Off topic, looking for rootstock/scion of pear OHxF 51

[brackishfigger Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close brackishfigger]

I am branching out in my fruit tree grafting efforts (I'm the Frankenfig guy), including pears (biscamp/southern barlett/perdue).

The pears were grafted last year onto both p. betulifolia and callery rootstock, both of which are vigorous fireblight resistant varieties, but a bit too vigorous, with mature sizes as large or larger than the species.

There are apparently precious few (any, really?) semi-dwarfing pears that tolerate the heat and humidity in the gulf south, fireblight USA.

I have read that OHxF 51 did very well down here and is semidwarfing, but suckered poorly or otherwise didn't lend itself to propagation as a rootstock. Plus it didn't do well further north.

I ordered some from the USDA and anticipate getting two cuttings. I will be grafting some onto other trees for a ready supply in the future, but also hope to try both rooting some for future grafting, and using some as an interstem between the callery and the fruiting pears. I'm gonna run out of wood real quick like.

The crux: does anyone have access to OHxf 51? an old tree that died back to the rootstock and regrew? an intact grafted specimen that suckers? li'l help?

It's a long shot, but. . .

Thanks

[strudeldog Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close strudeldog]

I don't have any OHxF I just graft to seedling callery that has seeded about. You might look into Quince as a dwarfing rootstock, Not sure if all pear are compatible on it and I have never grafted to it, but you might consider as a dwarfing stock for pear. Fireblight might be to much an issue with Quince

[brackishfigger Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close brackishfigger]

thanks Phil, but I think you are right, I've read that quince is generally FB bait.

[COGardener Fig Phenom Find all posts View Profile Close COGardener]

https://www.raintreenursery.com/Pear_Quince/

No 51, but a few options.

[Kelby Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Kelby]

I don't recall ever seeing ohf51 for sale.

[Greenguy Member Find all posts View Profile Close Greenguy]

I grafted a pear last year on oh 51. The graft did not take. So I have a small tree of it. I have a lot of plants piled on top of eachother so will be hard to find I will look around for it but it is yours if you want it pm me.
Cian.

[DBJohnson Fig Phenom Find all posts View Profile Close DBJohnson]

Tangential question: Fireblight was in a huge pear tree that had been on the property for years before we bought it. (The tree was so huge, it had been struck by lightning years ago which split the trunk vertically...and both sides survived and thrived afterward....except for the Fireblight.) Anyway, the blight spread to the hybrid willows I planted last spring and practically wiped them out (only 6/200 survived). I removed the tree and burned it (was careful to get all the debris in the fire, too).

So....what should I watch for this spring/summer? How long does this stuff hang around? What types of trees are most susceptible to Fireblight? Are figs in danger of it?

[Kelby]

Fireblight usually just blows in on the wind, certain weather conditions will cause strikes (right temperature, humidity, rain). Pears, apples, quince, and other relatives are quite susceptible. I personally try to only plant resistant varieties of pear and apple. Figs aren't susceptible.

Keep an eye out for leaves that look like they were burned (thus the fireblight) and the ends of young twigs are black and curled. Prune out 6-12" below the visible infection as soon as you can and destroy it. Avoid fertilizing too heavily with nitrogen as that will cause excess green growth that is weak.

[DBJohnson]

Thanks, Kelby.

[Greenguy Member Find all posts View Profile Close Greenguy]

Kelby was that not an option to get at landis valley grafting work shop

[Kelby]

I don't recall, honestly. Usually you just see ohf 87 and 97 for sale.

[Gr8Figs Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Gr8Figs]

What types of trees are most susceptible to Fireblight?

My Bartlett pear trees are sometimes effected by fireblight during rainy conditions in the Spring.It normally effects the new growth and sometimes kills part of the branch that the new growth is sprouting from. My Seckel pear tree does not get fireblight.