I have some bud wood, Yuzu and a few other types that are really hard to spot the actual bud on the stick. I see the spot where the leaf and thorn were cut before the wood was sent to me, but I don't see any discernible bud.

Do I just cut the area and assume a bud is there?


The other question is rootstock size. I need to get some of this wood budded, but I will be pushing it on scion size versus the size of the rootstock I have that is ready to go. Some of the bud wood quite a bit larger.How far have people pushed this with success?

I won't use a bud if I can't see one! I find budding works best with rootstock no bigger than 3/4".

When I first budded Yuzu, I collected older leafless wood, because the newest flush was too close to shooting and too thin. Similar to you, the sticks were rather flat.. The buds are there, above the thorn/petiole scar. I think a lot of the twiggy wood on Yuzu is similar. Maybe because it seems semi-deciduous. Just cut your buds as normal.
As Mr Texas says, sticks with well developed buds are better, probably because they are set to shoot, so will take off faster.
In many cases, you have to use the budwood you can get or are given. Not everyone appreciates you chopping up their plant for ideal budwood either, so sometimes you have to make do with what is available.

When you buds take, they may be slower to shoot than with other budwood?

Ok, I see where there looks to be some tiny buds, bud they are off angle because of the thorns.