Wow, that’s a cool one I’d never heard of. I just read a claim from the UK that purports hardiness to -12 C. Are you growing it in Fullerton? Definitely not because you need cold tolerant citrus. You just like to grow rare specimens?
I was just out in the yard next to that trifoliate seedling, so thought I’d post a couple photos. It mostly defoliated in fall, but did push a slight winter flush on a couple branches in early January that has survived the frosts ok since then:
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Looks good. The trifoliate usually holds a few leaves through most of winter where I am. All my trifoliate based hybrids trees stay fully evergreen though!
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As far as the taste of US119 and citrange both of which I have tasted I describe it as “caution you are not being poisoned, it just tastes that way.”
You like to post that quote. I’ve seen you post it 3 times and I don’t imagine that’s the extent of it.
Plus quoted an additional four times in this thread:
I am glad to have your experienced input @anon47724557 . No harm in letting the rest of us form individual opinions too though. Many of us aren’t ever gonna be able to grow the most top rated Citrus in terms of flavor fresh and raw, but at least we can experiment with the more hardy forms which may need a bit of processing before eating.
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For a person to get so worked up about others growing trifolate hybrids is bizarre to say the least. Like he has a personal anger towards that type of citrus. I actually have a small piece of raw land in zone 9 in Northern California and even though I can grow satsumas, limes and lemons, I still enjoy growing the hardy citrus. I think some of them are pretty good. I grew up surrounded by citrus orchards in the last significant agricultural zone left in Southern California, so I’ve tasted fruit from all sorts of trifolate citrus trees. Some are not great, but some aren’t bad at all. I certainly think some are good enough to justify giving it a go in the Pacific Northwest. I spend a good amount of my time in Oregon and that also drives my interest in growing hardy citrus. I think the sudachi and standard yuzu are legitimately good and worth growing up here. For some reason it bothers that guy people can grow citrus in the Pacific Northwest. He needs to get a new cause. Nobody is interested in hearing his negative opinion for the umpteenth time.
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I suppose that I understand a bit where folks in prime Citrus growing areas are coming from. Growing up on a produce farm, I learned what the best watermelons tasted like.
When I encounter watermelons of lower quality, I’m disgusted by the flavors, or lack of good flavor.
I need to allow the persons living in marginal watermelon growing areas to enjoy the fruits of their labor. These were produced under suboptimal conditions, yet I shouldn’t discredit their accomplishments.
I strongly believe there has been progress made in breeding cold hardy Citrus. I also realize much of the progress is incremental and barring the use of GMO methodology won’t occur quickly.
I’ve tasted a number of hardy Citrus fruits and would have no hesitation concerning the use of several of the best in drinks, but I’d have more reluctance eating the same fruit out of hand.
Another example is the fruit of 5* Citrumelo which while only marginally hardy in zone 6b, has predominantly Grapefruit flavors.
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The VI 396 (in ghouse, grafted to lime) I got from you putting on a growth spurt. Does it look like the your Prague Citsuma?
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None of my Prague grafts have started growing yet, but I suspect it’ll be hard to compare them until they fruit, since they both apparently have variable leaves.
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Yes… so far looks all trifoliate!
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I ended up getting a Prague Citsuma from Stan. It has put on some impressive growth this summer.
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Nice!! Mine is putting on decent growth finally. I hope to trim some small scion end twiggies next march to graft to 5± Trifolate rootstock i have ready for them!
They are a slower grower so far than my other citrus, but are showing signs of progress, and with their hardiness i intend to grow lots of them for my future soviet greenTrench, and a few for family down in Louisiana!
Exciting!
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Here are 2 of my 3 Prague, the largest is in the center, I got it from Stan i think 2 years ago? And on the right are some Trifolate rootstock.
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Do you grow those outside year round? What does the fruit taste like?
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That’s awesome. Are they able to handle your zone outside unprotected.
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He said they were for his Soviet style citrus trenches, so that would seem to imply they need protection.
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I’m not familiar with that. Is it a subterranean growing method?
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