The Tropical Fruit Forum

Citrus => Citrus General Discussion => Topic started by: Millet on January 01, 2015, 02:28:20 PM

Title: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: Millet on January 01, 2015, 02:28:20 PM
So far I have picked two New Zealand Lemonade fruit and have found no seeds.  The fruit does taste like lemonade.  - Millet
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: mrtexas on January 01, 2015, 09:07:34 PM
So far I have picked two New Zealand Lemonade fruit and have found no seeds.  The fruit does taste like lemonade.  - Millet

Have you tasted the other sweet lemons, ujukitsu or sulcata? IMHO NZ lemonade tastes better.
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: Millet on January 01, 2015, 09:10:54 PM
I used to have a sulcata tree.  I got rid of it. - Milllet
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: mrtexas on January 02, 2015, 12:34:35 AM
I used to have a sulcata tree.  I got rid of it. - Milllet

Ujukitsu tastes similar to sulcata only earlier.
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: starling1 on January 02, 2015, 10:09:00 PM
Surprised you haven't found any seed yet millet, they are usually pretty seedy. Could have something to do with it being the first crop.
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: bsbullie on January 02, 2015, 10:23:01 PM
Only sweet lemon i have tasted is the Sanbokan, and i have tried a number of them, and it was not very impressive.
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: starling1 on January 03, 2015, 02:15:08 AM
Only sweet lemon i have tasted is the Sanbokan, and i have tried a number of them, and it was not very impressive.

Lemonades taste like lemonades.  They really aren't anything like other sweet lemons. I have always been baffled as to why they aren't as popular as oranges.
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: bsbullie on January 03, 2015, 02:26:31 AM
Only sweet lemon i have tasted is the Sanbokan, and i have tried a number of them, and it was not very impressive.

Lemonades taste like lemonades.  They really aren't anything like other sweet lemons. I have always been baffled as to why they aren't as popular as oranges.

I wish they were available here in Florida.  Wonder why none of the citrus growers propagate them.
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: starling1 on January 03, 2015, 04:45:35 AM
Only sweet lemon i have tasted is the Sanbokan, and i have tried a number of them, and it was not very impressive.

Lemonades taste like lemonades.  They really aren't anything like other sweet lemons. I have always been baffled as to why they aren't as popular as oranges.

I wish they were available here in Florida.  Wonder why none of the citrus growers propagate them.

Definitely strange that they are almost unheard of outside of Nz and Australia. I've sent seeds to the U.S. Before.
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: Millet on January 03, 2015, 10:45:31 AM
New Years night I had a water pipe freeze and when it thawed it broke.  When the plumber was here fixing it, I gave him a New Zealand Lemonade fruit,  he loved it and saved one half of the fruit so that his wife could taste it. .  Of course he had never heard of it before, nor is it sold in any market or store that I am aware of. - Millet
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: brettay on January 03, 2015, 12:39:36 PM
I'm looking forward to my own New Zealand lemonade tree producing fruit.  The other sweet lemon tree that is popular out here is the Pomona sweet lemon.  Has anyone tasted that one?

-Brett
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: mrtexas on January 03, 2015, 05:59:48 PM
Only sweet lemon i have tasted is the Sanbokan, and i have tried a number of them, and it was not very impressive.

Lemonades taste like lemonades.  They really aren't anything like other sweet lemons. I have always been baffled as to why they aren't as popular as oranges.

I wish they were available here in Florida.  Wonder why none of the citrus growers propagate them.

Definitely strange that they are almost unheard of outside of Nz and Australia. I've sent seeds to the U.S. Before.

Can you comment on their cold hardiness? Closer to orange or lemon?
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: starling1 on January 03, 2015, 07:24:31 PM
Only sweet lemon i have tasted is the Sanbokan, and i have tried a number of them, and it was not very impressive.

Lemonades taste like lemonades.  They really aren't anything like other sweet lemons. I have always been baffled as to why they aren't as popular as oranges.

I wish they were available here in Florida.  Wonder why none of the citrus growers propagate them.

Definitely strange that they are almost unheard of outside of Nz and Australia. I've sent seeds to the U.S. Before.


They're as tough as nails really, way hardier than something like tangelo. They are definitely suitable to temperate climates as they are grown successfully in Sydney and Melbourne.

They are as common as navel oranges in nurseries in Australia and are mostly grafted on Tri.

My favourite citrus. They leave the best finger limes for dead.


Somebody could make a killing producing them commercially in the us.

Can you comment on their cold hardiness? Closer to orange or lemon?
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: brettay on January 03, 2015, 08:55:26 PM
I can't speak for the New Zealand lemonade, but the Pomona sweet lemon I mentioned above is extremely cold hardy.  According to the UCR variety collection it survived 16 degrees.

-Brett
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: Nispero on January 04, 2015, 01:55:00 PM
Can you comment on their cold hardiness? Closer to orange or lemon?

Will the Lemonade tree have nice and delicous fruit, here in the tropics at sealevel?

