Prunus (Rosaceae) – Ornamental Prunus

Prunus mostly show typical Rosaceae characteristic of being relatively easily grafted and many are produced in the field using summer budding or winter grafting techniques. Bench grafting has its place, especially for the production of limited numbers of rare species – those with thin, light wood not well adapted to field grafting, and where severe weather conditions prevail during the winter. Apical grafts are normal for all Prunus . Splice, whip and tongue or, less often, short tongue veneers are favoured. Good cambial matching is more important for Prunus than most other Rosaceae, and the use of machines or tools needs careful consideration as it often results in some wood shredding and uneven mat ching, leading to poor results. Container production is a common strategy for nurserymen producing ornamental cherries. Larger specimens may be grown in the field for a period before containerisation for sale.