So I started collecting citrus trees a few years ago. My collection had grown to about 40 specimens but this past winter was the worse I’ve experienced in 40+ years living in Metro Vancouver, BC, Canada. We had lows of -15C (-8F) which is unheard of on the West Coast, where winter temps generally stay above freezing and we may only see five to ten days below freezing all winter. This winter it stayed below freezing for over 2.5 months (again unheard of around here). Those low temps were killer to my more freeze-sensitive specimens and I lost over a dozen (including most of my older trees which were planted in a large 8’x3’x3’ garden box inside my semi-finished greenhouse. Among the casualties were a some Satsumas/mandarins (Owari, Page, Okitsu Wasa), lemons (Eureka, Meyers, Varigated Eureka, Ponderosa), limes (Key, Palestinian Sweet & Bearrs), Blood Orange (Tarocco), Yuzu, and grapefruit/pomelos (Ora blanco, Melo gold). Generally the satsumas and yuzu are supposed to be fine outdoors in our area but the unusually long and cold winter temps were too much.
On a more positive note, my calamondins, Kaffir lime, Kishu mandarins, a couple Meyers, my oldest Yuzu, Weeping Washington navel, Cara cara navel, Aussie finger lime, a couple satsumas, and my biggest 6’ Satsuma (or may be Meyers) survived the devastation. Rebuilding my collection and have added a couple key limes, lemons (including a new Ponderosa) and more calamondin (use the fruits in my summer fruit smoothies). So who else is growing citrus on this forum? Anybody in Canada?
And yes, I wanted to cry when I saw how many of my rarer and favourite citrus didn’t survive the -15C temps. We had enough snow here for me to build a 6’ tall IGLOO that my kids used for a winter playhouse on our front lawn and we used for Sunday brunches. This may be normal winter conditions for the rest of Canada and much of the northern States, but completely out of the ordinary for Metro Vancouver.
plenty of californians, floridians, and arizonans here, who might be of help with cultivar talk, but as for out-of-zone talk, there might not be many. You’d probably be the go-to person when it comes to that.
btw, have you tried planting some of your calamondin seeds? They have good germination rates and breed true, which might be useful as cold-hardy rootstoc
I had 40 or so citrus trees, but about 25 varieties I think at my peak, since I had multiples of Meyers, Owari satsuma, Kaffir lime, etc. I’m OCD so it’s always been “Go big or go home!” with my addictions.
I’ll probably try planting a few this year. I’ve been throwing the entire fruit (3 per Ninja blender full) into my fruit smoothies. Calamondin adds a strong and flavorful citrus “punch” to my smoothies. Very tasty and refreshing.
I’ve got a few inground citrus (2 lemons, 2 limes). I’m impressed you’ve had success with the navel oranges even with a green house with your lack of summer heat.
I’ve been growing them for about 8 years now. This year I have planted a Meyer and satsuma in the ground and plant to build a temp hoop house over them for winter. If I perfect this technique I’ll do more of the more sensitive and valuble to me trees
can’t wait to see it! Our finger lime lost its leaves last winter(outdoors and unsheltered), and just now leafing out, so worried it might be a bit delayed in overall photosynthesis for this growing season.
we get several hours of sub-freezing temps here almost every winter, or at least at this side of las vegas.
our meyer lemons do the same as well, while oranges and tangerines die-bac quite severely, often getting smaller than its overall size when first obtained(shipped from california).
kumquats, trifoliates, and calamondins are the only ‘evergreen’ and non-shrinking citrus may grow unsheltered here.
