How to spot it
Look near the base of a fruit tree or a named ornamental for a bump, a change in bark texture or a diagonal scar. Above it grows the variety you chose; below it, the rootstock chosen for its roots. Where the line sits above the soil, the union has been kept clear of the ground.
The graft can be a weak point on a young tree, since a trunk may break there in wind.
Why it matters in Northern Nevada
Apples, pears, cherries and many ornamentals in local yards are grafted. Shoots that grow from below the union are from the rootstock, not the variety you want, and are called suckers (see the glossary for water sprouts and suckers). They take energy from the top and, left to grow, can take over. See apple and other fruit trees and pruning fruit trees in Reno and Carson City.
A tree that has died back to the rootstock may sprout from below the union with something quite unlike the tree you had.
What an arborist does about it
The arborist notes where the union is, removes suckers that come from the rootstock and tells you whether the top is alive. If the top has died, the tree is a removal, and we do not replant. For the choice of a new fruit tree, ask a nursery or the Cooperative Extension fruit tree guide. See tree trimming and pruning.
If you buy a fruit tree, keep the nursery tag. It names the variety and the rootstock, and it tells the arborist later what the suckers below the union are likely to be.
Sources
- University of Nevada Cooperative Extension: Gardening Guide for High-Desert Urban Landscapes (read October 17, 2026)