Author Topic: Is anyone still buying from CCPP? The budwood prices don't make sense to me (Read 3805 times)

brad · « **on:** January 18, 2026, 03:57:43 PM »

Firstly I love what they are doing to try to make many citrus varieties available safely, but for the price of one small scion with 5 buds I can buy a fully healthy grafted tree from Home Depot that saves me 1-2 years plus immediate access to multiple healthy scions. I heard they raised prices to combat inflation, but I can't see them getting much people buying scions at this price? I guess it's now just for those certain tricky to find varieties

SoCalGardenNut · « **Reply #1 on:** January 18, 2026, 04:24:05 PM »

I stopped buying for the same reason. Last year I got a lime and a satsuma for $37 at Costco. At that price it’s very risky to graft.

70Malibu · « **Reply #2 on:** January 18, 2026, 06:10:30 PM »

Yup, cost have gone up. When I order back in 2007, cost was $1.50 for 1 bud stick (3 buds), now it is $15 for 1 bud stick. This is a little longer than what some people may sell fruit tree scions for, like a mulberry or avocado scion.

You can see my order I just got this week from UCR/CCPP. The cost for FedEx shipping went up from $10 to $13.50. This is my total cost for 13 budwood.

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I do know a guy who is a citrus grower up north (NoCal) and he is on the CCPP board. When I was talking to him about how expensive the budwood is now a days, he said the reason is, it is expensive to pay for the research they do there at UCR.

Galatians522 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 18, 2026, 08:13:26 PM »

At those prices, the grafts better take. I guess that is what happens when there is no competition.

On the other hand you can be thankful that you have a place to buy budwood for citrus. We no longer have that option available in Florida.

brad · « **Reply #4 on:** January 18, 2026, 08:19:08 PM »

Quote from: 70Malibu on January 18, 2026, 06:10:30 PM

I do know a guy who is a citrus grower up north (NoCal) and he is on the CCPP board. When I was talking to him about how expensive the budwood is now a days, he said the reason is, it is expensive to pay for the research they do there at UCR.

interesting, that makes sense. I'm assuming selling the budwood at this point is more of a passion project because I can't imagine many people are paying the current price, but maybe I'm wrong and they are still having people buy at the current prices.

70Malibu · « **Reply #5 on:** January 18, 2026, 08:42:39 PM »

I just did, you saw my invoice above. I have purchased over 200 varieties from them during my 30yrs of collecting citrus varieties.

Sam, yes, citrus is easy to graft, from one budwood stick I can get at least 2 scions for grafting so I have never had a problem with the particular variety I ordered to fail.

It's just a fun hobby, some people go to Las Vegas and blow $300 in a weekend, I spend the same amount on my citrus budwood from time to time.

brad · « **Reply #6 on:** January 18, 2026, 08:47:08 PM »

haha yeah that is a good way to think about it. I would be curious to know how successful the budwood sales are after the price change. Hope they stick around and keep researching and preserving citrus varieties, just a little out of my current budget

Galatians522 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 18, 2026, 09:09:08 PM »

Quote from: 70Malibu on January 18, 2026, 08:42:39 PM

I just did, you saw my invoice above. I have purchased over 200 varieties from them during my 30yrs of collecting citrus varieties.

Sam, yes, citrus is easy to graft, from one budwood stick I can get at least 2 scions for grafting so I have never had a problem with the particular variety I ordered to fail.

I just a fun hobby, some people go to Las Vegas and blow $300 in a weekend, I spend the same amount on my citrus budwood from time to time.

Budwood is a much better investment in my opinion. 😉

70Malibu · « **Reply #8 on:** January 18, 2026, 09:38:52 PM »

Yes it is. I'm still reaping the benefits of my grafted trees after 20-30yrs. Wow, can't say that about slot machines.

SoCalGardenNut · « **Reply #9 on:** January 18, 2026, 11:39:30 PM »

I haven’t been to Las Vegas for years now. Poker is my game, but too many professionals there, so I’m not interested anymore.

70Malibu · « **Reply #10 on:** January 18, 2026, 11:44:37 PM »

I go there to see some shows, concerts, and have not gambled one dollar on slots, or any other things. Going in another 2 weeks for a concert, I haven't spent any money now on gambling there for over 5 yrs.

JSea · « **Reply #11 on:** January 19, 2026, 03:53:29 AM »

Is the budwood guaranteed to be HLB free? Surely it is right? If so that implies they are growing it in insect proof enclosure and that would also increase the price.

70Malibu · « **Reply #12 on:** January 19, 2026, 05:16:08 AM »

Yes, it is the only source for clean (certified HLB free) budwood in CA. All nursery/wholesale growers, and public collectors, must only buy from CCPP.

