The Tropical Fruit Forum

I was just researching bergamot and noticed that according to the ucr citrus variety collection site that it is mostly monoembryonic. I think that means if it makes seeds they should be single and from sexual reproduction and therefore seedlings should not be true to type, rather be hybrids. I can’t find reference to a poncirus and bergamot hybrid, that I presume could be called a “citramot.”  My bergamot tree has bloomed repeatedly this year, so I am tempted to try pollination with PT next spring and see what happens. I look forward to everyone’s comments.

Again, are we implying that the poncirus genes in Sundragon are what gives it HLB protection?

I just did the math too. It’s cheaper right now on Amazon. I got three bags.

Thanks caladri. I looked up several charts last night on compatibility and saw that poncirus is pretty universal except for some lemon/mandarin. I was hoping to find reference to Saint Teresa lemon on poncirus since I recently grafted some and hope they aren’t doomed although they are actively growing now. I couldn’t find an extensive list of many varieties nor could I find mention of my lemon either. I believe my lemon came to me on rough lemon rootstock. I wanted poncirus roots to make it a little more cold hardy in case I want to try an in ground trial in a cold frame like all my other varieties. My current Saint Teresa is in a big pot and hides from freezing temps inside my house.

I laid down a thick carpet snarl of poncirus branches from the trunk of the tree to 4-6 feet away from drip line. I think a cub did venture in and climbed it, but when a few long weak branches broke he must have landed in the snarl and gave up because the fruit was on the ground under the snarl and mostly untouched. Some fruit still on unbroken side of tree. I think the thorny branches helped save my crop and deterred more serious damage to the pear tree. Poncirus thorns are supposed to puncture tires, so although bears are tough, they can get stabbed by the long tough thorns and be deterred. Imagine a pile of poncirus three feet high and twenty feet wide; what is going to want to just plow through that?

What is the species name of the cherry you are talking about? The American Black Cherry which is a huge tree with tiny black fruit may live in the FL panhandle but it’s not considered good fruit for human consumption. I lived in Gainesville 22 years ago and there was no actual cherry that could live there. Not cold enough in winter. I moved to NC so I could grow cherry and apple trees etc. Do you mean Chickasaw plum ie prunus angustifolia? I always thought they were more like a cherry than a plum. I made a tart jam out of them once. Beautiful tree.
There is a Surinam cherry and a Barbados cherry that I used to grow just south of Tampa, but they are tropical and not true cherries and probably too cold for them in the panhandle.
I did grow Okame cherry in Gainesville and it was a true cherry with nice pink flowers in spring, but not a fruiting variety.

I live in the woods. Killing a few animals won’t solve the problem. I harvested the pears today. I found that a bear cub had slipped through the electric fence, somehow made it through the poncirus branches that I guess were scanty on one side of pear tree, climbed it and tore off several branches trying to get to the fruit. Most of the fruit were shaken off the tree onto the ground and most were not chewed on as they were covered by the pile of poncirus branches around the tree. I think the bear fell into the poncirus branches as the long frail limbs of the young pear broke, he couldn’t get under the pile of thorns to get the fallen fruit, and he left. At least I got enough fruit to make some pear preserves. Lot of work though.

I’ve had no trouble getting citrus seeds to grow rapidly into trees until I planted Meiwa last spring of 2020. They get to about 6 to 8 inches tall and stop. I’ve switched from my traditional miracle grow potting mix that everything else has thrived in, to the 50:50 Turface/miracle grow garden soil mix that Laaz recommends. I’ve seen a little more growth since the switch but still not as much as with my citranges. Also, my Meiwa cuttings from last year have failed or underperformed in comparison to my other varieties cuttings. Also, my meiwa graft onto PT is having trouble pushing growth compared to everything else. I read in several places that Meiwa doesn’t do well on its own roots; what’s the deal with finicky Miss Meiwa?

Will do.

Thanks y’all. I guess I’ll just try both ways and see what happens.

I got a shiranui from Madison this year and I plan to protect it like my other mandarin/satsumas/kumquat/grapefruit: 4 mil plastic over a wooden frame, roll up one side to vent when not freezing, small space heater regulated by a thermo cube, water barrels.

Repot it. Give it some super thrive, Miracle Grow, set it in the sun for part of the day. If it doesn’t grow after a year, toss it and try another one.

I can’t tell anything from the pic posted but your description of white stuff that bleeds orange sounds like an insect problem I’ve seen but can’t remember what it was called. I don’t remember it causing a major problem though. Google it or send better pics to extension service agents.