Author Topic: Unknown Citrandarin  (Read 1759 times)

hardyvermont

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Unknown Citrandarin
« on: May 06, 2019, 05:40:12 PM »
A prolific bloomer with double mostly male flowers, this was sold as US 852, but the fruit are not the same as the US 852 fruit given to me by Stan Mckenzie.  The fruit are more red than 852 and don't taste quite as good.  Seedlings seem to be identical to parent plant. 






Millet

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Re: Unknown Citrandarin
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2019, 09:54:29 PM »
Amazing flowers.  A word of caution.  Your tree currently has a spider mite infection, or recently had a spider mite infection.  Look at the leaves with the tell tale heavy speckling pattern.

SoCal2warm

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Re: Unknown Citrandarin
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2019, 12:53:38 AM »
Double flowers will make this cultivar you have valuable as an ornamental. (That's certainly the case with flowering cherries and crabapple) A nursery that specializes in cold hardy citrus may be interested in it. (You might offer to send them a cutting later when your tree is much bigger)

I would guess whatever you have was probably grown from seed, since US 852 is used as a rootstock. The vast majority of the time the seeds are genetically identical to the fruit parent, but it looks like you may have gotten one of the rare ones that wasn't.

I think what you have may be very rare.

hardyvermont

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Re: Unknown Citrandarin
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2019, 10:54:04 AM »
Amazing flowers.  A word of caution.  Your tree currently has a spider mite infection, or recently had a spider mite infection.  Look at the leaves with the tell tale heavy speckling pattern.
Millet, Yes, the older leaves are infested with spider mites.  It seems to be more a problem on this tree than on trees near by. I'll spray it with the horticultural oil you recommended.

SoCal2warm, Who would want a tree just for the flowers?  Citrus do not bloom for a long time.  I may cross it with something better tasting and maybe the double flower character will come through as well as a better fruit.

Citradia

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Re: Unknown Citrandarin
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2019, 09:30:07 PM »
Are the flowers fragrant? I think your tree is beautiful and if sold in a store, I’d buy it. Excellent.

hardyvermont

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Re: Unknown Citrandarin
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2019, 11:21:39 AM »
Are the flowers fragrant? I think your tree is beautiful and if sold in a store, I’d buy it. Excellent.

I can't recall if the flowers are fragrant.  However since it is most likely 50% mandarin, there should be fragrance. 

I was guessing that this plant is some type of hybrid that is produced commercially as a rootstock, and it was sent by mistake.  The seedlings of this tree are almost all identical to the parent based on leaf type, and it was disappointing to not have zygotic seed. 

Your comment and PDXIan's have made me reconsider this tree and I will make a couple grafts of it.  Thanks