Author Topic: Ornamental citrus  (Read 4458 times)

Pancrazio

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Ornamental citrus
« on: May 30, 2016, 08:25:41 PM »
Because i want to give my garden a touch of Mediterranean atmosphere (well, it should be reasonable after all) i was thinking to add a citrus to the garden.
As you can imagine, however, my zone doesn't allow much choice; i can't simply plant an orange and hope that it will live.
So if i want a citrus in my garden, I’ve got to focus on the ones that can really survive here.
Another issue is the resilience to cold of fruits: to achieve the ornamental value of a citrus, i have to choose one with fruits that can survive winter spells, and also hold on the tree well into the summer. 
Now i'm wondering if such citrus does exist. Of course taste is just a secondary requirement, so pretty much anything goes. But no trifoliate hybrids! Their leaves are pretty uncitrussy, and i want to "look and feel".
So far my best bet look a fortunella (i was thinking obovata) or a bitter orange. They are both pretty hardy and may be able to survive here.
My main complain is that they have the orage fruits, and i hope something more lemon-like. Dwarf is better.
Any suggestion? I'm asking too much?
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shah8

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Re: Ornamental citrus
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2016, 04:54:46 AM »
Ichang Lemon
Ichanquat
changsha
Orange/Arctic Frost satsuma


Frankly, your better bet are the trifoliates for ornamental citrus with low care.  They're bigger, more vigorous, and fall fruit display is better.  Not to mention the citranges having some of that orange blossom size/aroma.  If you've gotta go single leaf, then US119 is not trifoliate.

Pancrazio

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Re: Ornamental citrus
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2016, 06:58:25 AM »
Well, i see what you mean, but i can't stand a trifoliate leaf on a citrus. It looks too much "uncitrussy" to me.
I've got most of the stuff you suggested. Orange/Arctic Frost satsuma, i think, is unavailable in europe (unless it is here with another name).
US119 looks interesting but i have heard that the fruit split in high humidity (like our winter).
Thank you for your input!
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Ilya11

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Re: Ornamental citrus
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2016, 02:13:47 PM »
From my experience Ichangquat 6-7-2 is the most hardy, and when ripe you can eat it .
It is very ornamental both in flowers as well as fruits, but it can become really huge.
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                       Ilya

Pancrazio

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Re: Ornamental citrus
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2016, 06:14:00 PM »
Hey Ilya,
seems a solid suggestion.
I did read an interesting topic about it with your contribution on another forum.
Seems so good that it's almost an overkill.
Probably anything around the same hardiness of a bloomsweet would do for my location.

I will graft anything i'm gonna plant on flying dragon because i need a small plant for a small place in the garden.
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Ilya11

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Re: Ornamental citrus
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2016, 03:17:05 AM »
I think most of the early satsumas are dwarf,  hardy and pretty ornamental.
Best regards,
                       Ilya

Citradia

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Re: Ornamental citrus
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2016, 06:56:52 AM »
Thomasville citrangquat becomes more unifoliate as it gets older. Mine is only a few years old, and as the trunk and branches get longer, most leaves are unifoliate and less trifoliate. Nansho dai dai is very hardy sour orange that is unifoliate.

Pancrazio

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Re: Ornamental citrus
« Reply #7 on: June 02, 2016, 11:22:04 AM »
I think both of your suggestions are cool but the more i think about it, the more i think i'll go with a bloomsweet grapefruit. It should be at least somewhat hardy, but the real selling point for me are the fruits, both yellow (yellow, as color, is easier to pair with flowering beds) and hopefully, if they survive the winter should be able to remain on the tree till summer (when the garden is enjoyed the most).
I''ve got a FD rootstock that i hope will keep it in check.
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Millet

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Re: Ornamental citrus
« Reply #8 on: June 02, 2016, 04:08:36 PM »
A Bloomsweet Grapefruit with the proper fall weather to harden the tree up should be able to survive 15F (-10C.

Ilya11

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Re: Ornamental citrus
« Reply #9 on: June 03, 2016, 04:26:54 AM »
Bloomsweet could become huge.
Best regards,
                       Ilya

Pancrazio

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Re: Ornamental citrus
« Reply #10 on: June 03, 2016, 03:52:36 PM »
I'm aware of that.  :)
My hope is that FD will dwarf it enough, even if i'm not really sure on how FD will behave on my deep loam/clay soil. Under 1,5 meters all my soil is sand, but a pretty wet one, so who knows? I hope it will dwarf the scion enough.
I guess the tree won't attain a large size anyway. Every 12-15 years we get a -10°C/15F and more, so probably i'll have to start back from graft point every decade. I hope this will manage to keep the three in check.
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Millet

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Re: Ornamental citrus
« Reply #11 on: June 03, 2016, 04:37:40 PM »
Flying Dragon does well on clay soil, and on wet soils.  Sounds like a match made in heaven. - Millet