Rootstock

Every year we get tons of requests for rootstock and scionwood. While our main business is in the finished product (grafted fruit trees), we also like to support those wishing to learn the grafting process for themselves. We can attest that it is a very enjoyable (and rather addictive) pastime!

Rootstock - We are accepting requests for Spring 2027 rootstock orders; please contact us directly if you are interested in being added to our waitlist.

For those new to the grafting process, we also offer the following resources:

Our annual in-person Apple Grafting Workshop!
Fruit Tree Grafting for Everyone, a handy grafting guide co-authored by Steph who owns Silver Creek Nursery!

Apple Rootstock

From $8.75

Premium apple rootstock for grafting your own trees. B9, B118, EMLA varieties available. Cold-hardy, disease-resistant options. Order for spring delivery!

We have Apple Rootstock for Grafting - Dwarf, Semi-Dwarf & Full-Size Varieties While we have young stool beds growing, in the meantime we import rootstock from Oregon.

Aside from the headache (paperwork and shipping) of importing and distance, we are very happy with our supplier's quality, and are happy to offer small scale and backyard operations with rootstock. Every August, we prepare a rootstock order for the following spring, and our order comes up on the pool truck with all the other Ontario orders. Because of this, we aren't able to guarantee ship dates with rootstock orders, as we are at the mercy of the nursery and pool truck; the shipment typically comes in March-April.

If you require more than 1000 rootstocks, we recommend importing it yourself.

We regularly offer the following rootstock varieties:

B9 - Dwarf:

History: B9 (aka Bud 9 or Budagovsky 9) was developed at the Michurinsk College of Agriculture in Russia as part of a series of cold hardy rootstocks. It is a cross between M8 and Red Standard.
Why We Use It: B9 is an extremely hardy variety that encourages early bearing and high yields. The red leaves and inner wood makes it easy to distinguish from the scionwood.
Growth Habits: Dwarf, reaches 8-10ft tall, precocious, minimal suckering, requires permanent staking, suitable for espalier
Disease Resistance: Resistant to fireblight and collar rot
Graft Compatibility: Good

B10 - Dwarf, royalties are included in price:

History: B10 (aka Bud 10 or Budagovsky 10) was developed at the Michurinsk College of Agriculture in Russia as part of a series of cold hardy rootstocks. It is a cross between M27 and Robusta 5.
Why We Use It: B10 is quite similar to B9 (see description above) but with a little more vigour and fireblight resistance.
Growth Habits: Dwarf, reaches 8-10ft tall, precocious, minimal suckering, requires permanent staking, suitable for espalier
Disease Resistance: Resistant to fireblight and collar rot
Graft Compatibility: Good

G.41 - Dwarf, royalties are included in price:

History: G.41 (or Geneva 41) was developed at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva as a cross between M27 and Robusta 5. It was selected for its disease resistance, winter hardiness, good productivity, and minimal suckering and released in 1998. This variety is still relatively new and experimental so more information may be available in the future!
Why We Use It: This rootstock produces hardy, precocious, and productive trees that are resistant to several apple tree pests and diseases. The trees are also known for producing branches with wide crotch angles which is desirable in apple trees. However, the trees can be brittle so handle them with care and stake them immediately upon planting to provide extra support.
Canadian Hardiness Zone: 4
Growth Habits: Dwarf, reaches 8-10ft tall, precocious, productive, minimal suckering, produces branches with wide angles ideal for fruit, trees tend to be brittle so require extra care when handling and should be staked immediately once planted and will require permanent support
Disease Resistance: Very resistant to fireblight, rot, replant disease, and woolly apple aphid
Graft Compatibility: Good but trees can be brittle at graft union which can lead to trees breaking prematurely

EMLA 26 - Dwarf/Semi-Dwarf:

