Rootstocks Explained

Trees-Online buyer guide

Fruit Tree Rootstocks Explained

Most fruit trees are grafted (made up of two parts joined together). The variety (the upper section) gives you the fruit you want; the rootstock (literally the roots) controls how the tree grows. Use this guide to pick the right size and vigour for your space.

Contents

Rootstock basics Apple rootstocks Pear rootstocks Cherry rootstocks Plum, gage, damson, mirabelle Peach, nectarine, apricot, almond Own-root fruit trees How to choose

Rootstock basics

A grafted fruit tree is two plants joined together. The upper part (the scion) is the named variety, e.g. Granny Smith apple, Victoria plum and Conference pear. The lower part (the rootstock) influences vigour, ultimate size, how quickly the tree crops, and how it copes with different soils.

Important: Rootstock sizes are guides for ultimate tree height. Soil, local conditions, training style, and pruning can move a tree up or down within a height range.

Apple rootstocks

Rootstock	Ultimate height	Benefits / notes
M27	1.2–1.8 m	Extremely dwarfing. Best in very small spaces and trained forms. Soil: needs good weed- and grass-free soil; water during drought.
M9	1.8–2.4 m	Dwarfing and very productive for its size. Soil: good weed- and grass-free soil; water during drought.
M26	2.4–3 m	Dwarfing to small. Good compromise between compact size and ease of growing. Soil: average soils.
G11 (Geneva 11)	1.8–3 m	Modern dwarfing (M9-class). Soil: prefers good soils and regular watering.
MM106	3–4 m	Semi-dwarfing all-rounder for bushes and half standards. Soil: tolerant of a range of soils incl. grassed orchards and poorer soils, but avoid waterlogged sites (collar rot risk).
M116®	2.5–4 m	Semi-dwarfing. Similar size class to MM106 in many situations, often chosen where improved resilience traits are desired.
MM111	4–4.5 m	Vigorous. Good for larger trees and tougher conditions. Soil: suitable for most soils incl. poorer sites; noted for coping on difficult soils.
M25	+4.5 m	Very vigorous. Traditional orchard standard size, long-lived. Soil: most soils (including poorer soils) but too vigorous for many gardens.

Pear rootstocks

Rootstock	Ultimate height	Benefits / notes
Quince C	2.5–3 m	Dwarfing. Great for compact pears, cordons and espaliers. Soil: fertile, moisture-retentive soils; avoid very chalky sites.
Quince Eline®	2.5–3 m	Dwarfing quince rootstock with similar vigour to Quince C; valued for improved cold-hardiness.
Quince A	3–4.5 m	Semi-vigorous. Common choice for free-standing garden pears. Soil: most medium to heavy fertile soils; avoid very chalky sites.
BA29	~3.5–4 m	Semi-vigorous to vigorous quince selection. Soil: used where a stronger quince is helpful; often chosen for larger trained forms.
Pyro Dwarf®	4 m+	Vigorous pear rootstock (despite the name). Useful where quince is unsuitable (e.g., more alkaline soils) and for larger trees that still crop fairly early.
Pyrus communis (seedling, e.g. Kirchensaller)	6 m+	Vigorous seedling pear rootstock for traditional standard pears and long-lived orchard trees (slower to reach full bearing).

Cherry rootstocks

Rootstock	Ultimate height	Benefits / notes
Gisela 5®	3–4 m	Semi-dwarfing. Keeps cherries within reach and improves manageability in smaller gardens;
Gisela 6®	3–4 m	More vigorous than Gisela 5. A good step up where soil is less ideal or you want a bigger canopy.
Krymsk 5	3–4 m	Moderate vigour. Often selected for practical orchard performance and a manageable tree size.
Colt	6 m	Semi-vigorous. Reliable across many sites. Soil: many soils tolerated, including clay and light/chalky soils.
F.12.1 (Mazzard)	6 m+	Very vigorous. Traditional rootstock for large standard cherry trees.

Plum, gage, damson & mirabelle rootstocks

Rootstock	Ultimate height	Benefits / notes
Pixy	3–4 m	Semi-dwarfing. Useful for smaller gardens. Soil: good light, loamy soil.
Wavit®	3 m	Moderate vigour. Produces a free-standing tree, similar or slightly smaller than St. Julien A; often comes into bearing fairly quickly.
Weiwa®	3 m	Moderate vigour. Used for compact Prunus trees, broadly similar size to Wavit.
Plumina	~2.5–3 m	Semi-dwarfing. Similar size to Pixy but selected for better fruit size. Soil: general garden soils.
St. Julien A	4.5–5 m	Semi-vigorous all-rounder for plums, gages, damsons and many stone fruit. Soil: heavy soils are tolerated.
Brompton	5 m+	Vigorous. Traditional rootstock for large standard plum trees. Soil: broadly tolerant.
Myrobalan B	~6 m	Vigorous and strong-rooting. Soil: often used where soils are very heavy or wet.

Peach, nectarine, apricot & almond rootstocks

Rootstock	Ultimate height	Benefits / notes
Torinel / Torinel 24	2.4–3 m	Semi-vigorous but compact. Soil: loamy; good in containers and smaller trained trees.
VVA-1 / Krymsk 1	2.5–3 m	Dwarfing. Used for compact stone-fruit trees, especially where space is tight and training is planned.
Apricor	3–3.5 m	Semi-vigorous apricot seedling rootstock; good compatibility and a steady, manageable framework.
St. Julien A	4.5–5 m	General-purpose UK stone-fruit rootstock for free-standing trees and trained forms. Soil: heavy soils are tolerated.
Krymsk 86	~4 m	Medium vigour for apricots, peaches and nectarines. Soil: more tolerant of heavy, wet soils with better anchorage.

Trees often grown on their own roots

Some fruit trees are commonly sold as own-root plants. This means they have not been grafted and the whole tree has been grown from scratch.

Common examples: Fig, mulberry, hazelnut/filbert, kiwi.
Own root means the plant is not grafted - the roots and the top are the same plant.

How to choose the right rootstock

Start with space. If you want easy harvesting and pruning, go dwarfing or semi-vigorous. If you want a traditional orchard-sized tree, choose vigorous.

Match the site. Tougher conditions often suit a slightly more vigorous, stronger-rooting option. If your ground is heavy or holds water, look for rootstocks specifically noted as tolerating heavy/wet soils (for example: Saint Julien A, Krymsk 86, and Myrobalan where appropriate) and avoid those flagged as vulnerable on wet sites (for example: MM106).

Think long-term. Smaller trees usually crop earlier; bigger trees take longer but can be very durable and long-lived.