Rootstock Supply

This is a categorized list of places to purchase rootstock, seedling trees and seed that can be used as rootstock for tree grafting.

Helpful Topics
http://growingfruit.org/t/rootstock-graft-compatibility/14605/10

Descriptions

eXtension
This is where you can find research-based information from America’s land-grant universities enabled by eXtension.org
Apple Rootstocks: Understanding and Choosing the Right Rootstocks
http://articles.extension.org/pages/66189/apple-rootstocks:-understanding-and-choosing-the-right-rootstock
Propagating Apple Rootstocks and Trees
http://articles.extension.org/pages/60752/propagating-apple-rootstocks-and-trees
U.S. Fruit Tree Nurseries
http://articles.extension.org/pages/60343/us-fruit-tree-nurseries

NSW Agriculture
Pear Rootstock PDF
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/120229/pear-rootstocks.pdf

NC-140 Regional Rootstock Research Project
http://www.nc140.org/
The NC-140 Regional Research Project is designed to address a number of high-priority areas within the North Central Region as well as other parts of North America. This project seeks to enhance economically and environmentally sustainable practices in temperate fruit production by focusing on rootstocks. The NC-140 project meets the guidelines presented by the North Central Regional Association (NCRA) in Guidelines for Multistate Research Activities (May 2001). Specifically, this project addresses high priorities defined by NCRA, within the crosscutting research areas of agricultural production, processing, and distribution, genetic resource development and manipulation, integrated pest management and economic development and policy. The project involves researchers from multiple states and is multidisciplinary. Researchers involved in this project have leveraged Federal and state dollars to add significant resources to address this research area. Lastly, outreach is integral to the project and includes electronic information transfer through web sites, written material for growers and other stakeholder groups, and numerous educational programs in individual states and at national and international grower and scientific meetings.
http://www.nc140.org/plantings.html

Penn State Extension
https://extension.psu.edu/
Apple Rootstocks
Penn State participates in multi-state apple rootstock trials, such as the NC-140 rootstock project. The following rootstock descriptions and comments are based on results from these trials.
https://extension.psu.edu/apple-rootstocks
Pear Rootstocks in Home Fruit Plantings
Pears do not root easily, so they are propagated by budding or grafting onto a rootstock.
https://extension.psu.edu/pear-rootstocks-in-home-fruit-plantings

University Of Minnesota Fruit Research
http://fruit.cfans.umn.edu/
Rootstocks for Apple Trees
http://fruit.cfans.umn.edu/apples/rootstock/

Washington State University Tree Fruit
Rootstocks
Commercial fruit trees usually consist of two parts, the scion (the fruiting variety) which makes up most of the tree that you see above ground-level, and the rootstock which – as the name suggests – is the roots.
http://treefruit.wsu.edu/varieties-breeding/rootstocks/

Wholesale Nurseries

Burchell Nursery
https://www.burchellnursery.com/index.php

Cameron Nursery
A wholesale rootstock and fruit tree nursery that specializes in dwarfing apple rootstocks and apple, cherry, and pear contract trees. Lists and descriptions of the rootstocks and fruit varieties we usually propagate are located on this web-site. Our goal is to produce quality products at a fair price to meet grower needs as the fruit industry and markets change.
https://cameronnursery.com/

Carlton Plants
Wholesale growers of high quality bareroot trees, shrubs, vines, rootstocks/liners
http://www.carltonplants.com/

CopenHaven Farms Nursery
A family owned and operated wholesale nursery located in Oregon’s fertile Willamette Valley, halfway between the city of Portland and the Pacific Ocean. For 30 years, we’ve been producing high-quality rootstock and seedlings for fruit, flowering and shade trees–many of which are certified virus-free–as well as ornamental seedlings for flowering and shade trees.
http://www.copenhavenfarms.com/

Flickinger’s Nursery
Trees for: Christmas Tree Growing, Erosion Control, Fundraising, Landscaping, Nurseries, Reforestation, Property Beautification, Windbreaks, Wildlife Habitat.
http://www.flicknursery.com/

