Seeds from Grafted JM.

[Steven1969s]

Hello.

First I would like to know if grafted JM produce seeds as adult trees and second If they do produce seeds will the seedlings be from the graft itself or from the mother plant?

Thanks
Steve

 

[Mike Hennigan]

My grafted ’seiryu’ Japanese maple produced seed last year. I don’t know if all varieties can produce seed though, I suppose it’s possible that some varieties could be sterile.

If it does produce seed, it is the grafted variety that is producing seed. This should be obvious as the seeds aren’t produced by the root system ?.

Though, the “father” of the seeds could be some other variety of Japanese maple nearby that pollinated your tree, so in all likelyhood the seed will be a hybrid crossed with something else. It won’t be true to your variety, each seed will be a new variety in its own right.

I collected seed from my ‘seiryu’ maple last season and started them this spring. ‘Seiryu’ is a green laceleaf variety. Surprisingly all 10 of the seeds that grew had laceleaf leaves!

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Rules of horticultural nomenclature, the naming system. Trees from seed are a genetic reassortment of the genes of both parents. Or in the case of a self pollinated tree, of the parent. Because the genes are rearranged, a seedling is guaranteed to be different than its parent. For a seedling from 'Seiryu' or 'Bloodgood' or any other named Japanese maple, the seedlings can only be labelled Japanese maple, they are not supposed to carry the name of the ''parent(s)'. The seedlings are unique, and if you think each is worthy of the effort, out can give each one a unique name. Like pedigreed dogs or cats, the pups or kittens each get unique names no matter how highly awarded the parent was.

And like dogs or cats, the offspring will carry at least some of the traits of the parents. Some might look fairly close to the parent.

So seedlings from a named Japanese maple, correctly can only be named Acer palmatum, if you do give individuals names, the name should be different than the parent or any other registered JM cultivar, and be written in single quotes. For example Acer palmatum 'Leo's number 2' If my #2 turned out really special, and I propagated it by cuttings, or grafting or tissue culture, methods that don't change the genetics, I could register the name and or trademark the name. For our purposes we would usually never bother to register a name.

 

[Steven1969s]

Great. Thanks for the explanation Leo.

 

[substratum]

Rules of horticultural nomenclature, the naming system. Trees from seed are a genetic reassortment of the genes of both parents. Or in the case of a self pollinated tree, of the parent. Because the genes are rearranged, a seedling is guaranteed to be different than its parent. For a seedling from 'Seiryu' or 'Bloodgood' or any other named Japanese maple, the seedlings can only be labelled Japanese maple, they are not supposed to carry the name of the ''parent(s)'. The seedlings are unique, and if you think each is worthy of the effort, out can give each one a unique name. Like pedigreed dogs or cats, the pups or kittens each get unique names no matter how highly awarded the parent was.

And like dogs or cats, the offspring will carry at least some of the traits of the parents. Some might look fairly close to the parent.

So seedlings from a named Japanese maple, correctly can only be named Acer palmatum, if you do give individuals names, the name should be different than the parent or any other registered JM cultivar, and be written in single quotes. For example Acer palmatum 'Leo's number 2' If my #2 turned out really special, and I propagated it by cuttings, or grafting or tissue culture, methods that don't change the genetics, I could register the name and or trademark the name. For our purposes we would usually never bother to register a name.

So, buying seeds can be a bit of a crap shoot? In the citrus industry in Florida, virtually all commercial plants are cuttings grafted to a heartier rootstock, which I believe is for some of the very reasons you cite... the only way to be sure of the genes.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Yep, seeds are a crap shoot. Just like puppies from a champion dog, or children from a couple who think they are both geniuses. There will always be the odd disappointments. But sometimes, like the triple crown winning race horse, all the genetics comes through just right and you get something better than either parent.

That is why striking roots on cuttings, grafting, and meristematic tissue culture are such important techniques for agriculture of perennial food crops. Techniques that do not change the genetics of the clone are essential to getting the best out of our orchards, and other such agrobusiness.

The new field of blueberries we are planting will be blueberries cloned from meristematic tissue culture. Cheaper than rooted cuttings when you buy in bulk.

 

[augustine]

Cool thing about seeds though is you could get a real good and interesting plants. Many named varieties started out as chance seedlings.