© The Pennsylvania State University 2005
Prepared by R. M. Crasweller, professor of tree fruit.
Introduction
Many people mistakenly believe that fruit trees grow true to name from seeds. In reality, if you collect seed from a fruit grown on a plant, the seeds will produce plants that will be a hybrid of two plants. The new plant will be the same kind of plant, but its fruit and vegetative portions may not look the same as the parent because the plant is “heterozygous.” Therefore, all fruit trees must be vegetatively propagated by either grafting or budding methods.