SC - paw-paws and medlars and seed exchanges

[LrdRas at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/27/00 4:04:19 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
tinyzoo at aracnet.com writes:

<< I thought $18 for a Medlar was a pretty good price.   >>

Agreed. Many plants have very poor germination rates and some trees react to 
grafting more positively than others. The low success rate for propagation 
plus the lengthy time needed before the plants are ready for sale makes for 
prices that seem high but are actually quite reasonable.

A word of caution is in order. Unlike many plants, plants that are members of 
the rose family (i.e., apples, medlars, pears, etc.) when grown from seed are 
not true to type. Each seed creates a different variety. While a goodly 
portion of the surviving seedlings may grow into mature trees, the fruit may 
or may not be good. Grafted plants are always a better choice if you want a 
specific variety that is the same as the parent plant. 

Grafted plants also have the added advantage of being grown on root stock 
(often of wild species) that is resistant to disease and ground pests. 
California has been battling phylloxera for several years now because grape 
growers stupidly ignored France's lesson with vineyard destruction caused by 
planting grape varieties on their own roots instead of grafting them onto 
resistant American rootstock. 

Ras