What type of fruit is produced by a grafted tree?

[Robindch]

Now, I haven't been through all the past discussions on this site so I don't know if this may be a legit question or not. However, for the sake of asking I would like to know. What type of fruit is produced by a grafted tree. For example, if I were to take the budding of a lemon tree or an orange tree and graft it onto the rootstock of a lime tree, would the fruit produced when the tree bears be 'sour' or would it be of the same flavour as that of its parent plant? I ask this because upon conducting my research, I haven't been given a clear answer to this question.

[citrange]

The fruit is always the type that you graft or bud with on to the rootstock. The top variety is technically called the scion.
The rootstock may make subtle differences to the fruit produced, such as a little change in size/sweetness/acidity/peel thickness and so on.
But basically if you graft, say, a lime on to a rootstock - the fruit will always still be a lime and always taste like a lime.
The rootstock's fruit flavour is in no way transferred to the top variety.

[Coach62]

 A popular tree in my area is called a Snowbird citrus tree. It is a single tree that On one branch will grow grapefruit on another branch will grow an orange and on another branch grow a lemon. Again this is all on the same tree three different branches three different fruits.

[Coach62]

http://thewondersofdoing.blogspot.com/2013/02/snowbird-citrus-now-ive-seen-it-all.html

[daytripper]

A popular tree in my area is called a Snowbird citrus tree. It is a single tree that On one branch will grow grapefruit on another branch will grow an orange and on another branch grow a lemon. Again this is all on the same tree three different branches three different fruits.

You can graft many different types of trees onto one rootstock.

[Millet]

Joe Real, an acquaintance of many of us, has a 101 tree.  Joe has grafted 101 (at last count) different citrus types onto a single tree in his back yard.  101 different types of citrus on a single tree is the largest number that I know of.

[Isaac-1]

I don't know about on citrus, but multi-grafted stone fruit trees are also popular, though from all I have read it is very difficult to manage them long term as one of the fruits will tend to be more vigorous and tend to take over.  Exactly which one will do this is hard to predict and will vary from location to location due to variations in growing conditions.

Personally I would prefer to have 5 or 6 trees than 1 tree with 5 or 6 types of citrus fruit growing on it, having all of ones eggs in the same basket and all of that....

[Coach62]

A popular tree in my area is called a Snowbird citrus tree. It is a single tree that On one branch will grow grapefruit on another branch will grow an orange and on another branch grow a lemon. Again this is all on the same tree three different branches three different fruits.

You can graft many different types of trees onto one rootstock.

Yeah I think you made my point better than I did. Obviously what I meant, you just stated it better

[Tony714]

Ok.  I bought a house which came with tangerine on top of rootstock.  So if i graft lemon, orange, komquart on the tangerine,  are they still come out the same or different?

[Tom]

The lemon graft will still be a lemon, the orange will still be a orange and the kumquat will still be a kumquat. You would have started what Millet wrote about above when he mentioned his friend had 100 different citrus fruit on one tree. They are often called a fruit cocktail tree. As also mentioned above many people would rather keep their varieties separate as in keep the tangerine tree as is. Buy an orange tree if you want an orange and buy a kumquat tree if you want kumquats.

I also favor this way and think it’s best. A multi fruit tree is a great conversation starter but I think the individual fruit trees grow more fruit and are easier to care for. In your example the kumquat would probably be a lot later blooming, setting fruit and ripen later. Different limbs on a fruit cocktail tree would often have different needs at different times.

The first blooms would be the first fruit. Then when another limb of another fruit starts blooming you might need to treat the limb with fruit different than the blooming limb and so forth all year long.

I don’t like to spray poison on fruit ,or food, that I know I will be eating. I spray a horticulural oil several times a year to kill insects but spraying oil on blooms is a no no. Spraying oils on small fruit can also be a problem.

When using any chemicals always read the directions and warnings carefully. If you use horticultural oil when it’s too hot you can hurt your leaves and the tree badly. You can usually spray at night and if you get too scared like me you can wash it off at daybreak ! No harm done and very possible usually on a small scale.

I hope this makes sense but if you want to practice grafting or budding and would enjoy a fruit cocktail tree by all means go for it. It’s your tree for you to enjoy !

Tom

[Tony714]

I got it now.  Thank you Tom for your great informative respond.  I wish I have room in my back yard.  My wife already scare of what I have now She doesn't let me to grow any mints. I have aquarium plants, orchids, fruit trees and seasonal flowers. 
I'll post my citrus tree later showing before move in and now.

[Coach62]

I agree that they are best kept as separate trees, but for people with very limited growing space, they can be a good option.