Taste of Sanbokan sweet lemon vs New Zealand Lemonde

[Tortuga]

I havent tasted a Lemonade lemon yet but I got my first Sanbokan sweet lemons off my tree and it was amazing eaten out of hand and in lemonade.

It makes me wonder if anyone has tasted both or have both trees and have a good taste profile between the two.

(Sanbokan may be my new favorite lemon variety. I may need to experiment crossing it with my Ugli fruit for a Frankenstein pomelo)

[1rainman]

Meyer x ugli would be good. I eat Meyers like an orange. Only slightly bitter but tolerable. Very faint tangerine or grapefruit notes occasionally which enhances it but mostly really good lemon flavor and smell without the overwhelming bitterness.

[sc4001992]

I have both Sanbokan and New Zealand lemon trees (grafted branches). The New Zealand lemon is much sweeter than Sanbokan. I also like Sanbokan but they do not taste the same.

As for comparing the tree growth/vigor, the Sanbokan is much stronger than the New Zealand lemon. My grafts of the New Zealand lemon grows slowly, Sanbokan probably grows 2x or 3x faster. Fruit production is about the same, Sanbokan fruits are much larger so you don't need as many fruits.

[poncirsguy]

SC  Thank you.

[pagnr]

I thought Sanbokan had a better complexity of flavour than NZ Lemonade, but that is very subjective.
Eating vs Juicing could also make a difference.
I agree not the same.

[sc4001992]

I have one fruit of each hanging on the tree now so I will take some photos and do a taste test again and give you my 2cents feedback. I like both fruits, Sanbokan is much better (eat out of hand) than any lemons or limes I have tasted, except for the New Zealand lemon.

[martweb]

How about taste and smell of the rind of both?

[sc4001992]

ok, I will try to do a quick comparison. There was no smell of the rind, even when I squeezed it.

I did do my taste test today, will post pictures tomorrow. I tried some fruits I had ripe or available with the Sanbokan and New Zealan lemon, here's my results:

Number 1- best tasting.

1. Sumo (purchased from store)
2. Ponkan
3. Sumo (my fruits)
4. Tango
5. Melogold grapefruit
6. Sanbokan
7. Valencia orange
8. New Zealand lemon

There was not much smell of either the Sanbokan or New Zealand lemon. I could eat the white (internal to rind) of Sanbokan and it had no taste (acid or sweetness). But the New Zealand white of rind had a very mild bitter taste.

I had other fruits but they were not ripe so I will not show them in the taste test.

[martweb]

My main question is, if the rind has a lemony flavor on Sanbokan and NZL?

[Tortuga]

Thank you SC

[sc4001992]

No, I did not taste any lemon flavor in the rind of the fruits.

[martweb]

No, I did not taste any lemon flavor in the rind of the fruits.

You mean in NZL and Sanbokan, that means in both?!

[sc4001992]

both.

[sc4001992]

Here's the photos:.

[Tortuga]

SC your photo with citrus numbered 5 is not an Ugli fruit. Ugli is yellow ripe and grayish in spots if overripe

[sc4001992]

Tortuga, yup, you're correct, good eye. I got this small, grafted plant long time ago from the Greenscene plant sale here. It was labeled as Ugli, but it never had fruits that looked like it. I don't know what it is, but it doesn't taste that good, and fruits are always small.

One of these days, I wanted to graft a real Ugli scionwood from UCR/CCPP budwood but from reading some descriptions, it doesn't sound like a great tasting fruit. Have you tasted the Ugli fruit and is it worth me grafting a real scionwood?

I just have too many varieties now and not sure if I want to graft the Poorman's Grapefruit or Ugli on this small tree. My grafted tree has been in ground for over 10yrs and it is still only 6 ft tall with skinny branches like a key lime tree. I'm thinking of grafting more Kishu mandarins since they are very productive and fruits are sweet and seedless. I only have a small grafted Kishu so I might make this tree a dedicated (only one variety) Kishu.

[sc4001992]

To answer your question on NZ lemonaide and Sanbokan. The Sanbokan is the vigorous grower, much larger fruits and if you like the taste, I would not bother with NZ lemonaide. 

[poncirsguy]

I have the NZL and they are fine. mildly sweet with some acid bite.

[Tortuga]

Tortuga, yup, you're correct, good eye. I got this small, grafted plant long time ago from the Greenscene plant sale here. It was labeled as Ugli, but it never had fruits that looked like it. I don't know what it is, but it doesn't taste that good, and fruits are always small.

One of these days, I wanted to graft a real Ugli scionwood from UCR/CCPP budwood but from reading some descriptions, it doesn't sound like a great tasting fruit. Have you tasted the Ugli fruit and is it worth me grafting a real scionwood?

I just have too many varieties now and not sure if I want to graft the Poorman's Grapefruit or Ugli on this small tree. My grafted tree has been in ground for over 10yrs and it is still only 6 ft tall with skinny branches like a key lime tree. I'm thinking of grafting more Kishu mandarins since they are very productive and fruits are sweet and seedless. I only have a small grafted Kishu so I might make this tree a dedicated (only one variety) Kishu.

Ugli fruit may be my ultimate favorite citrus!! Every December I raid the grocery stores for those $4 a piece fruits. I’d say they taste like a non acidic tangelo with a bit of pineapple taste. Last year I collected seeds and have been growing them to graft on a something that will accept ugli wood. They are also called Jamaican tangelos. I was told they require warmer temps like a pomelo would require. I’ve never grafted before so I’m a little concerned doing so with my favorite and limited ugli wood

[sc4001992]

Tortuga, ok, thank you for the insight on the Ugli fruit taste. I will need to go ahead and get the real one and graft onto my larger Oroblanco tree (multi-grafted tree) so that I can taste the fruit.

I might as well try adding the NZ grapefruit (poorman's) when I get the two varieties of Ugli fruits.

[Tortuga]

Ugly does not produce true from seed.

It’s alright most citrus seeds aren’t true

[Millet]

Actually, most citrus but certainly not all, do come true from seed.

[Tortuga]

Actually, most citrus but certainly not all, do come true from seed.

Would it still be true with many other varieties flowering at the same time?

[Millet]

YES

[grosz]

here is a video from Weird Fruit Explorer  a couple weeks ago comparing New Zealand Lemon with Sanbokan Lemon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbmH8uhm7uY