Four Mile Nursery
Located on a family owned, century farm of 300 acres in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon. It is now in its 5th generation on this land, growing over 150 varieties of quality plants. We grow a very diverse array of plants including dwarf apple and pear rootstock, broadleaf evergreens, conifers, shade and ornamental trees and shrubs. By listening and evolving with our customers, Four Mile Nursery has been here for 136 years and we are committed to our long term philosophy of providing innovative ways to meet our customers needs.
http://www.fourmile.com/index.html

J.G. Akerboom Nurseries
For four generations, our family has provided high quality plant material to the nursery trade. This tradition continues today, as we strive to produce superior quality plant liners, including: deciduous and conifer seedlings, transplants, grafted liners and potted liners. Our seedlings and transplants are cultivated in loamy sand soils under drip irrigation for superior root development and disease control. Seedlings and transplants are bare root harvested and packaged, to arrive quickly and cost effectively to your nursery.
http://www.akerboom.com/

Lawyer Nursery
Serving wholesale nursery customers for nearly 60 years. Lawyer Nursery is a family business founded by David and Esther Lawyer in 1959 in the Clark Fork River Valley near Plains, Montana. Currently the wholesale bareroot nursery is owned and managed by John Lawyer. We have more than 500 acres of prime nursery land in addition to our office, packing sheds and warehouses. Lawyer Nursery sells in the following categories: Broadleaf, Flowering Trees, Conifer, Fruit Trees, Rootstock, Tree and Shrub Seed
https://www.lawyernursery.com/index.php

Musser Forests
Each year, we produce over 35 million conifer and hardwood seedlings and transplants. Plus, groundcovers, landscaping shrubs, perennials and ornamental grasses. We offer the broadest selection of plant material available from one nursery. Musser plants are shipped throughout the U.S. and Canada.
https://www.musserforests.com/

Needlefast Evergreens
Seedlings, Transplants & Christmas Trees
http://www.needlefastevergreens.com/

North Alabama Nursery
Family and locally owned since 1946.
http://www.northalabamanursery.com/

North American Plants
Dedicated to serving the propagation needs of the wholesale nursery trade.
To our friends in the shade tree, container, or liner nursery businesses we are proud to offer high-quality starts of desirable shade tree, shrubs, vines, rootstocks and nut and berry varieties, all propagated in tissue culture. It is our mission in life to help you reach your nursery’s production goals with our well-established, uniform, and competitively-priced transplants.
http://www.agromillora.com/eng/Naplants

Ripley Ripley County Farms
A State inspected and certified, wholesale nursery producing hardwood seedlings primarily for the conservation and reforestation landowner. Our Midwestern seed sources are concentrated along the upper Mississippi (Zone 5) and Ohio River basin (Zone 6). We can offer provenance on all our seed back to the USDA growing zone where our seedlings are to be planted. All of our seedlings are “table graded” to the specifications listed on our price list or to custom specifications as needed. In addition to hardwood seedlings, we produce unrooted cuttings of cottonwoods. Ripley County Farms also grows several varieties of commercial grapevines and peach rootstocks for sale commercially and to individuals.
http://ripleycountyfarms.com/index.htm

Tommy Savage Nursery
Flowering Trees, Shade Trees, Flowering Shrubs, Fruit Trees, Berry Plants, Small Fruits & Other Eatables
http://www.tommysavagenursery.com/

TRECO
To meet the worldwide demand for quality rootstocks, TRECO, along with A. McGill & Son of Fairview, Oregon, formed Microplant Nurseries, Inc. Often, when new varieties come into the industry, availability is not sufficient to meet the potential demand. In these instances, TRECO calls upon its Microplant operation to increase plant numbers through micro propagation, enabling TRECO to start stool beds and get the rootstocks into production much faster. Promising rootstock varieties that once took years to multiply to sufficient numbers for testing or commercialization through stool bed propagation, can now be done in less than six months.
http://www.treco.nu/

Twisted Tree Farm
Our nursery specializes in low maintenance fruit and nut trees, berry bushes, and useful perennials. We primarily sell bare root stock, but also have potted plants that are available locally. We sell seed, cuttings, roots, as well as trees and plants.
https://www.twisted-tree.net/

