I cut a completely-ripe (had recently fallen) Carrizo fruit today and offered a small sample to my wife for a non-biased opinion of the taste (I will eat every fruit I grow, so my opinion doesn’t count for much). Her words were “yuck, gamely, suitable as a survival food if you needed vitamin C.” To me it is moderately sour, has a classic trifoliate off-putting odor, and a lingering bitter aftertaste. Retain your tree for eating at your own risk. I suggest top-working it.
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“Your own risk”
We are talking about an inferior citrus not arsenic.
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Current state of my trees. Had to add a layer of blankets and the snow is helping too. This morning the temps under the covering was 36-38f and outside was 4f
Orange and green sensors are inside. One close to the ground and the other about halfway up.
After tomorrow we warm back up to normal
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I didn’t protect my citrus, our low was only 14.7°F, though.
The own-root satsuma clone from a grocery store stem looks a little blistered, but not at bad as I was expecting. Certainly not as bad as the avocados look. It’ll probably look worse in a few days when it realizes how damaged it is, though:
The own-root Dunstan citrumelo looks like it has some blistering on the stems but it’s hard to say how bad it’ll be later:
The trifoliate seedling seems unfazed other than slight yellowing, it hasn’t even fully defoliated:
The leaves look droopy on the yuzu seedling, but the stems look ok so far at least:
That’s it for my outdoor citrus, at least so far. I’ll probably add sudachi in spring since I’ve got a few of those in pots. I’d love to add a Prague tree, too, if I can get my hands on one. My grafts all failed last year.
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Are there any “just straight sour, no trifoliate funkiness” citrus that survive with zero protection in zone 7?
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I haven’t tried it, only seen his video but maybe the Carolina lime as he calls it that @Stanthecitrusman has? That and the Prague Citsuma are the two that come to mind.
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Yes Prague sitsuma, Tai-tri, and very few others if any. Keep in mind that the longer winter can desiccate cold hardy trees before spring time. A zone 7 area freezes before fruit can ripen and growth starts too late in spring for the tree to start growing soon enough.
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I would appreciate it if you guys who are interested in citrus would take a look at my Youtube video. Its titled 2023 citrus tour McKenzie Farms. If you would subscribe… I would appreciate it. Thanks!
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Anyone into calamondin? Ive used it a bit for rootstock. Its polyembryonic and apomictic, seems pretty tough. I like the fruit, though its more of a flavoring or spice than something you’d likely eat in quantity. Someone should breed a sweet calamondin ala’ ‘Meiwa’. Its juicy with tender and sweet skin. Just tone down the acid and they’d be real flavor bombs- like grape sized clementines!
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I had just watched your video ‘Growing Cold Hardy Citrus’ last Saturday. What are you calling the Satsuma from Alabama?
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I have a satsuma that I got from a friend in Georgia… who got it from a guy in Alabama. My Georgia contact said that it grew at a dogpen in Ala and had never frozen back. I have one growing here at my farm… but it hasnt fruited yet. Hope to get some flowers and fruit this coming spring.
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Sorry I missread your question. Im calling it the Dogpen Satsuma. Its probably an owari
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I have several satsumas protected from the cold. Along with a Meyer and Calamondin. I lost two satsumas last winter but the root stock survived. Hoping to graft some variety on them this spring. If they survive. Also have a couple of Shiranui and Kishu waiting to be planted.
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What zone are you in?
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Bottom of 8b.
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Looks like Dunstan citrumelo is getting ready to defoliate after the recent freeze:
The mystery satsuma has some gray/drooping leaves and slightly pale stems, but still looks a lot better than I was expecting, especially on the lower leaves:
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The citrumelo should be fine even if it drops its leaves… How low did you go during the freeze?
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The low was 14.7°F on the coldest night, but it was continuously below freezing for a few days and the high was only 25° on the coldest day. Here’s the temperature chart for my yard for the entire freeze:
The ground froze solid a few inches deep.
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You must be on the West Coast. Here in the Coastal plains of SC… we almost never fail to go above freezing during the day.
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