root stock
Underground anchor stem
Rootstock is the base plant onto which another variety is grafted, providing the root system while the grafted portion (the scion) produces the desired fruit or flowers.
Growers select rootstocks for disease resistance, hardiness, or size control: dwarf apple trees use special rootstocks to limit growth.
The term also refers to a rhizome—an underground stem from which new shoots emerge.
- rhizomeHorizontal underground plant stem
- tuberUnderground nutrient reservoir
- bulbRounded storage organ
- cormBulblike underground stem base
- propagateSpread or breed further
seedling · cultivar · fruit tree · grape vine · perennial · underground · anchor · sucker · heirloom · old growth · hardy · dormant · nursery · orchard · vineyard · plant nursery · ancestry · lineage