The Tropical Fruit Forum

Citrus => Cold Hardy Citrus => Topic started by: Citradia on April 30, 2018, 08:14:32 PM

Title: Rio Red blooming after winter defoliation.
Post by: Citradia on April 30, 2018, 08:14:32 PM

My big Rio Red grapefruit is blooming like mad even on wood that lost leaves after hard freeze in greenhouse this winter. The small space heater in it's greenhouse didn't prevent the water barrel inside from freezing the week of January it didn't get above freezing. The tree partially defoliated. Branches that lost leaves but not wood are covered in small flower buds. Parts of tree that didn't defoliate have older more developed flowers.
(https://s18.postimg.cc/kzm7rn7zp/IMG_5722.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/kzm7rn7zp/)

(https://s18.postimg.cc/gdq3jb9lx/IMG_5724.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/gdq3jb9lx/)

(https://s18.postimg.cc/tun228hdh/IMG_5727.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/tun228hdh/)

Title: Re: Rio Red blooming after winter defoliation.
Post by: Citradia on April 30, 2018, 08:20:23 PM

(https://s18.postimg.cc/w0hcwhkr9/IMG_5723.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/w0hcwhkr9/)

(https://s18.postimg.cc/ni7ws6gth/IMG_5725.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/ni7ws6gth/)
The light green foliage is new growth from defoliated branches.

Title: Re: Rio Red blooming after winter defoliation.
Post by: Millet on April 30, 2018, 09:23:14 PM

Good for you and the tree.

Title: Re: Rio Red blooming after winter defoliation.
Post by: Heinrich on May 01, 2018, 06:19:46 AM

A very beautiful tree. Do you regard "Rio Red Grapefruit" as a cold hardy citrus? What temperatures did it endure?

Title: Re: Rio Red blooming after winter defoliation.
Post by: Citradia on May 01, 2018, 09:45:58 PM

To answer previous question, I don't think any citrus where I live is very cold hardy after loosing almost all my trifoliate and Ichang hybrids this year. This Grapefruit and my satsumas and meiwa and Croxton survive winter here only because they are covered in 4 mil plastic and have space heaters controlled by thermo cubes inside their enclosures. The coldest temperature I know this Rio Red survived without space heater ( I forgot to plug it in) was a 19 degree night under it's plastic dome. It mostly defoliated that year, several years ago, and didn't bloom that spring. Another reason I'm surprised it's blooming so well now. The lowest temp I recorded this winter was 8 degrees F on 1/2/18, and it didn't get above freezing the first 7 days of January.