Author Topic: Which rootstock has more cold hardiness?  (Read 2541 times)

countryboy1981

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Which rootstock has more cold hardiness?
« on: September 10, 2021, 04:17:44 PM »
I have two potential options for rootstock, US-897 or swingle.  Is either more cold tolerant than the other?

Millet

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Re: Which rootstock has more cold hardiness?
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2021, 09:39:11 PM »
Swingle is an excellent rootstock where it is well adapted. It does well on loamy soils, sandy loams and sandy soil.  It does poor when grown on heavy soils or soils high in salinity.  As far as freeze tolerance, trees grafted on Swingle generally have good freeze tolerance, but they are typically somewhat more susceptible than those on Trifoliate.  Scions grafted on Swingle typically have good to excellent yields, even somewhat better than trees on Carrizo. I don't know much about US 897, perhaps another forum member can help you out on that rootstock.

countryboy1981

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Re: Which rootstock has more cold hardiness?
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2021, 12:22:10 AM »
Thanks Millet.  I have mostly clay with some sand mixed.  I have at least one tree (centennial kumquat) on swingle out of 50 or so citrus trees, but have never had one on 897.  I purchased two sugarbelles last year from a local home depot that were on volkamer (the rootstock was not labeled and would not have purchased had I known) and both died back to the rootstock this spring after we had warm weather and a cold snap shortly thereafter.  The other sugarbelle I had on rubidoux was unfazed.  I want to purchase two more sugarbelles to replace but am left with those two options.  I am just wondering if the 897 has a little more cold tolerance than the swingle or not.  Swingle should be fine but I want the advantage of any cold tolerance I can get.

countryboy1981

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Re: Which rootstock has more cold hardiness?
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2021, 12:29:19 AM »
Most of my satsumas (and a Washington Navel) are on carrizo and I have not had any issues with them since the 2017/2018 hard freeze (16 degrees for the low for a few nights and highs not much above freezing) but they were only a few years old or less at the time.


countryboy1981

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Re: Which rootstock has more cold hardiness?
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2021, 10:31:27 AM »
Thanks for the find!

Millet

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Re: Which rootstock has more cold hardiness?
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2021, 10:57:39 AM »
Countryboy, I am not surprised that your trees on Volkamer did not survive the cold spell.   Trees on Volk generally have poor freeze tolerance.  Fruit also have poor freeze tolerances  Also the fruit of most scions on Volk is only fair. .

countryboy1981

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Re: Which rootstock has more cold hardiness?
« Reply #7 on: September 11, 2021, 02:27:22 PM »
Countryboy, I am not surprised that your trees on Volkamer did not survive the cold spell.   Trees on Volk generally have poor freeze tolerance.  Fruit also have poor freeze tolerances  Also the fruit of most scions on Volk is only fair. .

Yea that has been my experience.  I have a lakeland limequat in its own roots and a eustis limequat on volkamer.  The fruit on the lakeland have a thin peel, are about half the size or less, and taste way better than store bought key limes.  The eustis has a thick peel, get to about the size of a satsuma, and are not very flavorful at all.  The eustis has also had some considerable damage a couple of winters.  Even freeze tolerance was not an issue, I would not recommend a volkamer lemon rootstock.  I did not know it was volkamer lemon when I purchased the tree.

Laaz

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Re: Which rootstock has more cold hardiness?
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2021, 02:34:23 PM »
If your Eustis gets to the size of satsumas, you don't have Eustis. Eustis only gets to the size of key lime or a little larger. Mine is on flying dragon, about 15 years old & the peel is thin.

countryboy1981

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Re: Which rootstock has more cold hardiness?
« Reply #9 on: September 12, 2021, 10:49:55 PM »
If your Eustis gets to the size of satsumas, you don't have Eustis. Eustis only gets to the size of key lime or a little larger. Mine is on flying dragon, about 15 years old & the peel is thin.

It is the result of being on the volkamer lemon rootstock.  The rootstock results in larger, less flavorful fruit, with a thicker peel.  The largest are about the size of a small satsuma.  Most do not get that big but some do.

Laaz

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Re: Which rootstock has more cold hardiness?
« Reply #10 on: September 16, 2021, 05:05:55 PM »
I really doubt a eustis on anything will get to the size of a satsuma...

countryboy1981

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Re: Which rootstock has more cold hardiness?
« Reply #11 on: September 16, 2021, 09:56:33 PM »
I am talking about a very small satsuma, not a large one.  My kukusu kumquats get glof ball size on the lemon rootstock.  I bought that one again without knowing it was volkamer.

Galatians522

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Re: Which rootstock has more cold hardiness?
« Reply #12 on: September 17, 2021, 12:43:19 AM »
One charicteristic that is fairly distinctive to limequats is a green cotylidon (the color of the seed when you cut it in half). Most sour citrus (including key limes) have cream colored cotylidons, but Eustis limequat inherited the green color from the kumquat parent. If the seeds are green inside, I'll wager its a limequat regardless of fruit size. However, if the seed is cream colored on the inside, you may have been eating the Volk rootstock fruits.
« Last Edit: September 17, 2021, 12:45:55 AM by Galatians522 »

Millet

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Re: Which rootstock has more cold hardiness?
« Reply #13 on: September 17, 2021, 10:33:33 AM »
Galattians522, your post is very informative  -  good information.

countryboy1981

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Re: Which rootstock has more cold hardiness?
« Reply #14 on: September 17, 2021, 11:32:44 AM »
One charicteristic that is fairly distinctive to limequats is a green cotylidon (the color of the seed when you cut it in half). Most sour citrus (including key limes) have cream colored cotylidons, but Eustis limequat inherited the green color from the kumquat parent. If the seeds are green inside, I'll wager its a limequat regardless of fruit size. However, if the seed is cream colored on the inside, you may have been eating the Volk rootstock fruits.

The leaves match my lakeland limequat above the rootstock and I have had to remove volkamer lemon sprouts which are substantially larger and different looking leaves.  I am not talking about the size of an average satsuma, I am talking about one between the size of a baseball and a golf ball.

Galatians522

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Re: Which rootstock has more cold hardiness?
« Reply #15 on: September 18, 2021, 09:15:21 PM »
One charicteristic that is fairly distinctive to limequats is a green cotylidon (the color of the seed when you cut it in half). Most sour citrus (including key limes) have cream colored cotylidons, but Eustis limequat inherited the green color from the kumquat parent. If the seeds are green inside, I'll wager its a limequat regardless of fruit size. However, if the seed is cream colored on the inside, you may have been eating the Volk rootstock fruits.

The leaves match my lakeland limequat above the rootstock and I have had to remove volkamer lemon sprouts which are substantially larger and different looking leaves.  I am not talking about the size of an average satsuma, I am talking about one between the size of a baseball and a golf ball.

Ok.