The Frankenstein Tree - Jennifer Rauch, Ph.D.

This box arrived in the mail.

What looks like dead sticks are actually live plum-tree “scions.”

A plum tree grows in Portland.

You only need five tools to make a graft — plus the scion branch and the rooted tree.

Clip a branch that will become the scion’s new home.

Keep your trimmers handy.

This scion named Sprite just arrived today in the mail.

Grafting is kind of like woodworking. You get to whittle.

The scion wedge needs to be pretty smooth and sharp.

This branch needs a channel sliced in it (carefully! sharp knife!) to house the scion wedge.

Two different kinds of plum trees are united in this joint.

Magical “buddy” tape from Japan: A little goes a long way.

The finished joint is sealed tightly to prevent the interior wood from drying out.

In a couple of years, those scion sticks will bud like this one is.

The plum tree might look this apricot one in a few years, if all goes well.