This kind of weather makes tropical plants thrive.  In the next few weeks we'll have some of our favorite exotic plants available.  This week, however, our Citrus trees are suddenly looking quite nice!

ALL CITRUS $20

Our trees are growing in treepots that are 4" wide and 12" tall.  This is the size that orchards are planted from.  The trees are  18"-30" tall when installed.  I'll display 20-30 of the hundred or so I've been growing.  More varieties will be ready soon. 

   

First, a few notes about Citrus plants:

 

Citrus are native to southeastern Asia and some of the surrounding islands.

 

Lemons, limes, and kumquats are all separate species. 

Mandarins and pummelos are also species.   

On the other hand, tangelos, oranges, and grapefruit are hybrids between mandarins and pummelos with grapefruit being more similar to pummelo and oranges being closer to mandarins.  Tangerine was the name originally assigned to mandarin hybrids created in Tangiers, Africa.  Tangelo is a hybrid between a tangerine and a pummelo.  This means that tangelos, tangerines, oranges and grapefruit don't occur in Nature. 

Some citrus, like the hugely popular Clementine mandarines (Cuties) are totally seedless only if there are no seedy tangerine cultivars or seedy orange cultivars within 1/2 mile.  It is possible for larger orchards to guarantee seedless fruit but backyard growers can't control what is behind their neighbor's walls. 

The biggest concern in California has been the finding of Asian Citrus Psyllid.  This bug does little direct damage but can transmit an incurable, deadly disease called Citrus Greening Disease or Huanglongbing.  The bug plus the disease can wipe out large areas of Citrus.  So far, although the bug has been found and eradicated in many locations, the captured specimens have not been carrying the disease.  Florida made the mistake of not controlling the Asian Citrus Psyllid when it was first encountered.  They figured that the bug without the disease was harmless.  However, when the disease finally entered the state the bug was ready to spread it quickly and now Florida is in trouble.  California's Department of Food and Agriculture is working hard (and making all nurseries spend a lot of money on pesticides) to make certain that the Asian Citrus Psyllid never becomes comfortable in our state.  All Citrus and related trees sold by nurseries in San Diego, Orange, and Los Angeles counties are sprayed to make certain that the pest won't be traveling by car or truck.  The pesticides are supposed to wear off before a new tree produces its initial crop.  The USDA and CDFA do not recommend chemical treatments by homeowners, but does recommend periodic inspections to check for infestations. The CDFA is in charge of finding and treating this pest.   

 

 

Although not as serious for the industry, the Citrus Leafminer should be controlled for the first few years of a young Citrus tree's life. The flat, light green caterpillar of this tiny moth create silvery tunnels and will damage and even destroy any foliage (and even flowers) produced between late June and early November.  Damage to mature trees is mostly esthetic and doesn't seem to affect production.  Newly installed trees, however, will grow significantly faster if this insect is controlled.  Apply a product containing spinosad (organic pesticide) between late June and early November.  

 

The ugliest and most effective camouflage in Nature may belong to the larvae of North America's largest butterfly, the Giant Swallowtail.  This caterpillar rests on the upper surface of the leaves and looks, even upon close inspection, like a very large bird dropping!  Very unappetizing!  Even though it looks wet and slimy, it is actually smooth and dry (I've handled them).  Fortunately it rarely does much damage and I leave them alone when I see them.  

 

Snails can do severe damage to young and even mature trees.  Snails can climb high into the trees and eat rounded holes in the leaves.  Slugs can damage young trees, but without a protective shell, have to stay close to the ground to conserve moisture.  To stop snails from climbing you can wrap the trunks with copper bands available at Orange County Farm Supply in Orange (714-978-6500). 

 

Ants, specifically the common Argentine ant, don't directly harm Citrus but farm large colonies of sucking insects like aphids, mealybugs, psyllids, scale and whitefly on Citrus.  Keeping the ants off the tree will prevent serious infestations of all of these pests.  Ant baits or barriers on the trunk will stop ants.  Horticultural oils are a good treatment if the sucking bugs are already entrenched.    

 

Despite possible encounters with the above pests, our citrus trees will be relatively easy to grow.  Healthy Citrus trees can adapt to just about any soil.  Improve the drainage of average or clay type soils by creating a volcano like mound 6" or more high.  Place the tree's rootball within the caldera at the top.  Do not amend the planting hole with compost.  Amending the soil with our Laguna Hills Nursery potting soils or planting mix can improve aeration but are not essential.  Keep the soil moist at all times.   

 

All other retail citrus are more difficult due to the fact that the container soil the trees are growing in is primarily sawdust, wood shavings or ground bark (all are forms of compost).  To thrive, these trees have to be planted in perfectly drained soil and/or watered accurately using a drip system.   Compost that stays constantly wet can create toxic gasses that sickens or kills roots.  A tree with a poor root system is highly prone to both underwatering and overwatering, dropping leaves and fruit, growing slowly, suffering dieback of branches, with small off-colored foliage.  Usually, the homeowner is accused of overwatering.   

