Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Yuzu


Citrus ichangensis × C. reticulata var. austera


UCR citrus pages
Wikipedia 
Citrus pages  

Yuzu or citrus junos.  This hybrid has been recreated more than once, Sudachi has the same parent species, Liudmila is from a cross with sweet mandarin.  The original Yuzu cross goes back centuries. Ichang papeda crossed with a sour mandarin.  It is used like a lemon, however the flavor is more complex with grapefruit overtones.  Apparently it comes mostly true from seed.  

After experiencing 8°F, -13°C, some stem dieback.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Juanita Tangerine

Arose from a seed taken out of a supermarket tangerine by Juanita Barrineau of Barrineau, South Carolina.[4]  The original tree came about when Juanita stuck the seed into a pot that already had a houseplant growing in it. The houseplant died, but the seedling flourished and was planted outdoors. The resulting tree amazingly survived 0F (-18C) in 1985 and continues to bear about five bushels of fruit each year to this day. The tree and the fruit resembles a Dancy Tangerine. The tree grows in an upright habit with few thorns. The fruit is typical for Dancy.  The pulp is a nice orange color, tender and very sweet and of excellent quality.[1]  Similar description [2]   

Original tree died in the severe winter of 2013-2014






Fruit is about 3 inches (7.6 cm) in diameter, oblate with small radial furrows at the stem end.  It also ripens in the Southeast by Thanksgiving, well ahead of Dancy. [3] page 28

Spring 2017 had warm weather followed by very cold weather.  Juanita lost many leaves and was obviously less hardy than Changsha, 10 Degree Tangerine and Thomasville Citrangequat.  Data is listed towards bottom of Hardiness Tables.  

Ichang Lemon


1/2 Ichang papeda and 1/2 Pummelo

Citrus ichangensis x C. grandis (maxima)
 
Ichang Lemon is remarkably cold tolerant considering it's Pummelo parent.


Ichang lemon is a cross from China of Citrus ichangensis and C. grandis, the pummelo. It is also called Shangjuan, which means “fragrant ball” in Chinese, it is a heavy bearer of yellow grapefruit sized fruit. It has rough skinned fruit with many seeds.   Each fruit can yield up to ½ cup of juice, used fresh or for cooking and desserts... Some think the juice makes a better flavored pie than lemons.   

Claims for hardiness vary.  It is considered hardy down to 5°F, -15°C to 10°F, -12°C[1]  Others say 10 degrees [2] or 20 [3]
It should not be hardier than Ichang papeda parent which is hardy to 15°F, -9°C, which, if fully dormant may be hardy to 10°F, -12°C or even 5°F, -15°C [4]
It grows well in Central Alabama
[5]

Fruit quality[6]


Orangequat

1/2 mandarin (satsuma), 1/2 kumquat

The Nippon orangequat was described in 1934.  Citrus reticulata x (C. japonica x C. margarita 'Meiwa') 

The flavor is mild with sour pulp. 

The Calamondin is a probable orangequat also.[1

There is also a variety named Indio mandarinquat.  The flavor is stronger, edible kumquat type skin, acid interior.
Note the green seeds from kumquat background. Hardiness similar to Satsuma at 12°F, -11°C  Video [2] or 10°F, -12°C[3]

Morton Citrange

I/2 Poncirus, 1/2 orange

C. trifoliata x C. sinensis 'Ruby'

Morton Citrange is one of a number of seedlings from the same fruit.  A "cross was made by applying pollen of the sweet orange to a properly bagged flower of the trifoliate orange and from a crossed fruit so secured a dozen hybrid seedlings developed, among them the Colman, Morton, Savage, Rustic, Etonia, Norton, Phelps and Sanford citranges" [1 Based on pollination comments and time of first fruiting, this cross was made in the period between 1896 to 1899.[2] pp. 221,222. 


 

The fruit of the Morton citrange is so similar to an ordinary orange that the two would not be distinguished by an ordinary observer.  The former differs from the latter only in bneing slightly lighter in color and having a slight indications of lobing.  This does not detract from its appearance, which is equal to that of an good ordinary orange .  The fruit has been tested by several different persons familiar with oranges and the orange industry, and all, without exception,  considering its hardiness, pronounce it a vary valuable and desirable fruit.  It is more sour than the ordinary sweet orange, but some so-called sweet oranges are sold in the market which are as sour as the Morton citrange.  It s has a pleasant characteristic flavor, with a very slight bitter taste, and served with sugar it will be found to be a good breakfast fruit,.  The rather firm membrane separating the segments allow the pulp to be easily extracted with a spoon.[3] p. 278

Photos of a 20 ft (6 m) tall Morton tree.[4]

Hardy to  5°F, -15°C


Yuzuquat





Yuzuquat

Is a cross between the Nameiwa (Nagami X Meiwa kumquat) X Yuzu, made in the late 1960's by William B. Chapman....The original tree has survived several very severe freezes, which had sub-freezing temperature in the 100+ hour range, with minimum temperatures in the single digits Fahrenheit...
Fruit-Large Kumquat size...Flavor of the fruit tends to be sour, with not much bitterness or sweetness...Fruit set in April is ripe by late August and stores well on the tree for several months. [1] p.15




Thursday, December 19, 2013

Dragon Lime


Poncirus trifoliata var. monstrosa  (Flying Dragon) x Unknown citrus

A better tasting 50% Poncirus hybrid.  

George McAfee, Houston got his plant from Buddingman at the Nafex show in Houston Tx many years ago. He named it Dragon Lime. The original tree was a seedling at Treesearch farm, Houston Tx.[1]   It was found in a group of Flying Dragon seedlings, thus the female parent was a Poncirus.  The fruit is the size of a small orange.[2 page 16]

Unifoliate leaves, Flying Dragon style branches.

Mixed reviews on flavor, some people think it tastes terrible  [3], others enjoy it.  Fully ripe it tastes like an unripened grapefruit [1], or limeade [4].  Apparently It should be eaten while still green.  




Dragon Lime fruit nurseryman  Stan Mckenzie is growing