That's more interesting than cold hardiness  ;D Martin
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: FrankDrebinOfFruits on January 06, 2015, 04:35:53 PM
Anyone have some lemonade seeds? I would like to try growing this one.
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: Riverland on January 06, 2015, 06:13:03 PM
Quite prone to tristeza which is why just like the WI lime they are not commercially grown in Australia.
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: Pancrazio on January 20, 2015, 09:05:13 PM
Do they come true from seed? I guess this must be the only way to import it in EU since we can't import scionwood. After having hated my first "limetta dolce" (or "Tunisi bergamot" as some call it) i have developed a taste for them since they seem a convenient way to do sherbets low in sugar at my place.

I also have heard that Pomona is quite hardy. It would be perfect for my place, but, too bad, I can't import scionwood.
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: Doglips on January 23, 2015, 12:14:20 PM
I give them a big thumbs up, tried one at a tasting a year ago, want more.  Mine is still real small.
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: Millet on January 23, 2015, 12:22:21 PM
Pancrazio, yes New Zealand Lemonade produce true from seed. - MIllet
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: mrtexas on January 23, 2015, 03:44:54 PM
I give them a big thumbs up, tried one at a tasting a year ago, want more.  Mine is still real small.

Where did you get your tree? The budwood was only available from California. I propagated
a couple several years ago and you may have tasted my fruit if it was at Panzarella's house in Lake Jackson.
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: Pancrazio on January 23, 2015, 07:23:17 PM
Pancrazio, yes New Zealand Lemonade produce true from seed. - MIllet

Thank you for this information, it is really priceless for me!
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: Doglips on January 23, 2015, 09:05:27 PM
I give them a big thumbs up, tried one at a tasting a year ago, want more.  Mine is still real small.

Where did you get your tree? The budwood was only available from California. I propagated
a couple several years ago and you may have tasted my fruit if it was at Panzarella's house in Lake Jackson.
From you........
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: Millet on January 30, 2015, 11:41:41 AM
I find references that the Lemonade tree is a cross between a lemon and a navel orange, and other references that the tree is between a lemon and a mandarin.  My Lemonade tree is now in full bloom again, with many red tinged flowers. One thing seems certain, and that is the tree is certainly a vigorous variety. - Millet
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: Pancrazio on January 31, 2015, 08:09:28 PM
If it comes true to seed, maybe it's a lemon X orange cross? This would explain BOTH the flavour AND the polyembriony, while (if i recall correctly) if the plant comes from a lemon X mandarin cross, there's no parent with a defined polyembriony.
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: Millet on February 01, 2015, 02:45:55 PM
Lemons are slightly to moderately polyembryonic about 20 to 40 percent of their seed being polyembryonic.  Mandarins are quite polyembryonic.  With few exceptions most all citrus are polyembryonic. - Millet
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: starling1 on February 02, 2015, 03:42:13 AM
If it comes true to seed, maybe it's a lemon X orange cross? This would explain BOTH the flavour AND the polyembriony, while (if i recall correctly) if the plant comes from a lemon X mandarin cross, there's no parent with a defined polyembriony.

There are a couple of different expressions of the fruit in Australia. Some have skin more like an orange, some are puffer and easier to peel like a mandarin but not to the same extent as mandarin. They are best picked when blushing yellow and still mostly green.
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: Millet on February 02, 2015, 09:56:13 AM
So Starling1, You are saying pick a Lemonade fruit as you would pick a Lime. - Millet
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: starling1 on February 03, 2015, 09:40:35 PM
So Starling1, You are saying pick a Lemonade fruit as you would pick a Lime. - Millet

Yes-- exactly. They are over ripe if they are totally yellow and may be acrid and lacking acidity.
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: vanman on November 29, 2017, 11:54:47 PM
This the first fruit of NZ lemonade grafted 2 summers ago. 
(https://s18.postimg.cc/fg087ls0l/20171129_170654.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/fg087ls0l/)
After reading this post today, I picked one that was yellow and another that was 70% green. 
(https://s18.postimg.cc/g5j0k0akl/20171129_210338.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/g5j0k0akl/)
There were about 4-6 seeds per fruit. 

(https://s18.postimg.cc/8pjqy8hqd/20171129_210448.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/8pjqy8hqd/)
I had high expectations. I like my lemonade very sweet.  Unfortunitely, it wasn't that sweet.  It taste like a lemon that isn't too sour.  The green one did taste better that the yellow one.  Hopefully with time it will taste better.  It is very prolific.   

Also on these trees are Pomona acidless lemons and Hamlin oranges.  They are also first fruit and almost ready. 
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: Millet on November 30, 2017, 12:35:54 PM
For real sweet lemonade you have to add sugar.   Put some sugar on the NZL fruit and sweeten it up .  Did you make the containers that the trees are growing in?  Very nice and on rollers too.  What are the dimensions of the container, and what is the mixture of the medium you used.   Thanks for the pictures.
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: Tom on November 30, 2017, 05:59:57 PM
vanman, your containers are beautiful. Do you know the gallons of soil and how long do you think you can keep your citrus in that size container ?  Do you have other citrus in these containers ? Reminds me of what I’ve seen in Versailles ! I’ve seen containers like that for sale and they can be very pricey ! Millet and/or maybe others have similar containers sometimes on pallets to move around as necessary. Again, maybe that is Versailles, great job !!! Tom
Title: Re: New Zealand Lemonade Tree
Post by: Galka on December 05, 2017, 12:38:53 PM
I bought some lemonade lemons at The Fresh Market again. I actually asked the manager to order them for me because it was a while when I saw them for sale. Love the fruit.