Combination Fruit Tree

[Gemma]

I was tempted to give a Combination Tree (also known as Fruit Cocktail) a try but in my opinion it sounds too good to be true that one can grow a single tree, and harvest 3, 4 or more different kinds of fruits, so I never did
Has anyone here ever grown, or witnessed the fruit production of a combination fruit tree?
My little research showed lots of praises from nurseries but zero evidence that those trees actually deliver

 

[oneeye]

I was tempted to give a Combination Tree (also known as Fruit Cocktail) a try but in my opinion it sounds too good to be true that one can grow a single tree, and harvest 3, 4 or more different kinds of fruits, so I never did
Has anyone here ever grown, or witnessed the fruit production of a combination fruit tree?
My little research showed lots of praises from nurseries but zero evidence that those trees actually deliver

I'm with you, I don't think much of the combination tree, I have seen more failures than successes. A person needs to be able to grow the type fruit in their area before getting one.

 

[dirty hands]

I got 3 or 4 different fruit from one but it only lived 3 or 4 years. That was over 20 years ago. It was suppose to have seven different fruit.

I didnt take the best care of it though.

 

[Gemma]

I got 3 or 4 different fruit from one but it only lived 3 or 4 years. That was over 20 years ago. It was suppose to have seven different fruit.

I didnt take the best care of it though.

7 different fruits? wow!.. that's a lot!

 

[cpp gardener]

You have to be watchful of which variety/ties grow more vigorously than others. They can take over and inhibit or kill other varieties. We grew a bunch of different combinations in various nurseries I've worked at with differing results depending on varieties and condition before delivery. There was a guy at one store who grafted like 10 varieties of apple on one rootstock.

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

The only time i think it's a good idea is when you have a good sized tree with branches ready to graft and you have scion wood you don't know what to do with

We had an Asian pear that did okay as a Korean giant and something else i can't remember

 

[cpp gardener]

Dave Wilson Nursery does a whole bunch of multi graft trees of various deciduous genera. Stone fruits with peaches, nectarines, pluots, plums, cherries, and apricots; pomes with apples and pears. Several citrus growers mix up all kinds of citrus on one rootstock. If you like lots of different fruits but don't have a lot of space you can get the assortment you want in a small space.

 

[Sluggy]

I had a pear tree like that and the first year was great then after that every year it became infested with bugs so after 5 years dug it up.

 

[cpp gardener]

I think that's more about your climate and pest levels than it being a multi-grafted tree.