Maple Root Question

[angelr87]

i was stumbling around some nurseries today and i was looking at the maples. i noticed that the majority had a different root stock on them. i was wondering whats the reason behind that and would it hurt to attempt to air-layer its own set of roots...

-angel

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

It's almost always a way to make the tree more cold-hardy. Put stronger roots under a tree with pretty foliage and you can sell a reliable tree for a lot more money. This is usually a thing done in landscaping businesses, as well. No real issue with ground or air layering, but the tree may lose some hardiness. I don't like grafts and neither do a lot of people, so it's always worth it in my eyes...that's assuming the trunk is worth working with, though. I've come to realize it's better to bite the bullet and turn down the sale unless it's some amazing deal.

 

[Dav4]

I agree with Alex, but would also say a major reason acers are grafted is economic. Grafting is much more successful then cuttings, gives you a larger tree sooner, and allows propagators to rapidly and consistently bring many named cultivars to the marketplace.

 

[Bill S]

It's often a speed of growth thing as well, they'll use a faster growing root stock. Layering would be ok but you may really slow it down.

 

[rockm]

From what I've heard, most maples aren't grafted for hardiness, but to keep a cultivar "true." The seeds of maples with particularly attractive attributes, like leaf composition, bark (rough, certain colors,etc) don't necessarily carry those traits and aren't a reliable source for them. Grafting scions of known material ensures those attractive characteristics are reliably carried on to the buyer.