When I buy budwood, I will get my invoice/receipt, certification saying this order is inspected and comes from their trees that are certified to be good. Funny thing about UCR/CCPP program, some years ago, they found HLB on some trees in the groves, so they had to cover/screen all their source trees in their locations where they test and grow the citrus trees for budwood distribution. Now they need to make screen rooms around all their citrus groves

https://citrusvariety.ucr.edu/hlb-prevention-initiative

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70Malibu · « **Reply #13 on:** January 19, 2026, 05:24:52 AM »

So Yes. You are correct, these screen rooms will cost a lot of money, they need donations to help pay for their new screen rooms and they have a lot of land (3 different locations) where they grow the citrus varieties. I only visited the one in UCR Riverside CA, really nice, but I did not see any citrus trees covered inside of a screen room yet, that was 2 years ago when I went there with our CRFG chapter for a tour.

But they should pass the cost for the screen rooms to the guys who make all the money from selling trees, like the whole nurseries, citrus growers, and not private collectors. The private collectors keep the grafted trees for their personal fruits to eat.

There is a document included in the received budwood Fed Ex box that says you are getting these budwood for private growing at your home, not allowed to move any scions from the addressed location.

70Malibu · « **Reply #14 on:** January 19, 2026, 05:33:40 AM »

But for me and other serious collectors who want some new rare varieties, this CCPP program and the cost for budwood is very cheap, where else can you get new varieties with certification of no HLB infection on the budwood.

Thanks to guys like Fruitmentor who makes videos to spread the word about HLB, proper methods of testing (USDA guys come take cuttings randomly), how to graft, etc. He also asks for collectors to give him varieties that they would like to get introduced into the USA and he will submit the request if there are enough interest in that particular variety like the Variegated Cara Cara navel orange (VI978)

Variegated Cara Cara navel orange
Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck
CRC 4207
VI 978

Now I can graft the Variegated Cara Cara orange on my trees for my collection, how neat is that. No need to buy budwood of the common varieties, just go buy the fruits at the market.

Galatians522 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 19, 2026, 07:26:54 AM »

I really wish there was a similar program for all the USDA collections. I think that would be a good way for them to get funding for maintaining the germplasm.

sheaper · « **Reply #16 on:** January 19, 2026, 01:22:05 PM »

You ask where else you can get all of these varieties you've listed....I see pretty much all of the ones you listed being sold as trees at madisoncitrusnursery.com so atleast us East coast non production states have access to the premium stuff.

Recently at the SE Citrus Expo a horticultural scientist did a side by side comparison of the CCCP and Madison's budwood program...there was a CLEAR winner...Heck Hershel even sends you parafilm with each order too...Good ole Southern boys...cant beat em

SoCalGardenNut · « **Reply #17 on:** January 19, 2026, 05:31:59 PM »

I don’t think we can order from out of state.

MasOlas · « **Reply #18 on:** January 19, 2026, 07:49:03 PM »

Just got a couple scions of Eureka seedless. Label said three buds and I received two scions with about eight buds. Couldn’t be happier!

70Malibu · « **Reply #19 on:** January 19, 2026, 10:11:03 PM »

sheaper, yes I remember Hershel of Madison Citrus nursery when he was a citrus forum member before he had the nurseries, good guy.

But there are only 2 sources for all citrus budwoods you can use in the USA. The two places for everyone to buy it is;
=> Florida budwood and CCPP in California

So even though Hershel has best quality standards as far as wrapping and shipping the grafted trees or budwood. He also gets the original budwoods from the 2 sources I mention above.

sheaper · « **Reply #20 on:** January 20, 2026, 08:25:55 AM »

If Hershel says it’s good. It is. I’ll keep my money in the Bible Belt

cascadiacitrus · « **Reply #21 on:** January 21, 2026, 10:54:46 PM »

Up here in Canada the CCPP is my only real option because I need the phytosanitary certificate to get it across the border. It’s real expensive with the shipping, certificate and exchange rate.

Johnny Eat Fruit · « **Reply #22 on:** January 24, 2026, 01:45:12 PM »

Yes, I have purchased budwood serval times recently, once on September 2024 and another in early 2025. All is going well and the grafts took onto my FD rootstock and other citrus trees in the ground. Seems to make sense to me. See attached photos of my small trees grafted on September 2024.

Johnny

Valentine Pomello

Fairchild Mandarin

Femminello Lemon

Meiwa Kumkuat

News:

Author Topic: Is anyone still buying from CCPP? The budwood prices don't make sense to me (Read 3805 times)