History: M26 was developed at the East Malling Research Station in England and is a cross between M9 and M16. In 1973, EMLA 26 was released as a virus-free clone of M26 and named EMLA after the East Malling and Long Ashton Research Stations that created it. It is considered a dwarfing rootstock although it is quite vigorous so the resulting trees are between dwarf and semi-dwarf height. It is commonly used around the world.
Why We Use It: This rootstock produces a smaller tree that (depending on the area) doesn't need permanent staking like most dwarf rootstocks. It is very precocious and produces heavy crops.
Growth Habits: Dwarf/semi-dwarf, reaches 8-12ft tall, very precocious, does not require permanent staking in sheltered locations, suitable for espalier, not particularly cold hardy
Disease Resistance: Susceptible to to collar rot and fireblight
Graft Compatibility: Compatibility issues with certain varieties including Golden Delicious and many triploid varieties

B118 - Semi-Dwarf:

History: B118 (aka Budagovsky 118 and Bud118) was developed at the Michurinsk College of Agriculture in Russia as part of a series of cold hardy rootstocks. It is a cross between Moscow Pear, M8, and M9.
Why We Use It: While we prefer EMLA 106 due to its superior graft compatibility, B118's excellent cold hardiness has made it our go-to for grafting our cold hardy semi-dwarf trees. It's red leaves and inner wood makes the rootstock much easier to distinguish from the scionwood.
Growth Habits: Semi-dwarf, reaches 12-15ft tall, very cold hardy and vigorous
Disease Resistance: Somewhat resistant to collar rot and fireblight
Graft Compatibility: Medium - good take with certain cultivars

EMLA 106 - Semi-Dwarf:

History: MM106 was released in 1932 as part of a joint breading program between the East Malling and Merton Research Stations. It is a cross between M2 and Northern Spy. In 1973, EMLA 106 was released as a virus-free clone of MM106 and named EMLA after the East Malling and Long Ashton Research Stations that created it. It is very commonly grown.
Why We Use It: EMLA 106 is our go-to rootstock when it comes to grafting semi-dwarf trees that are zone 4-5. It produces well and is decently vigorous, plus it has good graft compatibility.
Canadian Hardiness Zone: 4
Growth Habits: Semi-dwarf, reaches 12-15ft tall, nice balance of vigour and production, trees are well-anchored, suitable for most soil types
Disease Resistance: Somewhat susceptible to moisture/collar rot
Graft Compatibility: Good

EMLA 111 - Semi-Dwarf/Full-Size:

History: MM111 was released in 1952 as part of a joint breading program between the East Malling and Merton Research Stations. It is a cross between Merton 793 and Northern Spy. In 1973, EMLA 111 was released as a virus-free clone of MM 111 and named EMLA after the East Malling and Long Ashton Research Stations that created it. It was commonly used in the mid-Atlantic and California before orchards switched to using dwarf rootstock to speed up production.
Why We Use It: EMLA 111 produces well-anchored and vigorous trees that are hardy and tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions.
Canadian Hardiness Zone: 4
Growth Habits: Between semi-dwarf and full-size, reaches 14-20ft tall, tolerates wet, dry, and poor soils and encourages trees to start bearing at a young age, good anchorage.
Disease Resistance: Resistant to collar rot and woolly apple aphid, and tolerant of fireblight. Moderate amount of suckering and burr knots.
Graft Compatibility: Good

G.969 - Semi-Dwarf, royalties are included in price:

History: G.969 (aka Geneva 969) was developed at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva by Jim Cummins. It was first created in 1976 as a cross between Ottawa 3 and Robusta 5. This variety is relatively new so more information may be available in the future!
Why We Use It: G.969 produces well-anchored and precocious trees that are resistant to several diseases including fireblight. It generally has good cold hardiness and is considered a good option for growing weaker vigour varieties like Honeycrisp. It also produces minimal suckering and burr knots.
Canadian Hardiness Zone: 4
Growth Habits: Semi-dwarf, produces a tree 12-15ft tall, precocious, good anchorage, minimal suckering and burr knots
Disease Resistance: Resistant to fireblight, collar rot, and woolly apple aphid
Graft Compatibility: G.969 generally has good graft compatibility but it recent tests have shown it may produce brittle graft unions when Chestnut Crab, Cox's Orange Pippin, Cortland, Fuji, Jonagold, Sansa, or Wickson Crab are chip budded on it. Other varieties may develop similar issues but have not been tested. Brittle graft unions do not appear to be a problem if the trees are grafted using the whip and tongue method.