Willamette Nurseries
We offer a full line of quality clonal and seedling rootstocks. We take great satisfaction in knowing that the plant material you receive has been meticulously grown and nurtured by our talented employees. We now have 130 acres of rootstock consisting of apples, cherries, pears and plums, along with many deciduous ornamental tree varieties that we ship all over the world.
http://www.willamettenurseries.com/

Backyard Growers

Blackmoor Nurseries
A warm welcome to Blackmoor Nurseries, the UK’s leading specialist fruit Nursery. We have been supplying fruit trees since 1927 and have one of the largest ranges of fruit plants available to purchase online delivered to your door. From fruit trees from as little as £19.40 to all of the soft fruits all at great prices. You can buy online for delivery or click and collect if you prefer. All orders over £25 in value will receive a free copy of our Fruit Growers Handbook.
https://www.blackmoor.co.uk/

Burnt Ridge Nursery And Orchards
A family-owned farm, in business since 1980. Our 20-acre farm is located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains with a beautiful view of Mount St. Helens. Our mail order nursery specializes in unusual and disease resistant trees, vines, and shrubs that produce edible nuts or fruits. We also have a large selection of Northwest native plants and ornamental and useful landscape trees. We send nice sized, healthy, well-rooted plant material. The varieties we carry have done well in our orchards. If you have questions, please feel free to call, write or email us. We can help you make appropriate choices for your growing area.
https://www.burntridgenursery.com/

Cummins Nursery
A small, family-run fruit tree nursery located in Ithaca, a small town in the beautiful Finger Lakes district of western New York. In 1998, my brother John built this website. He never dreamed that it would still be here 18 years later. But it is like the old family car that keeps taking you to the grocery store.
http://www.cumminsnursery.com/

Fedco Seeds
Your source for cold-hardy selections especially adapted to our demanding Northeast climate. Each year we observe hundreds of varieties, selecting only the best for inclusion in our catalogs. Through our product lines and cultural hints, we encourage sustainable growing methods. We offer a large selection of certified-organic cultivars and regional heirloom varieties. We buy products from all over the world.
https://www.fedcoseeds.com/

One Green World
A family owned nursery and garden center located in Portland, Oregon. We have been providing a huge selection of fruiting trees and shrubs, berries, vines, unique citrus, nut trees, vegetables and much more to people all over the United States. In addition to the plants we sell, the experts at OGW are available for questions and advice on plants, plant care and gardening techniques. We specialize in all things edible and are continuously adventuring to discover new and unique plant varieties. Our vision is to create a One Green World where everyone has access to home grown delicious and nutritious fruits and veggies.
https://onegreenworld.com/

Raintree Nursery
Since 1972, we have been supplying flavorful, disease resistant fruit varieties to backyard gardeners like you. Raintree selects fruit varieties for flavor and ease of growing, with you the backyard gardener in mind. We have searched the world to collect the best backyard fruit varieties for you, the American gardener, as you will see as you enjoy our catalog. We care about how flavorful the fruit is and how easy it is for you, the backyard grower to grow.
https://raintreenursery.com/

Rich Farm Garden
At Rich Farm Garden we believe that you deserve the best service and value for your dollar. We’re proud of our ability to provide quality goods, rare and heirloom nursery stock, and seeds from the old open-pollinated standard varieties to some newer ones and many old and rare varieties.
http://www.richfarmgarden.com/welcome.html

Walden Heights Nursery
Our family works hard to understand all of the aspects of organic fruit growing in our northern Vermont climate. Our experiences and research has given us a wealth of information that we share with those who hope to produce fruit for their own family. Our mission is to help our neighbors and customers grow their own food, and do so organically and sustainably. While most nurseries simply buy, mark-up and re-sell shipped-in stock, we are primarily farmers… growers of the fruit in our orchards and nearly all the species in our nursery. Preservation of heirloom fruits, particularly apple germplasm is also very important to the farm. We grow more than 400 apple varieties and add to the diversity of our orchard each year, sharing new, old and interesting apple varieties with folks who are interested.
https://waldenheightsnursery.com/

