Question: I Purchased a Early Ruby cherry yesterday. The sales clerk stated it was a mazzard root stock. Is this a f12-1 seedling or some other cultivar that is bacterial canker resistant.  Gary

Answer: Gary,

The sales clerk is correct, the Early Ruby Cherry is on Mazzard rootstock.  The Mazzard rootstock (Prunus avium) we are using is the seedling, not the F.12/1.  It is still the number 1 choice for fruiting (and flowering) cherries although various semi-dwarfing rootstocks are being used commerically to increase orchard density and earlier fruiting (Colt, Geisela, Krymnsk and Maxma).