Antonovka - Full Size:

History: Antonovka was developed by renowned Russian plant breeder I.V. Michurin and released in 1888. Although the fruit of this hardy variety is less popular outside of its homeland, it has been commonly used as rootstock due to its unique ability to stay almost true to type and its strong root system.
Why We Use It: As a standard full-size rootstock, Antonovka became our go-to for full-size trees. The strong root system and decent cold hardiness makes it a good candidate for most locations.
Canadian Hardiness Zone: 4
Growth Habits: Full-size, reaches 16-20ft tall, very vigorous, produces a strong and deep root system which makes it fairly drought tolerant

If any varieties you are interested in have sold out or you want rootstock for 2027, contact us to be added to our Spring 2027 request list!

Pear Rootstock

$8.75

Looking to graft your own pear trees? We're happy to offer rootstock!

While we have young stool beds growing, in the meantime we import rootstock from Oregon. Aside from the headache (paperwork) of importing and distance, we are very happy with our suppliers quality, and are happy to offer small scale and backyard operations with rootstock. Every August, we prepare a rootstock order for the following spring, and our order comes up on the pool truck with all the other Ontario orders. Because of this, we aren't able to guarantee ship dates with rootstock orders, as we are at the mercy of the nursery and pool truck; the shipment typically comes in March-April.

If you require more than 1000 rootstocks, we recommend importing yourself.

We offer the following rootstock varieties:

Provence Quince - Dwarf (see the quince rootstock listing HERE to purchase)

History: Provence Quince is a quince rootstock that was selected by the Institute National de la Recherche Agronomique's Angers station in France. It was released in the 1960s and became especially popular in Europe in the 1980s and 1990s.
Why We Use It: Provence Quince is easy to propagate and has decent vigour. Although it is incompatible with certain pear varieties, the issue can be overcome with the use of an interstem.
Canadian Hardiness Zone: 5
Growth Habits: Dwarfing affect on pears, reaches about 10-15ft tall, precocious, produces good crops
Disease Resistance: Resistant to crown gall, pear decline, and nematodes but somewhat susceptible to fireblight
Graft Compatibility: Compatible with most European pears including Anjou, Flemish Beauty, and Summercrisp. Incompatible with Bartlett, Bosc, Seckel and a few others, we use an Old Home interstem to graft these varieties to Provence Quince. Also compatible with quince and loquats.

OHxF 87 - Semi-Dwarf

History: Old Home x Farmingdale 87 is part of the OHxF series that was developed by F.E. Reimer at Oregon State University in an effort to create fireblight resistant rootstock. Two fireblight resistant varieties, Old Home and Farmingdale, were bred to pass the resistance on to their seedlings, hence the name. OHxF 87 in particular was selected for its good productivity.
Why We Use It: A popular choice among the OHxF series, this semi-dwarf rootstock boasts high productivity and a good root system.
Canadian Hardiness Zone: 4
Growth Habits: Semi-dwarf, reaches 12-18ft, precocious and very productive, cold hardy, produces a good root system
Disease Resistance: Resistant to fireblight and soil diseases
Graft Compatibility: Compatible with European pears and Asian pears, though some resources say Asian pears tend not to live as long on this rootstock.

OHxF 97 - Full Size

History: Old Home x Farmingdale 97 is part of the OHxF series that was developed by F.E. Reimer at Oregon State University in an effort to create fireblight resistant rootstock. Two fireblight resistant varieties, Old Home and Farmingdale, were bred to pass the resistance on to their seedlings, hence the name.
Why We Use It: OHxF 97 is our go-to pear rootstock with its fireblight resistance, strong root system, and good vigour and productivity. Its compatibility with European and Asian pears makes it extra versatile, a feature we value with our large array of pear varieties.
Canadian Hardiness Zone: 4
Growth Habits: Full-size, reaches 16-20ft, cold hardy, strong root system, produces good crops, vigorous, moderately precocious
Disease Resistance: Resistant to pear decline and fireblight
Graft Compatibility: Compatible with all European and Asian pears