Seeds

F.W. Schumacher
Seeds for nurserymen and foresters.
https://www.treeshrubseeds.com/index

Sheffield’s Seed Company
At any given time we have over 2,200 seed lots in stock and ready for shipment. We have another 1,200 that we are always actively sourcing. In addition we have over 10,000 that we can source for special order customers. This may well be the most extensive listing of seeds in the world!
https://sheffields.com/

State Forestry Tree Seedling Nursery

Forest Seedling Network
A marketplace that connects independent buyers and sellers.
Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho & Montana Service Directory
http://www.forestseedlingnetwork.com/Vendors.aspx
http://www.forestseedlingnetwork.com/

Plant Native
Dedicated to moving native plants and naturescaping into mainstream landscaping practices.
Native Plant Nursery Directory
http://www.plantnative.org/national_nursery_dir_main.htm
http://www.plantnative.org/index.htm

Alabama http://www.forestry.alabama.gov/seedling_search.aspx
Alaska http://www.forestry.org/alaska/
Arizona http://www.azsf.az.gov/forest_management/forest_stewardship_program/
Arkansas https://www.ark.org/afc2/index-offline.php
California - no good information could be found
Colorado http://csfs.colostate.edu/pages/seedling-tree-nursery.html
http://csfs.colostate.edu/seedling-tree-nursery/seedling-nursery-inventory/
Connecticut – no state nursery anymore
Delaware - no good information could be found
Florida http://www.floridaforestservice.com/forest_management/seedling_sales_index.html
http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Florida-Forest-Service/For-Landowners/Programs/Tree-Seedlings-For-Sale/Andrews-Nursery
http://sfrc.ufl.edu/Extension/florida_forestry_information/directory/nurseries.html
Georgia http://www.gaseedlings.org/
Hawaii http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/forestry/links.html
Idaho http://seedlings.uidaho.com/

Illinois Department Of Natural Resources
Mason State Tree Nursery
Illinois landowners interested in planting native trees and shrubs for conservation purposes may order materials from the Mason State Nursery 309-535-2185 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, M-F
DNR.MasonStateNursery@illinois.gov
https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/conservation/Forestry/Pages/Tree-Nurseries.aspx

Indiana Department Of Natural Resources
Jasper-Pulaski Nursery in Medaryville, IN JasperNursery@dnr.IN.gov
Vallonia Nursery in Vallonia, IN ValloniaNursery@dnr.IN.gov
https://www.in.gov/dnr/forestry/3606.htm

Iowa State Forest Nursery
Located in Ames, Iowa http://nursery.iowadnr.gov/
http://www.iowadnr.gov/Conservation/Forestry/State-Forest-Nursery

Kansas http://www.kansasforests.org/conservation/index.shtml

Kentucky Division Of Forestry
Eric Gracey: eric.gracey@ky.gov
The Kentucky Division of Forestry operates two seedling nurseries for the purpose of planting on public and privately-owned land. These nurseries are located at Gilbertsville in Marshall County near the Kentucky Dam and at Grassy Creek in Morgan County near the town of West Liberty. Our nurseries offer 51 different species of hardwoods and conifers for sale for planting on open crop or pasture land, developing a Christmas tree plantation, enhancing wildlife habitat, improving urban areas and reclaiming surface mining sites.
http://forestry.ky.gov/statenurseriesandtreeseedlings/Pages/default.aspx

Louisiana http://www.ldaf.state.la.us/portal/DesktopModules/BrowseBy/portal/Offices/Forestry/Reforestation/SeedlingInventory/tabid/242/Default.aspx
Maine - no good information could be found
Maryland http://www.easycartsecure.com/MarylandDepartmentofNaturalResources/
http://nursery.dnr.maryland.gov/
Massachusetts http://www.masstreewardens.org/SeedlingProgram.html

Michigan Department Of Natural Resources
https://www.treefarmsystem.org/
DIRECTORY OF MICHIGAN SEEDLING NURSERIES
www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/DirectoryOfMichiganSeedlingNurseries-IC4175_258828_7.pdf
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-30301_34240_68762---,00.html

