Graft Terms in Plain Language

Graft: Joining a piece of one plant to another so they grow together as a single plant.
Scion: The upper part of a graft: the piece of the variety you want to grow. Cut dormant wood used for this is called scionwood.
Rootstock: The root system the scion is joined to. It can affect a tree’s size, how quickly it bears fruit, and how it copes with soil and some diseases.
Graft union: The place where scion and rootstock join. Usually visible as a bump near the base of a young tree.
Cultivar / variety: A named plant selection, such as a particular apple. Fruit trees don’t grow true from seed, so named varieties are reproduced by grafting.
Dwarf, semi-dwarf, standard: Common size descriptions, mostly set by the rootstock.
Bare-root: A dormant tree sold without soil around the roots, typically in winter and early spring.
Whip and tongue, cleft, bud grafting: Common ways of making the join. The right method depends on the plants, the season, and the grafter’s preference.
Plant patent: Legal protection for some newer varieties that can restrict who may propagate them. Ask the seller if this applies.

Graft terms, in plain language.