I have found Richard Fahey to be an excellent source. He has 100-200 varieties of apples plus a few other things. Send a SASE for list; he has no phone or email.

Richard Fahey
Catholic Homesteading Movement
Oxford, NY 13830

Joyce Neighbors has a bigger list and a bit more expensive; never ordered from her. email for her list.

Joyce Neighbors, 1039 Lay Springs Rd., Gadsden, AL 35904 (256) 546-7441. jneighbr (at) internetpro.net

The mother of all scionwood lists is Nick Botner. He has every variety but on the other hand is not very well-organized and occasionally has mislabeled scions/trees. Still, he is good for the impossible-to-find things. Send SASE for list.

Nick Botner, 4015 Eagle Valley Road, Yoncalla, OR 97499

Lon Rombough has a short list of some very good varieties. I am getting his own variety "Apricot" this year.

http://www.bunchgrapes.com/scions.html

The WSU NSRP5 program sells scionwood but I believe they lost their funding. Last time I tried to get wood they had only a few varieties available, none of which were ones I wanted.

Foxwhelp Farm 4395 Westside Road Healdsburg, CA Tel: (707) 433-6420 - they are the old Sonoma Antique Apple people and were selling scionwood at one point, but I don't know if they still are.

Scott

I used Nick last year, and sent him a scion of my Montana Red which now shows up on his list as "New limited or unavailable". Nick, of course, had to take my word for it that it is Montana Red; it could have been anything if I were careless. (This one I am confident of -at least that I labelled it the same as it came to me. But mixups ARE possible, especially amongst non-pros like myself.)

The scions I got from him were healthy, wrapped in damp paper towel in an old bagel bag. I was able to successfully graft each.

Apparently each scion, about 8"-9" and enough for three grafts or so, is $3.50; if you want enough to, say, top-graft a whole tree it could get expensive. If you're a hobbyist like myself and just want to change over a couple of branches on a young tree it's just right.

I don't know anything about anybody else.

All just FWIW. Good luck and let us know what your experiences are, ay?

Thanks,

Mark

A guy in Southern California is also selling apple benchgrafts and scionwood online. He has about 100 varieties.

Here is a link that might be useful: So. Calif. Scionwood

Oops, right applenut - I knew about him but thought he sold in southern CA only but thats just for benchgrafts.

BTW heres a few more I remembered, I ran into them in searches for various varieties but never ordered from 'em. Fedco is well-known as an excellent nursery.

http://www.maplevalleyorchards.com/Pages/ScionWood.aspx

http://www.towerhillbg.org/thwebscion.html

http://www.fedcoseeds.com/forms/ft29scionOSreal.pdf

Scott

Yipee, lots of choice! Thank you all so much! Will start to experiment with some sources from more extreme climates both north & south so, hopefully, will find some to suit my harsh SoCal High Desert climate. Some of my bareroot & benchgraft apples started last year grew nicely, but realize that fruit quality may be another matter. Hence my desire to experiment! Thanks again!

Cecilia

I read that the Apple Germplasm Repository is now freezing it's samples - cheaper than maintaining trees.
No mention of Geneva as a source. Does that mean that they are not distributing scion/budwood anymore? It's like a perverted museum? Destroy the masterpieces and keep the pieces on ice?
Tell me it ain't so.

Ceclia:

I hate to take away your sense of adventure, but ever wonder why Apple Valley is named Apple Valley?

It's because they used to farm tens of thousands of apple trees. In fact, it was because of these apple farmers of Hesperia and Victorville that the builders of Lake Arrowhead were prevented from diverting the waters to Redlands on the other side of the mountain.

Many of the grafted trees were supplied by Chase Nursery in Riverside. However, by the 1930's refrigerated shipping allowed Washington State apple growers to dominate the market and swamp the little guys in Cedar Springs (now Lake Silverwood), Yucaipa and Apple Valley. Supermarkets wanted to by apples by the trainload, not by the box. Oak Glen only dodged the bullet by becoming a destination with U-pick orchards, hayrides, BBQs, etc. I guess poor Apple Valley just doesn't have the same draw.