Minnesota State Forest Nursery
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/nursery/index.html

Mississippi - no good information could be found

Missouri Department Of Conservation
The George O. White State Forest Nursery near Licking offers Missouri residents a variety of seedlings for reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control and wildlife habitat.
https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/white-george-o-sf-nursery
https://mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/tree-seedlings

Montana http://dnrc.mt.gov/forestry/nursery/default.asp
Nebraska http://gage.unl.edu/nebraskaconservationtrees
Nevada http://forestry.nv.gov/ndf-state-forest-nurseries/custom-growing-projects/

New Hampshire Department Of Natural And Cultural Resources
We offer more than 50 different bare-root seedling species and specialty packages of incomparable quality. We have a small program by most standards and that allows us to concentrate on product quality and customer service. Our experienced staff and seedling quality are unsurpassed. We do not import seedlings from out-of-state or transplant seedlings from other sources. All of our seedlings are grown from seed in our own seedbeds. This ensures that our seedlings are well adapted to New Hampshire climate, free of disease and insect pests. Our seedlings are useful for many purposes.
Email: nurseryc@dred.state.nh.us
http://nhnursery.com/

New Jersey http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/forest/docs/web_nursery_catalog_12.pdf
http://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/forest/nj_forest_nursery.htm
New Mexico https://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/FD/TreePublicRedirect.htm
New York http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/9395.html
North Carolina http://nc-forestry.stores.yahoo.net/index.html
North Dakota http://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/ndfs/Catalog_2012_Nursery.pdf
Ohio – no state nursery anymore http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/seedling/SeedlingSales/tabid/5321/Default.aspx
Oklahoma http://www.forestry.ok.gov/order-seedlings
http://www.forestry.ok.gov/state-nursery

Oregon Department Of Forestry
J.E. Schroeder Seed Orchard in St. Paul, OR
The J.E. Schroeder Seed Orchard is one of the primary sources of seed for regrowing Oregon’s forests. Forest landowners must plant new trees after harvesting to ensure that forests continue to provide valuable economic, environmental and social benefits.
mike.e.kroon@oregon.gov
The Oregon Seed Bank ensures that high quality forest tree seed is available for planting across Oregon.
http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/privateforests/docs/ForestNurserySeedlingSources.pdf
http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Working/Pages/Seed.aspx

Pennsylvania http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=636779&mode=2
http://www.pgc.pa.gov/INFORMATIONRESOURCES/GETINVOLVED/HOWARDNURSERY/Pages/default.aspx
Rhode Island - no good information could be found
South Carolina http://www.state.sc.us/forest/nur.htm
South Dakota - no good information could be found
Tennessee (scroll down and click on “Seedling Catalog” for most current link) http://www.tn.gov/agriculture/publications/forestry/seedlingcatalog.pdf
Texas http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/main/article.aspx?id=1165
Utah – no state nursery anymore http://forestry.usu.edu/htm/rural-forests/native-plant-nurseries/
Vermont http://www.vtfpr.org/htm/gen_geninfo.cfm

Virginia Department of Forestry
Order on-line at www.BuyVirginiaTrees.com
We have two nurseries, Augusta Forestry Center and Garland Gray Forestry Center, both are open 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Garland Gray Forestry Center in Courtland, VA
The center is located next to the Nottoway River, which provides irrigation for 80 acres of loblolly pine seedbeds. The sandy soils at this nursery are ideal for pine seedling production. A 213-acre tree seedling nursery was established within the boundaries of the Garland Gray Forestry Center in 1984. Garland Gray Forestry Center has state-of-the-art harvesting equipment and a first-class grading, packaging and cold storage facility for preparing the loblolly tree seedlings for shipment.
Nursery Manager: Justin Funk - Justin.Funk@dof.virginia.gov
Email: Wacetia.Stainback@dof.virginia.gov
Nursery Forester: Bernard Rose bernard.rose@dof.virginia.gov
Augusta Forestry Center in Crimora, VA
The center is located in Augusta County on 178 acres adjacent to the South River. Nearly 40 species of Virginia hardwoods and softwoods are grown in seedbeds covering 100 acres. This center handles the department’s delivery program, which offers tree seedlings, conservation specialty packs and conservation seed mixtures.
Email: monica.davis@dof.virginia.gov
Nursery Forester: Joshua McLaughlin - Joshua.McLaughlin@dof.virginia.gov
http://www.dof.virginia.gov/nursery/index.htm

