Weird Branches on my Specialty Tree

            Some are weepers, some grow straight up, some are short and squat; some are very blue, some have multiple colors of branches, be it flowers, leaves, or fruit.

            Most, if not all of the specialty trees out there are grafted. That means a nurseryman saw something unusual growing among a bunch of trees of the same genus.

            Let’s say its branches were weeping downward. He would then take that oddity; dig it up and transplant it where people could give it extra care. They would then watch it to see if the genetic were strong enough to actually survive; and if it would continue to grow with its branches weeping downward.

            If all goes well this plant will be a “mother plant” from which cutting would be taken and grafted onto same species trunks. They will care for these graftings, making sure nothing grows beneath the graft; for if it does that stem it will be what that trunk would normally produce, a normal upright branch.
            This is why some people’s specialty tree has a green leafed branch growing within the red ones; or a “straight up” branch is growing out the top of a weeping tree (as pictured below). If they were to look close at the graft markings they will see that this stem or branch is growing below the graft, and out from the trunk the odd duck was grafted into.

            If this happens just cut it off; the sooner the better.

            Your specialty tree is a genetic misfit, a quirk of nature so to speak, but a gold mind for the experienced Nurseryperson.

 If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me at NiemeyerLandscaping@Gmail.com or post a comment on this Blog. Like us on Facebook.