It is also prohibited to “mix” two different trees together by grafting them. (Grafting two varieties of the same species is permissible.) While the prohibition of planting seeds together pertains to the ground, this prohibition pertains to the tree. Accordingly, it applies in the diaspora as well as Israel. Some even say it applies to non-Jews. However, if someone transgressed and grafted trees or planted seeds together, the product may be eaten.
These prohibitions may be meant to teach us to respect the differences between different species, and not to mix them in a way that harms each one’s ability to live and grow naturally. At the same time, genetic hybridization is permitted, as it does not affect the growth of a species, but rather creates a new one.
