From the breeder: As far as hardiness my seedling Lemandarin never flinched in the cold weather until this past brutal weather. It survived at least to I think 11°F, -12°C degrees and a few 13°F and 14°F, -11 and -10°C events in the past. This winter it reached its max tolerable temp where it died at 5.5°F, -15°C on its own roots. Less than a foot away I had a back up graft of it on flying dragon about 4 feet up that defoliated with branch die back but is growing back very well. I can attest to that at least when high grafted it can at least withstand about 6°F, -14°C.
May come true from seed.
Mild lemon flavor.
Update: January 21, 2020
Eyeckr provided another fruit. Smell is good. Taste is excellent, like an orange with some lemon. Brix 13.3 Peels more easily than a mandarin. 2 3/4 inch, 7 cm diameter. 3.8 oz, 108 gms. 28 seeds. Skin bitter.
Do you have any fruits from lemandarin? I have 3 plants from Gaylord but no blooming yet...
ReplyDeleteNo fruits yet myself. Not a fast growing plant. I have tasted the fruit, the flavor is a tart mandarin.
Deletehow long from seed will it take them to produce fruit?
ReplyDeleteIt first time blooms now in my backyard (Exotica Tolosa, southwestern France). 7 years from seed. I don't know yet if it comes true from seed.
DeleteAt a guess, 5 years if grown in favorable conditions.
ReplyDeleteMay I please ask where this lethal winter was?
ReplyDeleteJust for comparison purposes. It's been quite mild here in Oregon compared to historical records.
It only got into the high teens - but has gotten to zero several times, within the last twenty years.
January 2014. A couple years later it never got as cold but the cold lasted for several days and many Ventura Lemondarins died Generally speaking, if a 'hardy' citrus is in zone 8a or colder, plant the tree in a protected place where there is less sun in the winter. Grafting a meter high on Poncirus will also add a few degrees of hardiness.
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