Pyrus betulifolia - Full Size

History: Pyrus betulifolia (aka birchleaf pear) is native to parts of China and Tibet. This thorny cousin of the pear trees we grow is commonly used as rootstock for Asian pears.
Why We Use It: Pyrus betulifolia is a vigorous and adaptable pear rootstock, compatible with both European and Asian pears. It is also a very thorny variety, making it useful for deterring critter damage on the rootstock.
Canadian Hardiness Zone: 4
Growth Habits: Full-size, produces Asian pears 15-20ft tall and European pears over 30ft, vigorous, highly adaptable to different soils, very thorny
Disease Resistance: Resistant to fireblight and pear decline
Graft Compatibility: Compatible with European pears and Asian pears

If any varieties you are interested in have sold out or you want rootstock for 2027, contact us to be added to our Spring 2027 request list!

Apricot & Plum Rootstock

$8.75

Looking to graft your own apricot and plum trees? We're happy to offer rootstock!

While we have young stool beds growing, in the meantime we import rootstock from Oregon. Aside from the headache (paperwork) of importing and distance, we are very happy with our supplier's quality, and are happy to offer small scale and backyard operations with rootstock. Every August, we prepare a rootstock order for the following spring, and our order comes up on the pool truck with all the other Ontario orders. Because of this, we aren't able to guarantee ship dates with rootstock orders, as we are at the mercy of the nursery and pool truck; the shipment typically comes in March-April.

If you require more than 1000 rootstocks, we recommend importing it yourself.

We offer the following rootstock varieties:

Marianna 2624 - Semi-Dwarf:

History: Marianna 2624 was created by W.L. Howard of UC Davis at the California Agricultural Experimental Station. It was selected as an open-pollinated Marianna seedling in 1926 and was eventually released in 1940, likely due to its vigour, good disease-resistance, and tolerance of many soil types.
Why We Use It: For growers like us with heavier soil types, Marianna 2624 is a great choice for a semi-dwarf rootstock! It produces a well-anchored tree and is resistant to several diseases.
Soil: Very adaptable to wide range of soil types, tolerates very heavy and wet soils well
Growth Habits: Produces trees that can be maintained at 12-17ft tall, vigorous, well-anchored but needs staking first few years due to shallow roots, prone to suckering
Canadian Hardiness Zone: 4
Disease Resistance: Somewhat resistant to pytophthora, crown rot, root rot, and oak rot fungus, and resistant to root-knot nematode. Susceptible to crown gall and bacterial canker.
Graft Compatibility: Compatible with plums, apricots, and some almonds. Incompatible with peaches and nectarines.

Myrobalan 29C - Full-Size:

History: Myrobalan rootstock comes from seedlings of Prunus cerasifera (aka cherry or myrobalan plums) which are native to parts of Europe and Asia. Myrobalan 29C is an improved version of the original Myrobalan rootstock.
Why We Use It: Myrobalan is our go-to rootstock for apricots and plums. It is adaptable and hardy, vigorous, and anchors quite well in the soil, although staking in the first few years is still recommended. In addition to these great traits, it is also resistant to several pests and diseases.
Soil: Prefers sandy loam but somewhat adaptable to different kinds of soil
Growth Habits: Produces a tree 16-20ft tall, highly vigorous, well-anchored but shallow roots so may need support in first few years, not overly precocious
Disease Resistance: Resistant to crown gall and root knot nematode, somewhat resistant to crown and root rot, susceptible to oak root fungus
Graft Compatibility: Compatible with plums, apricots, and almonds but some apricot varieties have delayed compatibility issues

Krymsk 86 & Pumiselect - see peach rootstock listing for more information and/or purchasing

If any varieties you are interested in have sold out or you want rootstock for 2027, contact us to be added to our Spring 2027 request list!

Cherry Rootstock

$8.75

Looking to graft your own sweet or sour cherry trees? We're happy to offer rootstock!

