If the tree grew in a sheltered spot and was transplanted to a more open environment its trunk will not have developed the necessary fibers to withstand winds well especially if you consider most transplanted deciduous trees are leggy– that is they are mostly trunk and all their leaves are at the top and act as windcatchers to tip the little guy. If you stake the tree (tied with rope), there will be more stability against wind. Once a better root system develops and the trunk a climates to the wind you can remove the stakes.
Many decorative trees grow more like shrubs naturally or at least start out that way. You can force it to grow tall by trimming bottom branches as it gets taller. The stake gives it time for the trunk to thicken and become strong enough to withstand wind as the foliage up top causes it to be top heavy.
Most fruit trees are grafted. This means you cut a branch off a good fruit tree and stick that on a stem of a similar tree that only has roots. This effectively clones the tree you took the branch off of while giving you the advantages of the roots you stick it onto (either better disease resistance and/or dwarfing so it doesn’t grow too big).
That graft point where the two connect is a major weak point and needs to be reinforced with a separate support. The branch also was not grown to support it’s weight vertically and may take a few years to be able to hold it’s own weight in its new orientation. A stiff stick next to the tree helps solve these two issues.
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