At the Burchell Nursery, Inc., we have a way with walnuts. We like to think it’s a very innovative way. That’s because we strive to provide a range of different rootstocks, including self-rooted clonal varieties and Paradox rootstock. Now growers have a choice of walnut rootstocks to best suit their field conditions.
We know that your orchard is a big investment. Burchell’s innovative rootstocks for walnuts can make the cost of establishing an orchard more affordable and more resistant to known disease for a healthier, more productive and longer lasting orchard. No other California operation gives growers so many options for strong, vigorous and productive walnut trees.
Burchell Nursery provides its customers with the utmost planting flexibility by offering most its varieites as Ready Start® Potted Trees. Please consult with your Healthy Start Trees field representative for current availability and pricing.
Walnut Tree Rootstocks
At Burchell, we offer you a choice of 23 varieties of walnut trees on these rootstocks.
| Northern California Black | Vlach Paradox Hybrid (Clonal) | VX211 (Clonal) |
| Paradox Hybrid | 84-121 Paradox Hybrid (Clonal) | RX1 (Clonal) |
| Wingnut |
Self-rooted Walnuts
The Burchell Nursery, Inc. of Oakdale, California, is pleased to be one of the first commercial nurseries to offer self rooted walnuts. These walnut trees differ from ordinary walnut trees in that they don’t have a graft union. The walnut variety is grown on its own root and not grafted onto another root system such as paradox hybrid or black walnut.
With the absence of a graft union, growers can now have a walnut that won’t be affected by the black line virus, as with conventional rootstocks. The black line virus has reduced vigor and production and will eventually kill a mature walnut tree. Hundreds of acres of walnuts in California have been destroyed by the black line virus. Now with self rooted walnut trees, growers can have the same productive variety, such as Chandler, Howard, Serr & Vina, and not have to be as concerned with the black line virus.
Clonal Paradox Rootstocks for Disease Resistance
The Burchell Nursery, Inc. is able to provide our customers with a choice of Paradox rootstocks, compatible with all walnut varieties. Through clonal propagation we can multiply selections of Paradox rootstocks that have shown disease and black line tolerance. One of these, the Vlach rootstock, has proven to be vigorous in orchard test plots throughout the state. It has shown good tolerance to many root infections that commonly plague traditional Paradox seedlings, including crown gall. The 84-121 Paradox rootstock is another that has shown to be more tolerant to phytophthora root rot. The VX211 has high vigor and moderate resistance to phytophthora. The RX1 is tolerant to phytophthora.
Wingnut (pterocarya stenoptera)
If you want a walnut rootstock that has shown the highest resistance to phytophthora, then Wingnut is the way to go. Since Wingnut is a cousin of the walnut, it’s not compatible with all English walnut varieties. However, Wingnut has shown compatibility with Howard, Tulare, Hartley, Vina, Eureka and Serr. (Sorry, it is not compatible with the Chandler variety.) Wingnut rootstock can be prone to suckering, slower growth and slightly decreased production. But if you need a tree that shows high tolerance for heavy, wet soil, then Wingnut is the rootstock you should choose.
For training practices of young walnut trees click here.