While we have young stool beds growing, in the meantime we import rootstock from Oregon. Aside from the headache (paperwork) of importing and distance, we are very happy with our supplier's quality, and are happy to offer small scale and backyard operations with rootstock. Every August, we prepare a rootstock order for the following spring, and our order comes up on the pool truck with all the other Ontario orders. Because of this, we aren't able to guarantee ship dates with rootstock orders, as we are at the mercy of the nursery and pool truck; the shipment typically comes in March-April.

If you require more than 1000 rootstocks, we recommend importing it yourself.

We offer the following rootstock varieties:

Mahaleb - Full-size for sour cherries and semi-dwarf for sweet cherries:

History: This rootstock is so old that its origins are a bit of a mystery, but it has been used in France since at least the end of the 1700s. It was eventually introduced to the US in the mid-1850s and by the 1900s it was more popular than Mazzard due to how easy it is to propagate from seed and its general disease resistance. However, this popularity declined when it was discovered that Mahaleb was incompatible with certain sweet cherry varieties. Despite this, it is still quite commonly used in many parts of the world today.
Why We Use It: Mahaleb is a cold hardy and disease resistant rootstock that is also quite tolerant of drought. Cherries grafted on Mahaleb tend to be productive, vigorous, and precocious. However, Mahaleb is susceptible to crown and root rot so avoid planting it anywhere that is overly wet.
Soil: Loam and sandy soils, prefers soils that are deep and well-drained, very sensitive to waterlogged soils
Growth Habits: Produces a sour cherry 15-30ft tall and a sweet cherry 15-20ft tall, vigorous and precocious, anchors very well in the soil and tolerant of drought, tends to sucker
Disease Resistance: Resistant to crown gall, canker, and some nematodes but very susceptible to collar and root rot
Graft Compatibility: Good graft compatibility with sour cherries but incompatible with some varieties of sweet cherries

Mazzard - Full-Size:

History: Mazzard is the oldest known sweet cherry rootstock and can be dated back to Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. Despite its age, Mazzard remains the standard for cherry rootstock and even millennia later it remains one of the most commonly used in the world.
Why We Use It: Mazzard is the most popular cherry rootstock in North America. Although not quite as drought tolerant or disease resistant as Mahaleb, it has better graft compatibility and is tolerant of a wider range of soils. The trees are highly vigorous and can get quite tall.
Canadian Hardiness Zone: 5
Soil: Prefers loam and sandy loam but more tolerant of wet and heavy soils than Mahaleb
Growth Habits: Produces a tree over 20ft tall, highly vigorous, some drought tolerance, few suckers
Disease Resistance: Somewhat resistant to root rot
Graft Compatibility: Compatible with all sweet cherry varieties and sour cherries can also be grafted on it

Krymsk 6 - Semi-Dwarf:

History: Krymsk 6 is part of the Krymsk series of rootstock developed at the Krymsk Experimental Breeding Station in Russia.
Why We Use It: This cold-hardy and heat-resistant rootstock produces a tree with good anchorage that is adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions. So far it has performed much better in our clay soil than Mazzard!
Soil: Adaptable to a variety of soil conditions
Growth Habits: Semi-dwarf, produces a tree 18-25ft tall, produces some suckers which may be more numerous in heavy soils, fruit tends to ripen 1-3 days ahead of trees grafted on Mazzard
Disease Resistance: Resistant to nematodes and bacterial canker but very susceptible to prunus necrotic ringspot virus and prune dwarf virus
Graft Compatibility: Compatible with sweet and many sour cherries although compatibility tests are still underway

Gisela 6 - Semi-Dwarf: ONLY AVAILABLE BY REQUEST IN LOTS OF 50, THIS IS A NON-DORMANT ROOTSTOCK AND WILL BE READY TO PLANT IN MAY. IT WILL BE TOO SMALL TO GRAFT WITH UNTIL THE SUMMER.

