{"id":12292,"date":"2026-04-17T15:01:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T22:01:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/?p=12292"},"modified":"2026-04-23T15:54:39","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T22:54:39","slug":"avocado-rootstocks-what-do-they-matter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/avocado-rootstocks-what-do-they-matter\/","title":{"rendered":"Avocado rootstocks: What do they matter?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Rootstocks are mysterious. They do their work hidden, underground. Yet, their influence on the trees above ground is real and measurable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, some rootstocks have demonstrated that they can induce the tops to make more than twice as much fruit compared to other rootstocks. This was first shown back in the 1980s and 1990s in a trial in Orange County comparing Hass on ten different rootstocks. (See \u201cAvocado Clonal Rootstock Production Trial: A View after 8 Years.\u201d<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an ongoing trial in Ventura County comparing Hass, Lamb, Carmen, GEM, and Reed on nine different (newer) rootstocks, it is found that some rootstocks make lots of avocados and do so on smaller trees. (See my post, “Avocado trees as ‘efficient factories,’ with Mary Lu Arpaia.”<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More avocados on a tree just by using one rootstock over another? That is a real, measurable, and edible<\/em> influence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every time we plant, we should bear in mind that we are planting two trees in one (assuming we\u2019re planting a grafted tree). Are we planting desirable varieties on both the top and bottom? The variety that we have as our rootstock should suit the particular growing conditions in our yard (or on our farm), as far as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I admit that only recently I have acknowledged the importance of rootstocks and acted upon that understanding in what I choose to grow. I still have a lot to learn. Nevertheless, here I share some of what I think might help your avocado growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Zutano seedling rootstocks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of the avocado trees planted by home gardeners in the last decade or two are growing on Zutano seedling rootstocks. That is, the nursery planted a seed from a Zutano avocado, then grafted a scion variety (Hass, for example) onto that Zutano seedling tree. Hass has the leaves and fruit on top; Zutano seedling has the roots on bottom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The largest California nurseries have all told me that they use primarily Zutano seeds for their rootstocks for trees grown for home gardeners. (Only one nursery uses another variety for rootstock and that variety is G6.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Zutano? One, it\u2019s a variety that has proven to make a decent seedling rootstock for our general California growing conditions, which include our soil types, our temperatures, our disease issues, and our water quality. Two, Zutano seed is readily available since many avocado farmers use Zutano trees to pollenize their Hass trees, and there is almost no market for selling the Zutano avocados for eating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Zutano avocado seedlings recently sprouted.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Grafted avocado tree on Zutano seedling rootstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I have a number of avocado trees of different varieties on Zutano seedling rootstock. Most of them perform decently, some perform very well, some perform poorly. It\u2019s impossible to know exactly what part the rootstock plays in the performance of each of my trees, however, as they are different varieties growing in the variable settings of a typical home gardening situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A better circumstance in which to discern the influence of a rootstock is through a scientific trial where many trees made of the same rootstocks and the same scion varieties can be observed growing in a relatively uniform farm setting (no shade from a house on one tree, no big pepper tree with roots competing with another tree, etc.). Something like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
A University of California rootstock trial in Irvine.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Zutano seedlings are rarely used in rootstock trials in California, and one reason is that seedlings of any avocado variety are variable. Here’s a photo to illustrate:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Zutano seedling trees all of exactly the same age. Note variability in tree size, shape, leaf color.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So if you grafted the same variety, say Sharwil, onto these Zutano seedlings you would get Sharwil trees of different sizes, shapes, leaf colors, and avocado fruit production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, a friend of mine did graft Sharwil onto three seedlings and planted them side by side some years ago, and I have periodically photographed their development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
August 2021. The Sharwil tree on the left had lots of fruit; the middle tree had no fruit and terrible leaf burn; the tree on the right had the prettiest foliage but zero fruit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
December 2023. The differences became exaggerated. The middle tree remained the runt and can barely be seen. The tree on the left is obviously the most vigorous but it also has yielded the most fruit. The tree on the right continues to have the healthiest foliage and a bushier shape but is starting to yield fruit well also.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The point is that seedling rootstocks are variable. They’re not inherently good or bad. You simply never know exactly what you’re going to get.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to know exactly what you’re going to get, you must clone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Clonal rootstocks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Techniques have been developed to take a good rootstock and reproduce it identically. An illustration of one of the methods used to clone a rootstock can be seen on the Brokaw Nursery website<\/a>. (Tissue culture<\/a> is also being used in a limited way.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cloning good avocado rootstocks began at a commercial scale in the 1970’s, and the first standard clonal rootstock was called Duke 7. Since then a rootstock called Dusa was discovered in South Africa and is now the most widely used in California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Hass top on clonal Dusa rootstock. Point Loma, San Diego.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But there are many other clonal rootstocks that have provided growers good results too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

