Author Topic: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom  (Read 4909 times)

Ilya11

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Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« on: May 05, 2019, 04:31:43 AM »
This citrumelo is extremely decorative both in spring and the autumn, its perfume is so strong and good!
This year, because of rather mild winter it also kept some fruits from the the second, late summer flowering.



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                       Ilya

Laaz

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2019, 06:43:51 AM »
Nice tree!

Laaz

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #2 on: May 05, 2019, 07:13:58 AM »
The leaf structure of this tree is really nice. I'll have to hit you up for seeds.  ;D

Florian

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #3 on: May 05, 2019, 09:49:18 AM »
Excellent plant!

kumin

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #4 on: May 05, 2019, 10:29:11 AM »
Outstanding plant, how old is this plant?

Ilya11

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #5 on: May 05, 2019, 12:17:57 PM »
It was planted in the open ground in 2004.
Never protected, some leaf damage at one winter with -16C , but was still flowering next spring.
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                       Ilya

SoCal2warm

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #6 on: May 05, 2019, 12:31:10 PM »
If you have anything else flowering, try picking out a small branch, put a tag on it, and pollinate the flowers with the other hardy citrus.
Then maybe you can eventually send the seeds out from the fruit that grows on that branch, and we may eventually have new hybrids.

Ilya11

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #7 on: May 06, 2019, 03:45:51 AM »
If you have anything else flowering, try picking out a small branch, put a tag on it, and pollinate the flowers with the other hardy citrus.
Then maybe you can eventually send the seeds out from the fruit that grows on that branch, and we may eventually have new hybrids.
Best regards,
                       Ilya

SoCal2warm

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2019, 01:07:42 AM »
Ilya, why did you find that suggestion funny?

I presume you're already carrying this type of thing out and I missed it?
Or it's more trouble than you want to go to?
Or you think the seeds from citrumelo are all nucellar? I think maybe somewhere around 10 or 15 percent of them should not.
Or it seems like everyone wants seeds, and you find that laughable?

Ilya11

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #9 on: May 07, 2019, 03:38:09 AM »
Your first  guess is right.
The theoretical procedure that you suggested in the previous post is what  I am doing  every spring since 2011. Actually I posted here some photos of my first hybrids that   fruited already.
For me it is laughable  to read such proposition from somebody  that has no first-hand experience in it.
« Last Edit: May 07, 2019, 03:48:23 AM by Ilya11 »
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SoCal2warm

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #10 on: May 07, 2019, 07:36:38 AM »
For me it is laughable  to read such proposition from somebody  that has no first-hand experience in it.
It's not my fault none of my plants have reached fruiting age.
We're not all so lucky to have huge fruiting bushes like you, Ilya.

Ilya11

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #11 on: May 07, 2019, 10:09:46 AM »
 :( :-[
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Citradia

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #12 on: May 09, 2019, 07:56:44 PM »
Beautiful tree, Ilya. I’d love to have one of my citrumelos flower so.

Florian

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #13 on: May 10, 2019, 02:40:36 AM »
I wonder whether this one tastes better than No. 82 - and whether No. 82 tastes as good as they say :D. I have flowers on my potted 82 this year.

maesy

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #14 on: May 10, 2019, 02:58:31 AM »
Yes, excelent plant, but how are the fruits?

Ilya11

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #15 on: May 10, 2019, 04:22:05 AM »
Fruits are turning yellow in the beginning of November, but their quality at this point depends on the season.
I usually harvest them before the real frost in the middle of November and cure them in the basement, they have an extraordinary shelf life, something to the end of March.
The juice is more sour than that of lemon, but with a high sugar content of 15° Brix, it is pleasantly astringent, not bitter like poncirus sap. Internal oils are there, but smell more fruity, different from poncirus turpentine.
I usually dilute it by a half volume of water and get rid of heavy oil overnight in the refrigerator. Citrumelo curd is excellent, it can be kept frozen and used for  pies.
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                       Ilya

SoCal2warm

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #16 on: May 10, 2019, 01:57:05 PM »
Citrumelo 5star derived from a seedling of Swingle citrumelo.
Dunstan citrumelo is a superior variety, with much less of the poncirus bitterness. If you're trying to eat it.
Swingle is valued as a common rootstock variety though, which explains why it is more common.