History: Gisela is a cross between P. cerasus and P. canescens. It, along with the rest of the Gisela series, was developed by Hanna Schmidt at the Justus Liebig University Giessen in Germany as part of a breeding program aimed to create dwarfing, productive cherry rootstocks by hybridizing cherry species. The series is named Gisela as an acronym for Giessen's selection for Prunus avium. It is now the most commonly used semi-dwarf rootstock in the US.
Why We Use It: Trees grafted on Gisela 6 are vigorous and tend to start bearing earlier than trees grafted on other rootstocks, coming into full production in as little as 5-6 years. It is a good option for high-density orchards. This semi-dwarf rootstock boasts good graft compatibility, disease-resistance, and is adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions.
Soil: Adaptable to a variety of soil conditions so long as the soil is well-draining
Growth Habits: Semi-Dwarf, produces a tree 16-20ft tall, vigorous, trees grafted on Gisela 6 begin producing at a younger age and are quite productive. Requires some kind of support through its first few years of bearing fruit.
Disease Resistance: Resistant to bacterial canker, tolerant of viruses, somewhat susceptible to root rot
Graft Compatibility: Good, compatible with sweet and sour cherries

If any varieties you are interested in have sold out or you want rootstock for 2027, contact us to be added to our Spring 2027 request list!

Peach Rootstock (AVAILABLE BY REQUEST ONLY)

$8.75

**PEACH ROOTSTOCK IS ONLY AVAILABLE BY REQUEST**

Due to the nature of the peach rootstock we receive and the additional complications in handling it, we are only offering peach rootstock in minimum quantities of 50 per variety. PLEASE CONTACT US DIRECTLY IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ORDER PEACH ROOTSTOCK.

We will be receiving peach rootstock that is grown in ellepots. The rootstock will be too small for grafting the spring that you receive them and should be planted out instead. They may size up enough for summer grafting and would be suitable for grafting the following spring (provided no issues with growth conditions).

Peach rootstock is generally ready for shipping/pickup in May.

The following rootstock varieties are available UPON REQUEST:

Krymsk 86 - Full-size:

History: Krymsk 86 is a hybrid rootstock that is a cross between a peach and a plum, meaning it is compatible with peaches, plums, apricots, and almonds. It was bred at the Krymsk Experimental Breeding Station in Russia and is still undergoing many tests in Canada and the US to test its performance.
Why We Use It: Krymsk 86 is a new but potentially promising rootstock that is compatible with many different Prunus species. It is tolerant of several diseases and some adverse environmental conditions.
Soil: Loam and sandy loam preferred but some tolerance of heavier soils
Growth Habits: More vigorous than Bailey, few suckers, develops a strong root system and has some drought and wet tolerance
Disease Resistance: Tolerant of oak root fungus and less susceptible to crown and root rot than some other varieties
Graft Compatibility: Compatible with peaches, plums, apricots, and almonds

Bailey - Semi-Dwarf:

History: Bailey was released from West Branch, Iowa and for several decades it has been the predominant peach rootstock used in Ontario.
Why We Use It: Bailey is a reliable and cold hardy rootstock, great characteristics for Canadian growers where the colder climate can make growing peaches much more tricky.
Growth Habits: Produces medium to large trees that are 90% the size of standard trees, produce reliable and and good-sized crops
Graft Compatibility: Compatible with most peach varieties grown in Ontario

Pumiselect - Dwarf

History: Pumiselect was developed by Dr. H.B. Jacob while he was the head of the Institute of Fruit Growing at the Geisenheim Research Institute in Germany. It is a sand cherry (Prunus pumila) selection, hence the name Pumiselect.
Why We Use It: Pumiselect is a hardy, adaptable rootstock compatible with several kinds of stone fruits. It is generally disease resistant and a great option for high density orchards.
Canadian Hardiness Zone: 3
Soil: Generally adaptable but requires well-drained soil
Growth Habits: Dwarf, tree reaches ~50% of a full-size tree, does not sucker much, well-anchored, resistant to drought
Disease Resistance: Not blighted by plum pox virus and is generally disease-resistant, few issues with nematodes
Graft Compatibility: Compatible with peaches, nectarines, apricots, and some plums.

If any varieties you are interested in have sold out or you want rootstock for 2027, contact us to be added to our Spring 2027 request list!

Quince Rootstock

$8.75

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