Please read carefully.
I said they CAN be very different. (sorry for my english maybe the right verb would be MAY be or MIGHT be.
I never said they WILL be different.
The difference seems sublte but is substantial
How many citrus trees have you grown out from seed in the ground? All the several ones I have grown
out were true to seed.
As for now i've just a pomelo and 2 lemon trees gwown from seed. They are all about 3 years old and not bearing fruit yet.
They are nice trees, quite upright growing habit and very thorny (the pomelo new growth is actually thornless with my great pleasure.
But even in the case they all will bear fruits true to their mother i will not make the easy deduction that all citruses (namely lemons) MUST come true from seed.
Science doesn't mean a single person making his own home-made experiment then deducing an universal law from his personal observation....
That said i'm perfectly aware of the advantages of growing a citrus from seeds, they are sturdy guys with powerful root systems and virus-free.
Then i know the excitement to wait impatiently see your own tree finally bearing fuits .
But this should not illude anybody that "in a few years you will get those wonderful fruits from your seedling".
This is just a possibility not an assurance.
I'd be glad to know Millet's opinion about this topic