New apple tree - same as older one?

[davee65uk]

I have a large, mature apple tree which is about 50 years old and fruiting very well this year. Today I noticed a small branch growing up from the ground at about 18 inches from the bough. This is an apple twig with leaves the same as the tree. At the moment it is about 6 inches tall.

Whilst it is very common for wild plums and damsons round here to send up suckers which can be grown to full trees, I have never seen this with apple.

If I dig this up in the dormant season and replant, will it grow and will it grow true - the same as the nearby tree ? Also how long would it be before it produces as I'm unlikely to live another 50 years !

[davee65uk]

[saddad]

Almost certainly not, unless it was a self-set to start with it was almost certainly grafted and what you have is a growth from the rootstock. 

[Digeroo]

You could perhaps dig it up  and if it has roots plant it and graft a piece of your apple tree onto it or a piece from a different apple tree on to it.

You might get the odd apple in three or four years.  Quicker if you buy a new one.

[ed dibbles]

The first problem is that the new shoot may be growing from too large a root and cannot be detached anyway.

Even if the shoot was successfully separated from the  parent tree, was not a rootstock, and transplanted okay it will still take many years to bare fruit as it will be growing on it's own roots.

The recommendation for removing shoots growing from the rootstock is to tear them from the root as cutting them of simply means they will grow back again.

[davee65uk]

Thanks - I'll buy a tree.