 

Our trees are growing in peat moss, pumice and sand and are much more tolerant of less than perfect conditions.  If you irrigate regularly and control the leafminers, expect 1-3 feet of growth per year depending upon fruit production.  A single developing fruit is equivalent to about 1+ foot of new growth.  In other words, the young tree grows much faster if developing fruit is removed. 

 

Citrus will produce fruit when they are relatively young and small and can be sheared or pruned to just about any size desired.  The majority of Citrus sold as 'semi-dwarf' are grafted onto C-35 rootstock, which is an excellent rootstock, but not much help, if any, at controlling ultimate size.  Size control is best accomplished with pruners. 

 

 

Nagami kumquat  not quite ready

 

Meiwa kumquat  This is a slightly larger, rounder kumquat with a noticeably sweeter taste.  Kumquats are eaten skin (rind), flesh, and seeds.  The sweet skin compliments that tart flesh for a spicy treat.  Meiwa grows 8'-10' tall with the fruit ripening in early to mid winter.  This fruit is commonly displayed in Asian homes to celebrate Chinese New Year.   I found this out when the top of my kumquat tree (planted near the street) would disappear every January.    

 

Bearss (Persian) lime  This is the commercial lime.  It is light yellow when ripe but is usually harvested when still light green.  Limes have a wonderful aromatic tart flavor.  Bearss lime  grows about 15' tall and ripens heaviest in winter with some fruit available all year round.

 

Mexican (Key) lime  This is the bartender's lime.  The fruit is somewhat smaller than Bearss and slightly more aromatic. The tree grows 10'-15' tall and ripens all year, heaviest in winter.   

 

Meyer Lemon  This is the best selling citrus tree.  The fruit is sweeter or less sour than commercial lemons.  Meyer has a bit of mandarin in its ancestry and any fruit held past maturity turns golden and picks up a bit of tangerine flavor.  The tree grows 10' tall and ripens all year, heaviest in winter.   

 

 

Pink Variegated Lemon  This is quite a novelty.  The flowers are pink, the foliage is variegated white, cream and green and developing fruits are striped green and yellow.  Ripe fruits are yellow with light pink flesh and a normal sour lemon flavor.  the tree grows about 8' tall and ripens all year, heaviest in winter.    

 

Seedless Kishu mandarin   This is the smallest of the Satsuma mandarins with easy-to-peel skin, and seedless, mildly sweet flesh.  The tree grows about 8'-10' tall and the fruit ripens mid to late fall.   

 

Page mandarin  not quite ready     

 

Navel orange cultivars are not quite ready.

 

Olinda Valencia orange   The Valencia was the commercial orange of Orange County.  For decades was primarily grown for export to Japan, where the beauty of our Valencia crop brought top dollar.  (Valencia oranges grown in Florida and Brazil are elongated and greenish when ripe due to more tropical conditions and more suited for juice production. )  This cultivar was found in Olinda, California and produces exceptionally beautiful fruit.  Valencias are difficult to peel.  The flesh is extremely juicy and mildly sweet (when fully ripe).  Although the skin color is perfect by winter, the fruit attains proper sweetness after mid-spring.  Harvest spring-summer.  The tree can grow 20' tall.   

 

Star Ruby grapefruit  This cultivar has the deepest red flesh of any grapefruit.  The seedless flesh is less acidic than other grapefruit.  Best flavor and sweetness develops away from the coast, but is acceptable close to the coast.  Harvest mid-spring to fall.  The sparsely leafed tree grows about 10' tall and is not as attractive as most citrus.    

 

Rio Red grapefruit  This cultivar has lighter red flesh than Star Ruby, but the tree is much more vigorous.  The seedless flesh is juicy with fine flavor with best sweetness at least 20 miles from the coast.  Harvest mid-spring to fall.  The tree can grow 20' tall and is quite attractive.    

 

 

Oro Blanco grapefruit  This new hybrid has very little acid and bitterness.  The large greenish yellow fruit has a very thick rind that gets thinner with age.  The straw-colored flesh is mild and sweet, but the rind will give your lips a "buzz".  Harvest mid-fall to early spring.  The flavor is quite bland if picked after April.  The tree grows 15' tall and is very attractive.    

 

 

Chandler pummelo  This ancestral fruit grows up to the size of a volleyball.  I grew one that was over 7-1/2" in diameter.  The ripe yellow fruit has a thick, spongy rind, pink flesh that is very firm, but still juicy and sweet.  Ask Gary about the best method for serving the fruit (it's different than most of the literature).  Harvest late fall-spring.  The tree grows 15' tall and is quite striking with huge fruit, huge leaves and huge flowers.   

Pineapple Crush Alpine Strawberry  1-gallon  $10

Only a few of you will be able to purchase our first crop of this special variety of alpine strawberry.  The berries are small, about the size of your fingernails (up to 1" long), but larger than most alpine varieties.  The fragrant fruit packs a lot of flavor, like a mix of strawberry and pineapple.  Fruit is produced most of the year.  The plants grow about 1' tall and wide and form a dense clump.  Provide sun and ample moisture.  Excellent in containers that are 8"-12" in diameter. 

 

A larger crop should be available later this year.