This is a seedling apple I started from a McIntosh seed last year. Next year I will use it for rootstock. May plant it in it's permanent spot and let it grow one more year first though. Haven't decided. Got two more just like it.
Have you thought of or tried planting a seedling tree and just seeing what you get? I have some named cultivars planted and several by seed just to see what I will get. I know it's a small chance; but, may get a good new variety that way. Trees grown from seed seem to be much more vigorous and tough in this part of the country too.
Oh yeah. Started to leave a seedling limb on the one at the house to see what it'd do but it "weeped" over too much so I just converted it to the third variety.
I have planted around 30 seedlings that I grafted over after their first or second year. I have left about 5 ungrafted to see if I can produce the next “honeycrisp” Apple. Most of them are between 4 to 5 years old now. Of course, no fruit yet on these full size rootstocks.
That's awesome DD. I did the opposite at my place. Just a couple grafted trees and seedling trees popping up everywhere. I doubt I get anything worth putting a trademark on but you never know. There is a variety that my kids love from New Zealand called Smitten I'd like to plant a grafted cultivar or two of but I haven't seen them in the market yet.