocks are also selected for ease of propagation and graft compatibility. To ensure quality understock, nurseries may purchase one-year seedlings from established forest tree growers or produce them themselves. The seedlings are potted in November in four-inch pots and grown for one year so that good growth is obtained. Most grafting is done on two-year-old understock. For some standards it may take, depending on the variety, one or two years longer. Grafting onto standards is a form of top working. Top working is a specialized method of grafting where the scion, either as a stem with single or multiple buds, is worked onto the rootstock one to six feet above the soil. Top working is a very effective way to produce unusual forms of plants. These forms vary from globes to weeping to fan-shaped. Generally, cleaning up or pruning of the understock begins in early fall. By mid October, all the understock for next winter's grafting is brought into the propagation houses. This enables the nursery growers to work on the understock on cold and rainy days. Timing Most nurseries start conifer grafting in early December with Cedar and Sequoia cultivars. Cedars and Sequoias should be finished before any heavy frosts occur. Heavy frosts may lead to tissue damage. Tissue damage, if it occurs, can result in poor graft unions and low growing percentages. In early January, five needle pines are grafted. After the five needle pines, grafting priorities are set by which understock exhibits the best root development. This can be determined by observing signs of budding out or breaking of dormancy. Rootstock Heading Back Most scions start to grow, depending on the variety, by early to mid April. At this time growers will start to cut the understock back to one-half its size. These heading backs will continue until late May when potting into one gallon pots will occur. The one gallon plants are then placed outside in container beds. At this stage, only one to two inches of the understock will remain. This one to two inches is left until the following year in order to give the graft union some extra help and ensure a better take of the graft. When plants are prepared for potting, a very thorough check on all rubberbands is important. The grafting strips most nurseries use will start to disintegrate after four to five months. All knots are checked. Knots should be open or cut to prevent girdling of the union. Summary Follow-up maintenance includes staking of all pendulous varieties, weed control, pest control, adequate watering and fertilization. Following the steps outlined above, growers in the Pacific Northwest have been able to grow nice heavy one gallon liners with well developed root systems. A well-developed root system is key for optimum growth in field planting.

Table 1. Listed are the rootstocks that conifer and Salix growers in the Pacific Northwest have found best for the scion materials indicated. This list was compiled by Adera Nursery, Sidney, BC (no longer in business). Scion Abies alba Compacta Abies alba Pendula Abies alba Pyramidalis Abies bracteata Abies concolor candicane Abies concolor Compacta Abies concolor procumbens Abies koreana aurea Abies koreana Prostratacompacta Abies lasiocarpa Glauca Compacta Abies lasiocarpa daycreek Abies magnifica shasta prostrata Abies pinsapo aurea Abies pinsapo Glauca Abies procera aurea Abies procera Glauca Cedrus atlantica Aurea Robusta Cedrus atlantica Glauca Cedrus atlantica Glauca Pendula Cedrus atlantica Fastigiata Cedrus atlantica marokko Cedrus deodara aurea Cedrus deodara densata Cedrus deodara Goldstrike Cedrus deodara Goldcone Cedrus deodara Golden Horizon Cedrus deodara Kashmir Cedrus deodara Prostrata Cedrus deodara Silver Mist Cedrus deodara Cream Puff Cedrus libani Beacon Hill Cedrus libani glauca Pendula Cedrus libani Comte de Pendula Cedrus libani Green Prince Cedrus libani Nana Cedrus libani Sargentii Cedrus brevifolia Understock Abies grandis or Abies procera Cedrus deodara

Cedrus brevifolia trevoron Chamaecyparis obtusa Gracilis Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Kosteri' Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Kosteri' + standards Chamaecypais obtusa 'Lycopoides' Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Lutea' - std. Chamaecyparis obtusa nana Chamaecyparis obtusa nana gracilis Chamaecyparis obtusa nana gracilis + standards Chamaecyparis pisifera filifera 'Sungold' Standard Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Stewarti' Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Ellwoodii Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Golden Showers' Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Columnar Blue' Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Van Pelt' Chamaecyparis nootkatensis Pendula Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Green Arrow' Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Variegata' Juniperus conferta Sea Green' - std. Juniperus horizontalis Wiltoni' - std. Juniperus procumbens nana - std. Juniperus rigida pendula Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' - std. Juniperus squamata Blue Carpet' - std. Juniperus squamata 'Holger' - std. Juniperus X Medis Old Gold std. Larix decidua Pendula Larix decidua Pendula - std. Larix eurolepis 'Varied Direction' Larix eurolepis Varied Direction' - std. Larix kaempferi 'Diana Larix kaempferi Pendula Larix kaempferi 'Blue Dwarf' Larix kaempferi 'Blue Dwarf' - std. Larix laricina 'Newport Beauty' Larix laricina 'Newport Beauty' - std. Picea abies acrocona Picea abies Inversa Picea abies 'Little Gem' - std. Picea abies Nidiformis std.

