What Is A Dwarf Apple Tree?
There is a lot of confusion in the retail nursery market about “dwarf” apple trees. What makes an apple tree dwarf? Why would somebody want a dwarf apple? How dwarf is dwarf? Let’s start with the basics. Apple varieties must be cross-pollinated to set fruit. This means that apple flowers must have pollen from a different apple/crabapple variety in order to set fruit. This is why you must plant 2 different apple varieties (unless you have a crabapple nearby). The seeds produced in the apple will be a hybrid of the 2 parents but the fruit will always be the same as the parent tree. Because of this, one cannot plant seeds from a McIntosh apple & have it bear McIntosh fruit! To propagate an apple variety, a branch from the desired variety is grafted or budded onto a rootstock. This is a form of asexual propagation. Years ago, apple seeds were grown out to be used as rootstocks. Seedling rootstocks were variable in rooting characteristics, hardiness, ect. They are still used today to some e
