Pawpaw grafts missing?

I need some help from some of the grafting experts here.

I’ve never grafted before, but have seen many grafts on plants that I’ve purchased. Today I had 3 “grafted” pawpaw trees delivered from a large online nursery. One has an obvious graft, but the other two don’t. The trunks are roughly 1/4 to 1/3 inch in diameter. Are grafts always obvious? I do see some areas that could possibly be grafts, but they look too good to my untrained eyes.

This nursery also sells “pawpaw seedlings”, so it is possible I was sent those instead.

Also, one of the trees has some damage about 6 inches above the soil line where it is taped to the support stick. Quite a bit of bark was rubbed off. Do you think it will heal?

Here are some pics. Do you see any grafts?

!

Thanks for your help!

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What nursery? I don’t see an obvious graft, maybe someone else does.

There’s a big ole stark bros. tag on it Steve.

It could’ve been a chip bud graft. That’s very common with pawpaws. I did 40 of them last year myself.

The chip is set, the rootstock lopped off above the chip and there begins a new tree. It doesn’t look anything like a graft union where the scion and rootstock were each severely cut to do any work.

I see the damage. I can’t see all of it. It’ll definitely heal just fine. You don’t want freezing weather to hit that but other than that it’ll heal. I’d certainly put masking tape over it but not a lot. Enough to cover is all.

How far around the trunk does the wound go? 1/3 of the way? more?

Dax

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Thanks for the help Barkslip! With pawpaws taking several years before fruiting it’s good to know that the fruit will match the cultivars I ordered.

The damage on the one tree only goes about 1/4 of the way around the trunk. I’ll cover the area with some masking tape and wait to plant. When do you think it will be safe to plant? After the danger of frost, or might temps at night in the 20s be okay? I can keep it in the garage or greenhouse for a couple of months if needed.

Anytime you can plant in the ground vs. any other method, you should always do that (when dormant material.)

That damage means nothing.

Have a good one, BerryGuy.

Dax

Okay, I’ll plant them soon.

Thanks!

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