Question about frozen citrus tree - is it still alive?

[Vlk]

Hi there, I have a citrus tree (a couple of years old, the trunk is about 4 cm thick in diamater) that froze overwinter in a pot... I thought it is gone, but there is one little branch which is growing out from the base of the rootstock, below the graft, and that particular branch has been green for months now, unlike the rest of the tree - all the other branches are yellow/brown, apparently dry and dead. I left it out on the garden so it gets occasional rain and moisture throughout the pot, but since I took it out from the wintering room, there hasn't been any growth, no new buds, nothing. The little branch is still green though - does that mean that it is still alive?

[Citradia]

If it’s still green it is alive. It is rootstock though. The grafted variety you bought is dead. You can put the potted plant outside and let it grow with care, fertilizer and appropriate amount of water. Prune off the dead parts. Post a pic of your living rootstock branches and we can tell you what it is maybe. If trifoliata you can probably plant it outside in the yard and it will probably survive winter without protection.

[CanadianCitrus]

Out of curiosity how long was it outside for and what temperatures did the tree experience?

Thanks!

[Vlk]

Here is the photo of the last remaining green branch. It's the only part that has been green since the citrus froze and has retained the same color for about 4 months now.

The tree was wintered in a workshop that unfortunately hasn't been fully insulated yet at the time. And in winter, the temperature dropped to extreme -27,5, Celsius, which was just too much, so even in the room, the temperature was well below 0, maybe even below -10 or more.

[850FL]

Put it in the sun and let it leaf out. chop back the dead. I am more inclined to say sour orange based on that branch and thorn structure.. although the trifolates are more cold hardy. The root was more insulated under the soil

[Vlk]

Put it in the sun and let it leaf out. chop back the dead. I am more inclined to say sour orange based on that branch and thorn structure.. although the trifolates are more cold hardy. The root was more insulated under the soil

That's what I did, I just didn't cut down the dead wood. And nothing happened for months. Is it because of the dead wood?

[poncirsguy]

not cutting off the dead wood did not kill your tree.  I cut back a dying tree far beyond the dead wood and the tree came back with gusto.  The tree did not waste energy on marginal branches.

[Vlk]

not cutting off the dead wood did not kill your tree.  I cut back a dying tree far beyond the dead wood and the tree came back with gusto.  The tree did not waste energy on marginal branches.

I thought that if the tree is still alive, it would sprout some new leaves from that green branch after a while, but after many months of no visible activity, I am wondering if it really is alive? The branch is green, but maybe it doesn't mean anything?

[850FL]

Put it in the sun and let it leaf out. chop back the dead. I am more inclined to say sour orange based on that branch and thorn structure.. although the trifolates are more cold hardy. The root was more insulated under the soil

That's what I did, I just didn't cut down the dead wood. And nothing happened for months. Is it because of the dead wood?

Looks like that branch may have grown during that time.. the dead wood won't kill it but might block some light.

That branch looks alive. Unless the pot dried out completely so the dead branch retained some green but otherwise it should be alright.

[Vlk]

Put it in the sun and let it leaf out. chop back the dead. I am more inclined to say sour orange based on that branch and thorn structure.. although the trifolates are more cold hardy. The root was more insulated under the soil

That's what I did, I just didn't cut down the dead wood. And nothing happened for months. Is it because of the dead wood?

Looks like that branch may have grown during that time.. the dead wood won't kill it but might block some light.

That branch looks alive. Unless the pot dried out completely so the dead branch retained some green but otherwise it should be alright.

That branch has been there since last year, it's the only part that seemed to survive the freezing temperatures. But since there is absolutely no new growth or any development, I started to question whether it truly is alive...

[Citradia]

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.

[Vlk]

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.

Thank you, I might try that.

[poncirsguy]

Save you money.  There is nothing in supper thrive to do any benefits to the tree.  You can pick up a new tree for less than you will spend on this 1.  Just set it aside keep it moist and it will grow or will not.  get your new tree and get it going.

[Vlk]

Save you money.  There is nothing in supper thrive to do any benefits to the tree.  You can pick up a new tree for less than you will spend on this 1.  Just set it aside keep it moist and it will grow or will not.  get your new tree and get it going.

Thank you, I already got two new seedlings, I was just wondering whether I should keep this one around or not. If it is alive, I definitely want to keep it, even though it's the rootstock that survived and not the grafted plant.

[poncirsguy]

keep it.

[Vlk]

keep it.

I will, thanks!