propagation by grafting

[RobArb]

When grafting are the possibilities endless? From reading the notes I know its a somewhat specialised procedure and is mainly used for roses, fruit trees, ornamentals and the like, but is it possible to graft anything and create a new cultivar for specific flowers with a certain leaf structure? For example the flowers of an aesculus on a fraxinus variety? Or am I just heading way off the mark?

 

Just a thought thats all..!

[Ben90]

I believe it's called a chimaera graft where phenotypes from the species of the root stock are expressed topside as well. In most cases it's very unstable and will easily revert to one of the 'parent' forms, and only a few can grow to a decent size while 'staying in the balance'

 

One horticultural interest in particular is a chimaera between a laburnum and a species of broom, called Adam's laburnum. Interestingly it bears shoots of both species, including leaves and flowers, makes for quite an interesting specimen.

 

Clicky

[RobArb]

I suddenly feel like dr frankenstein! My mind is floating with ideas

[Ben90]

Hawthorn and Meldar have already been done, a Crataegomespilus! They don't give graft-chimearas a specific name since it's technically 2 different species at once.

 

"A graft-chimaera is not a true hybrid but a mixture of cells, each with the genotype of one of its "parents"; it is a chimaera, created by grafting, in which the tissue of one plant grows within an outer envelope of the second plant."

 

I wonder what the nitty-gritty is about actually getting 2 different plants to graft like that. I suppose all of the possible combinations have been tried though..

Edited October 6, 2010 by Ben90

[RobArb]

is then, a true chimaera, a genetic mutilation of cells created either spontaineously or induced by irradiation leading to different denotypes growing adjacently in the plant? In that case do chimaeras occur all the time but go unnoticed to the naked eye - thornlessness in some species, petal or colour variations on the same tree etc

And if this is a regular occurence can it be studied in some way to help trees in the long run against diseases, pests or even in some extreme cases human intervention?

[RobArb]

Also wouldn't the possible combinations be endless? in grafting, that is?

[armchairarborist]

always thought grafting could be a way to let the mischievous inner beast have its fun, for example whilst pruning a tree you could pop a graft somewhere in the crown to have a branch flowering/fruiting differently to the rest.. maybe a weeping ash graft onto a tall skinny ash? i have no idea exactly how its done but one day i will. :aetsch:muahaha.. did hear ages ago the most different grafts on one tree is over 100.!

[john dawson]

probably the closest thing (apart from the aformentioned) is the X cuppressocyparis leylandii. but as that wasnt actualy a grafted effort (?????) maybe not.....

[slack ma girdle]

[quote name= did hear ages ago the most different grafts on one tree is over 100.![/quote]

 

One of the tree warden networks (and i can not remember which one) found an apple tree with 450 different apple varieties bud grafted onto the original tree. It had taken the man 40 years to do this, and he is still adding new varieties as the tree grows

[RobArb]

One of the tree warden networks (and i can not remember which one) found an apple tree with 450 different apple varieties bud grafted onto the original tree. It had taken the man 40 years to do this, and he is still adding new varieties as the tree grows

 

haha thats awesome!