Ilya11

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #17 on: May 10, 2019, 02:41:40 PM »
Citrumelo 5star derived from a seedling of Swingle citrumelo.
Dunstan citrumelo is a superior variety, with much less of the poncirus bitterness. If you're trying to eat it.
Swingle is valued as a common rootstock variety though, which explains why it is more common.
Why are you saying this? Have you ever been able to compare? According to your numerous posts you virtually have no experience in citrus growing.
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                       Ilya

SoCal2warm

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #18 on: May 10, 2019, 02:50:27 PM »
Why are you saying this? Have you ever been able to compare? According to your numerous posts you virtually have no experience in citrus growing.
I think you may be misinterpreting what I stated again.
I stated that Dunstan was superior to Swingle. Obviously 5star is an improvement on Swingle, and I don't really know how 5star compares to Dunstan.

If it helps, I have never personally tasted either Dunstan or Swingle, but reading over some old posts it was universally agreed upon that Dunstan was superior to Swingle, that Dunstan was almost like a sour grapefruit/lemon.
« Last Edit: May 10, 2019, 02:55:22 PM by SoCal2warm »

Laaz

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #19 on: May 10, 2019, 03:12:40 PM »
Sanguinello comes to mind...  ;D

Sylvain

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #20 on: May 11, 2019, 03:21:57 AM »
Yes !... :o

Laaz

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #21 on: May 11, 2019, 07:43:20 AM »
Lmfao!

Ilya11

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #22 on: May 11, 2019, 07:43:49 AM »
I have  not tasted Dunstan yet, hope my 3m high self rooted  plant will flower soon. From what I read elsewhere there exist at least two its forms from Texas and Mt Olive, NC.
I guess the original one is from NC. It is  described more like a decorative plant.
From rather few direct reports on the quality of its fruits it seems not particularly tasty : " sour, bitter, disgusting", resembling Swingle citrumelo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peoQBS5DcUY
« Last Edit: May 11, 2019, 12:10:40 PM by Ilya11 »
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                       Ilya

Florian

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #23 on: May 11, 2019, 11:06:58 AM »
Maesy has a fruiting Dunstan and I believe he said it did not taste very good (mind you, in Swiss climate).

SoCal2warm

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Re: Citrumelo 5star in full bloom
« Reply #24 on: May 11, 2019, 11:09:08 AM »
Some old archived posts from the Citrus Growers Forum:
___________________________________________
pagnr
Location: Australia
23 March, 2010

In my climate, Swingle fruit are far better than Poncirus, something like a dull grapefruit flavor, with a fair hint of Poncirus flavor. The juice is ok for interests sake, I would say quite acceptable, but not comparable to common Citrus.
___________________________________________
gregn
Location: North Vancouver, BC, Canada [note: this is not where the citrus expo was held]
07 April, 2010

I tasted the Swingle citrumelo at last years citrus expo - the seeds were used in Stan McKenzie's seed spitting competition. They weren't as horrible tasting as I was led to believe. Definitely not grocery store fruit but a worth plant to grow outside the traditional citrus growing areas.

I have been told that the Dunstan citrumelo is MUCH better.
___________________________________________
http://citrusgrowersstatic.chez.com/web/viewtopicaf81.php


Also someone noted on the Cold-hardy citrus Wikipedia pages that "Semi-edible, 'Dunstan' is considered the most edible citrumelo."


I believe both Swingle and Dunstan are hybrids between Duncan grapefruit and trifoliate orange, so that would make them siblings.


One more post from somebody else:
___________________________________________
shane11
December 3, 2013

My 'dunstan' citrumelo produced for the 1st time this year and they are surprisingly good. I squeezed a fruit and added slightly more water than juice and a little sugar. This tasted very much like grapefruit juice, in fact almost identical. Because these are more sour than grapefruit I bet they will be excellent used as a lemon or lime substitute if the juice is used straight. I plan on trying this very soon. i have also heard they make a very good "lemon" pie, one person from NC even told me they were better than the real thing. I am somewhat perplexed as to why these are so uncommon. This is a great find for anyone wanting to grow an edible Citrus in zone 7.
___________________________________________
"Friend's first citrumelo fruit" (in the Palms & Cycads category) Gardenweb/Houzz forum
https://www.houzz.com/discussions/friends-first-citrumelo-fruit-dsvw-vd~2103184

Okay, this last post is probably overly optimistic, but it does suggest that at least some people find the flavor to be not that bad.
« Last Edit: May 11, 2019, 11:21:55 AM by SoCal2warm »