Pear rootstock

[ruskbuckss]

I was just on my land pruning a few apple trees. It looks like the a few of the pears I planted the graft died but the rootstock is growing good. Is there any chance they would produce some kind of pear?

 

[chickenlittle]

Do you know what the pear rootstock is?

 

[Native Hunter]

There is a chance you will get a good pear, but a better chance it won't be good. I've had 3 or 4 come back from the rootstock, and most were little pears less than the size of a dime. Sometime later this month, I will be topworking those.

I did have one come back that was a good pear. My guess is that is was grafted to a seedling from a good pear, which had an offspring that was a decent pear but not exactly like the parent. The rootstock pear resembles a Kieffer but is earlier ripening and many hang until overripe and never drop. However, I am keeping this pear, because its a good eater and at a place I pass by frequently where I mow a trail.

I didn't know the rootstock on any of these. I bought them cheap and was willing to take a chance. All of them were supposed to be Kieffer, and so far the ones that lived have been what they were supposed to be.

I don't know what kind of pears that the common rootstocks in the OHxF series would produce, but I would like to know if anyone else knows.

 

[chickenlittle]

There are a bunch of OHxF available from USDA GRIN. Some are late ripening so I plan to get scions to try them out.

Here are their photos of two common. OHxF97 only had leaf photos.

OHxF87 - photo from USDA GRIN

OHxF333 - photo from USDA GRIN

 

[Native Hunter]

Thanks for posting those chickenlittle. That top pear reminds me of the one I had come back from a rootstock. That could be it.

 

[ruskbuckss]

Do you know what the pear rootstock is?

Not sure of the rootstock. I just remember that they were the most cold hardy they had. I would be happy if they looked like yours.