Thuja occidentalis Smaragd Chamaecyparis noot katensis viridis Juniperus Skyrocket Larix decidua or Larix kaempferi Picea abies or Picea glauca

Picea abies Pendula Picea abies Pendula - std. Picea abies Pyramidalis Picea abies 'Rubra Spicata' Picea abies 'Willy Klippert' Picea breweriana Picea brachytyla Picea glauca 'Hudsonii' Picea glauca Tigertail Picea glauca 'Little Globe' Picea glauca 'Golden Harber' Picea glauca 'Sanders Blue' Picea likiangensis var. purpurea Picea omorika Nana Picea omorika Nana - std. Picea omorika Pendula Picea orientalis Aurea Picea orientalis 'Bergmann's Gem' Picea orientalis 'Bergmann's Gem' std. Picea orientalis 'Skylands' Picea pungens 'Baby Blue Eyes' Picea pungens 'Blue Mist' Picea pungens 'Fat Albert Picea pungens Globe Picea pungens Globe std. Picea pungens 'Iseli Fastigiata' Picea pungens Nana Picea pungens Nana std. Picea pungens 'Thomsonii' Picea pungens 'Thume' Picea pungens 'Thume' - std. Picea pungens glauca 'Bakeri' Picea pungens glauca globosa Picea pungens glauca globosa - std. Picea pungens glauca globosa - 41 std. Picea pungens glauca 'Hoopsii' Picea pungens glauca 'Koster' Picea pungens glauca 'Moerheimii' Picea pungens glauca procumbens Picea pungens glauca procumbens - std. Picea pungens glauca pendula Picea pungens glauca 'St: Mary's Broom' Picea pungens glauca 'St. Mary's Broom' - std. Picea sitchensis 'Papoose'

Picea 'Dantsugi' Pinus aristata 'Sherwood Compact' Pinus 'Bungeana' Pinus cembra glauca Pinus cembra 'Landis' Pinus coulteri Pinus contorta Spaans Dwarf Pinus densiflora Pendula Pinus densiflora Tayosho + std. Pinus flexilus 'Vanderwulf's Pyramid' Pinus flexilus glauca pendula Pinus leucodermis Compact Gem Pinus mugo 'Mops' Pinus mugo 'Mops' - std. Pinus mugo mughus prostrata Pinus mugo mughus prostrata - std. Pinus mugo mughus aurea Pinus mugo mughus aurea - std. Pinus mugo Mughus Standard Pinus nigra Hornibrookiana Pinus nigra Compact Green Pinus parviflora Brevifolia Pinus parviflora glauca Pinus parviflora 'Nasu Goyo' Pinus parviflora 'Tempelhof' Pinus parviflora 'Ogon Jenomi' Pinus parviflora variegata Pinus strobus 'Blue Shag' Pinus strobus 'Contorta Pinus strobus Fastigiata Pinus strobus 'Horseford Nana' Pinus strobus 'Horseford Nana' - std. Pinus strobus Pendula Pinus strobus 'Sea Urchin' Pinus strobus 'Sea Urchin' - std. Pinus strobus 'White Mountain' Pinus strobus 'White Tip' Pinus sylvestris Aurea Pinus sylvestris 'Beacon Hill' Pinus sylvestris 'Beacon Hill' - std. Pinus sylvestris 'Cutty Sark Pinus sylvestris Cutty Sark' - std. Pinus sylvestris Fastigiata

Pinus strobus Pinus slyvestris Pinus strobus Pinus sylvestris Pinus strobus & P. flexilus Pinus slyvestris Pinus strobus or Pinus koraiensis Pinus sylvestris

Pinus sylvestris 'Hillside Creeper' Pinus sylvestris 'Hillside Creeper' - std. Pinus sylvestris 'Mitsch weeping' - std. Pinus sylvestris Nana Pinus sylvestris Nana - std. Pinus sylvestris Nana - 31 std. Pinus sylvestris repens Pinus sylvestris repens - std. Pinus sylvestris 'Sentinel' Pinus sylvestris viridis compacata Pinus thunbergiana 'Banshoho' Pinus thunbergiana 'Oculus Draconis' Pinus thunbergiana 'Porky' Pinus thunbergiana 'Yatsubusa' Pinus wallichiana Pinus wallichiana Zemrina Pseudotsuga menziesii 'Fastigiata' Pseudotsuga menziesii 'Fletcheri' Pseudotsuga menziesii Glauca Pseudotsuga menziesii 'Graceful Grace' Pseudotsuga menziesii Pendula Sequoia sempervirens Glauca Sequoia sempervirens Adpressa Sequoiadendron giganteum glauca Sequoiadendron giganteum Pendulum Sequoiadendron giganteum variegatum Thuja occidentalis 'Danica' - std. Thuia occidentalis -Hetz Midget- std. Thuja occidentalis 'Golden Globe' std. Thuia plicata 'Filiformis' std.

Pinus sylvestris Pinus strobus Pinus strobus Pseudotsuga menziesi Sequoia sempervirens Sequoia sempervirens Sequoiadendron giganteum Sequoiadendron giganteum Sequoiadendron giganteum T. occidentalis Smaragd or Pyramidalis

Tsuga heterophylla 'Green Spreader' Tsuga mertensiana glauca Salix caprea 'Pendula' - std. Salix caprea 'Pendula' - 41 std. Salix fargesii Salix hakura 'Nishiki' - std. Salix hakura 'Nishiki' - 41 std. Salix hakura 'Nishiki' - 2411 std. Salix magnifica

Tsuga heterophylla Tsuga heterophylla Salix smithiana

Salix purpurea Nana - std. Salix purpurea Nana - 2411 std.