There is no overall<\/em> best avocado rootstock<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What has been found in rootstock trials is that, as Greg Douhan once put it<\/a>, \u201cNo rootstock produced thus far will perform well under all conditions.\u201d Douhan lead the avocado rootstock breeding program at U.C. Riverside for a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What breeders like Douhan do is try to find rootstocks that perform well when faced with specific challenges, such as soil that is soggy and contains a high population of Phytophthora cinnamomi<\/em>, the microorganism that exacerbates the disease called root rot. Or the challenge might be salty irrigation water, or alkaline soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then a grower can choose to buy avocado trees grown on specific clonal rootstocks that are known to grow and fruit well in his particular conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Demonstrated qualities of avocado rootstocks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here in California in 2026 there are about a dozen rootstock varieties that nurseries produce clonally, and each of these has been shown to perform better than others in particular ways or within certain soil conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I made the table below in order to help us see, at a glance, which rootstocks have demonstrated good performance in specific conditions or for specific aims. The trial or evidence for each listing in the table is cited with a number and noted below the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Notes on the table<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTolerant \/ Able\u201d means compared to other rootstocks they are more tolerant or able.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSalinity\u201d is defined as electrical conductivity (EC) of water of 1.5 or higher, as was used in the trials cited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLime-induced chlorosis\u201d is where a tree\u2019s leaves yellow and growth is stunted due to high soil pH (8 or above).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Citations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Koehne South Africa: https:\/\/www.avocadosource.com\/Journals\/SAAGA\/SAAGA_1994\/SAAGA_1994_PG_078-079.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. UCR Chloride Trial: https:\/\/www.ars.usda.gov\/arsuserfiles\/20361500\/pdf_pubs\/P2591.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Avocado Clonal Rootstock Production Trial, Irvine: https:\/\/www.ccfruitandnuts.ucanr.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/2016-09\/166374.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Chilean rootstock trial: https:\/\/mundoagro.io\/cl\/revista\/n-o190-especial-paltos-y-citricos-2026\/lessons\/revista-190\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. CAS New Rootstocks 2022: https:\/\/www.brokawnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/CAS-New-Rootstocks.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Menge Riverside 1991: https:\/\/ucanr.edu\/sites\/alternativefruits\/files\/121265.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Hass Salinity Response: http:\/\/www.avocadosource.com\/WAC2\/WAC2_p209.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Hank Brokaw WAC1: http:\/\/avocadosource.com\/WAC1\/WAC1_p034.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Carpinteria: http:\/\/www.avocadosource.com\/ARAC\/Symposium_2003\/article_1.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Stehly: https:\/\/ucanr.edu\/blog\/topics-subtropics\/article\/search-salinity-tolerance-avocado-update-frozen-rootstock-trial<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Douhan, Menge 2012: https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/285975820_Three_New_Avocado_Rootstock_Cultivars_Tolerant_to_Phytophthora_Root_Rot_%27Zentmyer%27_%27Uzi%27_and_%27Steddom%27<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Where to buy avocado trees on clonal rootstocks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avocado trees on clonal rootstocks are difficult for a home grower to find, unfortunately. Most nurseries that propagate them only sell in large quantities (usually a minimum of 20 trees). I hope this changes in the future, but that\u2019s the reality as of now. The one nursery that I have experience with that sells avocado trees on clonal rootstocks to home growers is Subtropica Nursery<\/a> in Fallbrook, San Diego County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Overall, in my view, clonal avocado rootstocks are a clear advantage and worth extra money, assuming the right rootstock variety is chosen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, avocado trees on Zutano seedling rootstocks or other seedling rootstocks can grow and produce acceptably, even extremely well if you’re lucky. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know this luck firsthand with a tree in my own yard. I keep yield records of all of my avocado trees, and the best performer has been this Reed on Zutano seedling rootstock:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Planted in 2013. Pictured in 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This Reed tree has a solid crop every single year and has the least leaf burn of any of my trees every winter. I consider it a candidate for “super” tree<\/a> status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Crop on the Reed x Zutano seedling for 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

All rootstock varieties originated as seedlings, and it\u2019s possible that you have a seedling rootstock under a tree in your yard that is excellent like mine above. It might even be better than any known clonal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conversely, if you have an avocado tree that is a stinker, then don’t discount the hidden part of the tree with the roots. The GEM, Bacon, Lamb, Fuerte part might not be the problem. The rootstock might be the weakness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you think you’ve planted right and are watering right — you’re doing it all right — but your tree is not performing, I hereby give you permission to blame it on the rootstock because rootstocks matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

I don’t run ads on my Yard Posts because of your generous support<\/a>. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of my Yard Posts are listed HERE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rootstocks are mysterious. They do their work hidden, underground. Yet, their influence on the trees above ground is real and measurable. For example, some rootstocks have demonstrated that they can induce the tops to make more than twice as much fruit compared to other rootstocks. 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