🌱 Plant base for grafting 🌿 Underground stem

rootstock

7.9

An underground plant stem that grows roots below and shoots above

noun
/ˈruːtˌstɑk/

Specialized

: rizoma

The bamboo spreads quickly thanks to its extensive rootstock underground.

Examples

To propagate the plants successfully, make sure the rootstock is well-established before grafting.
Gardeners often divide the rootstock in spring to propagate new plants.
Many perennials survive winter by storing energy in their thick rootstock.
The rootstock is vital.
Don't forget the rootstock!
In spring, we planted a two-foot rootstock in the garden to grow our fruit trees.
The farmer chose healthy rootstocks to ensure a strong foundation for the grapevines.

Synonyms

rhizome

vsrootstock

Specialized

2 8.3

A stem that grows sideways underground and sends up shoots and puts down roots

is the broader botanical term used for that same stem

rootstalk

vsrootstock

Specialized

1 9.1

A stem that grows sideways underground and makes shoots above and roots below to grow new plants

is the general botanical term for that vegetative stem

Compounds

strong rootstock

Specialized

5.7

A healthy plant that acts as a strong base and resists disease for grafting another plant

How Spreading

stolon

Specialized

9.2

rootstock

Specialized

7.9

taproot

Specialized

1 6.7

Surface Forms

rootstock singular

rootstocks plural

Morphology

rootstock = root + stock (semi-transparent) = root + stock

Although composed of 'root' + 'stock', the specialised sense 'rhizome' is a specific botanical usage not fully predictable from the parts for an average learner.

Etymology

Rootstock can also mean an underground stem that sends up new shoots, and again stock means 'base'. Gardeners call this a rootstock because it stores food and grows new plants, which is why it is useful for making more plants.