Sorbus domestica - Service Tree - Jerusalem Pear - Whitty Pear - Sorb Tree - Cormier

I tried rooting cuttings twice and it didn't work for me. It is definitely theoretically possible but it's very difficult. If you can manage to do it, go for it. I didn't succeed. It's worth trying, though.

Philip Heinemeyer wrote:I tried rooting cuttings twice and it didn't work for me. It is definitely theoretically possible but it's very difficult. If you can manage to do it, go for it. I didn't succeed. It's worth trying, though.

How did you go about with your technique for trying to root these cuttings? I think I've started to become bit of an expert on rooting cuttings to the point that I now root apples/pears/plums with ease. This is what I was able to do to several different pear variety cuttings after just 2 weeks for example: https://i.imgur.com/WEYHIJB.jpeg, https://i.imgur.com/mzv7dws.jpg and I have a lot more than that under my belt. From my experience so far all rose family plants seem to have a decent chance at rooting from cuttings.

I think there is a service tree growing near me but it's the wild/feral type with tiny fruits that are mostly just seeds, stem and calyx and very little pulp.. not that useful except perhaps for giving some character to homemade apple cider or wine or similar. It would be nice to try some cuttings with service trees, of course big-fruited name varieties would be the best. Any idea how true these grow from seed, like is there a significant risk that big fruited varieties can give completely different seedlings with the tiny, uselessly sized fruits?

Here is the Service Tree that grows near me, judging by its size and how far it has branched out it must be very old, sadly it's the more feral/wild kind with near uselessly sized fruits - not much "domesticated" about it. There's barely any pulp on the inside and it has big seeds. The tree is very old and nice looking though, when it flowers and has its foliage in the summer. It sticks out because no other tree in the near area looks like this, kinda wondering how it got here in the first place:
https://i.imgur.com/B1n85po.jpg, https://i.imgur.com/no14KxS.jpg

Some seedlings and suckers below the tree:
https://i.imgur.com/I8LOcvB.jpg

What's left of the dried fruits after exposure, birds and frosts:
https://i.imgur.com/1jnVLns.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/6ePb8AH.jpg

Gonna try rooting this branch probably as two cuttings just to see what happens: https://i.imgur.com/icqBrhU.jpg

What's the chance of getting the small, uselessly sized fruits if you grow them from seed from big fruited varieties I wonder?

I don't know if they grow true to type from seed, but i would guess probably not. I have 5 seed grown trees at my place of which i know the parent tree and the fruit it makes, so when they will make fruit i will know more. Also the mother tree is standing all alone and there is only one seed per fruit which indicates self-pollination making the seedlings produce the same fruit more likely. There is very little or no information on these types of things out there. I am still waiting for any of my trees to flower for the first time (except dwarf variety christophs apfel)
Many were attacked by deer and hit by disease and they grow very slow here.

I don't think seeds of large fruits will give seedlings with small fruit.
Where do you live?

I have 80 seedlings of the pear form growing. The apple form has not recovered from it's late Frost damage so is likely not a pollinator. Some are 5 years old. I will get back to you all in 10 years with my observations 😁

Philip Heinemeyer wrote:I don't think seeds of large fruits will give seedlings with small fruit.
Where do you live?

I live in south Sweden, supposedly this is still well in the range of where Service Trees can grow and there are people who grow different Sorb hybrids far up north from here. Also the old tree I photographed with the small useless fruits proves that at least some varieties can do very well here.

Matt Ferrall wrote:I have 80 seedlings of the pear form growing. The apple form has not recovered from it's late Frost damage so is likely not a pollinator. Some are 5 years old. I will get back to you all in 10 years with my observations 😁

Wow, that's a lot of seedlings. What do you plan to use them for? Lumber? Cider? Wine? Sauce/jam? Breeding new varieties?

I'm planting them as a niche crop because I believe they are highly marketable. I serviced a high end restaurant for 5 years and made upwards of $800 a year on the good years FROM MY ONE YIELDING TREE(pear form).

Matt Ferrall wrote:I'm planting them as a niche crop because I believe they are highly marketable. I serviced a high end restaurant for 5 years and made upwards of $800 a year on the good years FROM MY ONE YIELDING TREE(pear form).

Ok, I see. Strange fruits are popular among hipsters these days so I guess that's not too bad of an idea. Also high quality fruit wines are becoming more and more popular, I guess Sorb brandy would be interesting too. Do you know how this restaurant made use of these fruits by the way?

I have two left that seem to be doing fine
A third in the ground died early but these two have survived at opposite ends of this property.  Both are in full sun but I think the 4' one is in better draining soil...the other is just a foot tall!
They are the same age going into a third winter in the ground...planted from seed five years ago according to directions on the first page of this thread.
Thank you arnould and philip!

Hi all,

Just an addition as I found a very interesting report on multiplication of Sorbus domestica, including best grafting technics and best rooting technics.

It's in French but most online translator should allow you to get the interesting parts out of it if you are not french speaker:

https://hal.science/hal-03565204/document
"Comment domestiquer le Cormier (Sorbus domestica)? Bilan des recherches sur la multiplication sexuée et végétative."

BTW, I successfully grafted Sorbus domestica scions on Pyrus communis rootstock this year based on ancient book mentioning it as possible. So far so good.

Kind regards

I have a question about the growth rate of Sorbus domestica.
I have planted a seedling almost 2 years ago. it was maybe 30 cm tall, now it's maybe 32. It is not dying and not growing. Is it normal?

Cristobal,
I still have two trees (pictured a few posts up thread).
The smaller suddenly put on another foot of new growth during our quite dry summer this year.
The other had some new minor growth.

I hope that slow growth means they are setting nice deep roots, especially as I did not water either of them during our long drought this summer.

Thank you Judith.
You mentioned a year ago that you had planted them from seed five years ago, so it means they are about 6 years old now or so. I purchased mine as a seedling (probably one or two years old) in 2023, so it will be turning 4 (or 3) years soon. So when comparing to your smaller tree it looks like the slow growth is normal. Maybe it is really focusing on the root growth and one day will launch up.