How does grafting combine parts of two plants?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Study the different ways mushrooms release spores and watch mold hyphae spread across bread — Reproduction Fungi produce billions of spores that give rise to new generations of fungi.

Grafting is a method of vegetative propagation that joins parts of two plants—the scion (the added piece) and the stock (the part providing the root)—so they grow as a single organism.1

The process relies on the alignment of the cambium, a layer of undifferentiated, actively dividing cells located beneath the bark. When the cambial tissues of the scion and stock are placed in intimate contact, both parts respond to the injury by producing masses of cells known as callus tissue.1

These callus tissues interlock and fuse, creating a living, continuous connection that allows the partners to grow together. Success depends on the botanical compatibility of the plants, the closeness of the fit, and the precision of the cambial contact. Once joined, the union is typically secured with tape or pressure until the tissues knit together.1