In article ,
sherwindu wrote:

Found the time to check further. Both sweet cherries and wild black cherry are
both prunus, so grafting should be possible.

Unfortunately, being in the same genus doesn't indicate that grafting
will be a success. Sometimes being in the same species isn't enough,
either, e.g. graft incompatibilities between pear varieties.

On the other hand, some Prunus species are graft compatible, so it's
certainly worth a try. The black cherry (probably P.serotina, a
North American native) will almost certainly not pollinate the sweet
cherry (P.avium, IIRC), however.

Laura, the best place to get fresh scion wood for bud grafting is from
local trees. Look around your neighbourhood and ask your friends so
you'll know who to approach later this summer. Do lots of bud grafts
and select which ones to let grow next year, after you see how many,
if any, take. Don't be surprised if some take, then die over the next
few years, since graft incompatibility can be delayed.

The technique of cleft grafting is usually used to convert trees from
one variety to another. You can try that early next spring.

Good luck with your experiments and share the results with us here.
Even if the grafts fail, you'll have acquired some skill which you
can use to add varieties to a sweet cherry tree you may buy. Sweet
cherries are large trees, but there are some genetic dwarfs -- Lapin
and Compact Stella, IIRC. The black cherry tree may attract birds
away from the sweet cherries, so don't cut it down.

sherwindu wrote:

Laura,

Without researching it, I would guess that wild black cherry was in the same
genetic
family as sweet cherry. That is something you have to first check out. I know
that
crab apples will pollinate regular apple trees, but the analogy could break
down, in this case.

As for grafting, there are places that sell scion wood, including the sweet
cherry varieties. It may be too late in the season to do a standard 'whip and
tongue', but
the summer time would be ok to do some bud grafting. There is lot's of material
on
the web on this kind of grafting. Just google for 'bud grafting'.

Sherwin D.

Lacustral wrote:

I have wild black cherry tree about 30 feet tall ... I don't want to cut
it down, is it possible to graft some sweet cherries onto it, a couple of
varieties that will cross-pollinate? I'm thinking the lower branches
could be sweet cherries. where would one get cuttings to graft on? I'm a
complete novice to grafting.

thanks
Laura