The old orchards were pulled out and either rotted or were turned into housing. Old-timers tell me they don't know of a single grove left, leaving newcomers to look at the sand and Joshua Trees, scratch their heads and wonder why it's called Apple Valley.

But to answer the question before you ask, Rome Beauty was the most popular variety. Also grown was Red Rome, White Winter Pearmain, Snow, Yellow Bellflower, Golden Delicious, Delicious (Hawkeye), Virginia Winesap, King David, Ben Davis, and Arkansas Black.

Applenut

Applenut, That's fascinating! Got to look up climate in Apple Valley compared to mine in Antelope Valley. Thanks, too, for great leads in last paragraph! Cecilia

Cecilia:

I can save you some time. Ever wonder why Pear Blossom is named Pear Blossom?

Applenut

Good information all. My question is, which of the sources named are best for a variety of fruits besides apples?

Nick Botner has plums, pears, cherries, and grapes.

Sprearheart Farm & Orchard 4015 Eagle Valley Road, Yoncalla, OR 97499 541 849-2781

Eddie1, I noticed Fedco is listing pears & plums, too.

Everyone's additional comments were really helpful. I know now where to find cherry scionwood, thanks to Mark. I'll graduate to Nick Botner in a year, or so, when I can have a more educated appreciation of all his treasures. Applenut, your comments spurred some research into the climates for the areas you mentioned. What a revelation to find that my climate seems to be very similar to Apple Valley, just a little colder & with more chill hours!

I only want to order a few varieties this year, partly due to available space, but mostly because I think further education on the different varieties would be a good idea.

Joyce Neighbors' list had a note on the Captain Davis apple. She said it originated in Mississippi & does well in her area in Alabama. Last year I planted some bare root pears. One, the Warren, was found in Mississippi. It seemed to take to the climate here with greater vigor than the others. I want to take a chance the Captain Davis will do well here, too, if it is still available.

It also seemed silly not to try the guy in SoCal's scionwood & budwood since he is apparently located a couple of valleys away from mine (although apparently in a warmer climate than my Sunset zone 11 & USDA zone 8). His website is also a treat & very informative. Those old California mountain orchard varieties he lists are of interest--I noted that my most vigorous benchgraft last year was Sierra Beauty.

I am anxious to try Richard Fahey & Fedco, since I know they have a good reputation, but will have to put them off until next year. The others are enticing, too! I like trying a number of sources, so appreciate your giving me a variety.

Thank you all again for helping me!

Cecilia

I have gotten scion wood and bareroot apple trees for Tony Dembski at Maple Valley Orchards in Wisconsin for years. Tony specializes in antique apple varieties and has hundreds of varieties to choose from. He is extremely helpful if you have questions too. In the spring, he runs grafting classes in Green Bay, WI and will travel to do some also if requested. His website is http://www.maplevalleyorchards.com/

John Kring
Wisconsin

Here is a link that might be useful: Maple Valley Orchards

Thanks so much for yr. recommendation! Sounds like a really good source.

Take a look at Masonville Orchards in CO, they probably have what you are looking for. www.masonvilleorchard.com

I heard Nick Botner is putting his place on the market (ie, trying to sell it) this year. Anyone have close to a million bucks to invest in acreage in Yoncalla, OR, with a huge variety of fruit trees, and a home, attached shop with walk-in fridge for storage of scionwood, and outbuildings??? Would love to see this be passed along to someone who values the fruit trees and will keep cuttings available. Maybe a grant could be applied for to help purchase it as a non-profit?
Write to him at the address earlier in this thread.

Here is a link that might be useful: List of varieties growing at Nick Botner's

This thread is 7 years old and I was wondering, if you guys could update it.