Washington http://www.dnr.wa.gov/BusinessPermits/HowTo/LandownersIndustryContractors/Pages/lm_seedling_order.aspx
West Virginia http://www.wvforestry.com/nursery.cfm?menucall=nurse
Wisconsin http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/treeplanting/order.html
http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/TreePlanting/order.html
Wyoming http://www.conservewy.com/Cooperators.htm

Forum Topic Discussions

Growing Fruit
http://growingfruit.org/t/buy-rootstock/1957
http://growingfruit.org/t/wheres-everyones-favorite-place-to-get-rootstocks/9001

20 Likes

For the wholesale nurseries, if your order isn’t in by October, you’re out of luck. There seems to be a nation-wide shortage of rootstocks, and this season’s weather isn’t helping things out any.

1 Like

You’re right @applenut, I just looked at the inventory posted at the last wholesale nursery I ordered from and they are sold out of everything I need. My customers usually don’t have their orders placed until the end of January, it’s really difficult to be a small scale grower in a big boy nursery world.

As an update, I just heard back from one of the nurseries and was told I needed to order by July. So, now I’m going to have to have a number of rootstock on hand which is going to increase up front costs and acreage of use for growing out rootstock. Now I see why no one else has tried my business modal.

1 Like

The good news is that once you’re a customer, they give you first shot at reserving your same order for the next season; i.e. if you received 500 Bud.9 this year, they will reserve that for you next season if you let them know by the end of August. It’s getting that first shipment that’s the trick.

My Uganda nursery orders rootstocks from the Netherlands, who will rootwash, inspect, and ship via KLM airlines to Entebbe (arriving in 9 hours) at half the cost of the rootstocks shipped UPS to California from Oregon. But alas, Phyto restrictions will prevent you from ordering any rootstocks from overseas without two years in a screenhouse first.

Of the nurseries contained in the list above, does anyone know if any of them currently sell Bud 490? I’ve seen it mentioned in a few studies and it seems like a good alternative to the semi dwarf entries in the Geneva series, but I’ve had a devil of a time finding it for sale anywhere. Is there a reason it’s not being sold that I’m not just not aware of?

2 Likes

Were the studies you mentioned performed in the US or were they very recent? It may not have been imported into the US yet or it may be so new as to not be widely available.

Apple Rootstocks: Understanding and Choosing the Right Rootstock is here as of 7/2021:
https://apples.extension.org/apple-rootstocks-understanding-and-choosing-the-right-rootstock/

4 Likes

Eve’s Cidery is offering their own B118 rootstock as part of their apple scionwood sale.

1 Like

Fedco said of their standard rootstock this year:

Note: Straight, unbranched Antonovka stock is not available this year. These will have more fibrous root systems than the rootstock we typically offer, and they will be branched. We are confident you will be able to graft with these, but if you’re worried, consider ordering a different rootstock this year. We will not refund your order if you are unsatisfied with their form.

As a first time grafter I am not sure what they mean by this. By branched do they mean the stock will come with branches above the ground-line? Does fibrous infer lots of little roots?

Re: that warning, I didn’t think much of it a few years back and it definitely made things more challenging. Grafts of all kinds can make it and eventually grow out nice but I think you get years ahead by having a full circumference healed graft like a whip or whip and tounge versus a cleft or modified cleft. Probably a good idea to use a sealer if doing the latter as it leaves lots of dead wood exposed to rot.

2 Likes

Yes, and yes. Fibrous likely means they’ll have a bunch of roots both large and small. You’ll need to dig a larger hole than typical. Not a bad thing IME.

1 Like

Canada locations for rootstock:
https://www.maplegrovenursery.ca/applerootstocks

1 Like