I read on the internet that compact stella is a dwarf cherry tree... is it comparable to a Gisella 5 dwarf?
It's called 'Compact' because it's a natural semi-dwarf, always smaller than normal regardless of propagation method used. Gisela is a series of dwarfing rootstocks, used to make otherwise non-dwarf cultivars grow smaller.
so even if the rootstock is mazzard or mahaleb it will be smaller as usual? info on the net says compact stella grows no more than 10-12 feet is that right? doesn't say how fast it comes into bearing though. thanks Ron
I have two Compact Stella trees that were planted 10 - 13 years ago. They would probably be about 15 ft tall if I didn't prune them, but fruit trees normally grow bigger than advertised in our damp coastal climate. In Ontario they might remain 10-12 ft tall. They are definitely much easier to train to a reasonable size than a normal Stella on a semi-dwarf rootstock, which I also have. Regarding bearing, the compact tree will probably start producing some fruit the year after it is planted. My experience is that the tree slowly increases fruit production over about 10 years.
Good to hear... I need to find a compact stella in southern ontario...I saw one last year at a nursery but thought it was a normal cherry tree. Got any photo's of it Vitog? How old/tall is your regular Stella?
I did some research on the net and discovered the following: There is no scion that is "Compact Stella"... true? "Compact Stella" is basically: "Stella" and is compacted or dwarfed by grafting it onto colt rootstock...true?
Everything that I've read indicates that Compact Stella is a genetic dwarf. A little Web searching found at least one nursery that uses Mazzard rootstocks for it. My regular Stella is more than 30 years old and produces much more fruit than my two Compact Stellas combined. However, I plan to cut it down in a few years because it requires too much pruning. I don't have any photos of my trees, but Google Earth Street View has a pretty good one of the Compact Stella in my front yard in full bloom this spring. If you are really interested, I can send you a PM with the address.
Compact Stella arose as a less vigorous sport a regular Stella tree...which is to say, it would be naturally compact if grown as a rooted cutting, though perhaps not as small as Colt or other dwarfing rootstock cause it to be. Rootstocks may also be chosen for additional benefits, such as site preference, disease resistance, etc. I'd imagine that the "dwarf stella" you've found is the same as 'compact stella', different in name only. Regarding Mahaleb rootstock, rather than transcribe the abundant info. available online, I'd suggest you simply google it: the first ten results give you a good overview of this rootstock and its effects.
Mahaleb is a standard size tree...but would that mean "DWARF STELLA" on it would be contained to a height of 12 feet which I Want?
For what it's worth, I posted a photo of the 'Stella' tree growing on 'Colt' rootstock at UBC Botanical Garden. It was planted in 1983. http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showpost.php?p=251838&postcount=11 I can't tell you the height, but the blossom photo was not taken with a zoom, so the lowest blossoms would have been less than 6 feet above the ground.
Perhaps the compact tree with the Mahaleb rootstock has an insterstem graft: I've heard of compact cherries with a Mahaleb stock and a North Star interstem...
