Cold Hardy Citrus?

I have looked online that some oranges and tangerines (sp?) can grow to zone 7?? Has anyone tried to grow citrus in zone 8? Where have you bought your citrus plants at? I would love to be able to grow some but I have learned I cannot trust the internet but I can you guys - please help! Thanks Mitch

Mitch,
I live in zone 6a, near Pittsburgh. I have 2 hardy citrus that I got from Edible Landscaping last year. They are not very big yet, but are growing in my front yard; made it through the winter just fine.

EL had 2 kinds, I got the Flying Dragon Trifoliate, which grows to 6' and can be made into a bonsai. I remember the other tree got taller and was supposedly much more bitter and less hardy. Neither will be fresh eating off the tree, like down south though. http://www.ediblelandscaping.com/

Don't know if that will help you or not. I say go for it, as long as doesn't cost much. Mine were in small pots and on sale - couldn't resist them! Happy Gardening! ~ Suzi :)

Mitch, I'm in San Antonio, 8b, and have both a Meyer lemon and a tangerine that fruit every year very abundantly. Neither tree has any special winter protection, and the ripening fruit has often gone through freezes with no loss in eating quality. In fact, after freezing much of the production as juice, I started freezing fruits whole and then thaw them one or two at a time. Other citrus that is cold hardy is the calamondin. These fruits are quite small but the rinds are said to be sweet and the entire fruit is often candied. The Botanical Garden here has a grove of them; in December they will be full of ripe fruit and also opening up a new round of blossoms. I would like to have one for my backyard orchard and am looking for a supplier. Edible Landscaping will not be able to ship to you; Texas does not allow out-of-state citrus plants. My trees were brought to me by a nephew living in Houston. As for oranges - it is thought that the Meyer lemon is a cross of a lemon variety with a mandarin orange from which it gained its ability to withstand cold. My trees have come through freezes as low as 17 degrees and still fruited. The trees blossom in spring - the fruits grow and ripen over several months and usually are not ready before mid-December or so. I don't know of any online Texas supplier but there must be some.

I sure do wish I could have the lemon and tangerine! Something good about each and every zone. Maybe, one day... I wish you both the best at finding an in-state citrus supplier! ~ Suzi :)

If you find a supplier for tangerines for Texas... let me know... Tom As far as other cirtus in Tx, I know of a lemon tree planted over 60 years ago out close to New Berlin. The home it was planted by has been abandoned for maybe 20 years. I saw the tree still there about 4 years ago. I have no idea what kind of a lemon it is, but I saw the fruit on the tree in the 60's.

Thanks, Suzi. I wish I could have decent luck with rhubarb and jostaberries. Apples are iffy - our winters don't always have enough chill hours - I'm lucky to get a crop one year out of three. And I keep trying with asparagus, but never have enough. Still, I'm grateful for all the wonderful things that do grow well.

Hi, silverfluter - your post just came on as I clicked mine - I'm going to contact the Botanical Garden and also the Master Gardeners for ideas...I took the MG newsletter for several years...think I'll subscribe again.

This message was edited May 8, 2005 9:32 PM

Alright - sounds to good to be true... a little protection maybe but they should be fine... Now anybody know a good supplier? I have heard that you have to buy in Texas due to state law banning out of state citrus - is this true?

Yes it is. See posts above which came in about the same time you were writing yours. I will be actively looking over the next few days and will post what I find. You might also check with your favorite local nursery...they can often special order for you.

7-
Based on this, I'd say you have to buy Texas grown...
http://www.agr.state.tx.us/license/regulatory/docs/Labeling_Requirements_NonRebuttable_Presumption.DOC

Apparently there are a few nurseries there in TX for you: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/citrus/msg040409099196.html I only checked out the first to see if it was in TX, it was. Rest of the checking is up to you. Let us know what you get!

My best wishes for you and yours! ~ Suzi :)

Thanks - now to grow citrus!!!! Cannot believe I can get it to grow this far North but worth a shot right? Thanks everybody - will let you all know how it goes. Mitch

Hey, that is what I said last year, I can't believe I can grow citrus all the way up here! I figured it was worth a shot. Got 2 itty bitty ones, in 4" sq containers, and they are doing great. Let us know what you get, Yuska and 7. Later ~ Suzi :)

Mitch,

I purchased 5 dwarf citrus trees from Acorn Springs Farms this year. Acorn Springs Farm sells bare root trees in three sizes and potted trees. I purchased the potted trees. Acorn Springs seems to be the only Texas citrus nursery that sells dwarf trees. I was told that in my area I could plant the Satsuma mandarins in the ground with some protection. Meyer Lemons are hardier than true lemons. Kumquats are hardier than many other citrus.

In Zone 8a, winter protection may be a good idea.

http://www.acornsprings.com/

Yuska, have your tried the Anna and Dorsett Golden apple trees? They need less than 400 chill hours. I have 4 minature apple trees. Two of them, Ashmead's Kerne and Williams Pride, have fruit this year. I'll have to see if they continue to bear fruit each year.
Veronica

I agree, Mitch, winter protection would be a good idea. Actually, now that I remember it, I did wrap the Meyer during frosts for the first two years. Although I have seen them come back from a frozen state - when I lived in a California 9a section, a neighbor had a mature Meyer that looked so pitiful after an ice storm . It dropped all its leaves, put out new ones and a month later began blooming.

The Anna and Golden Dorsett are great trees, but my weird taste buds crave flavors that are sharp and tangy. My absolute favorite is Arkansas Black, and Stayman Winesap is great, too. My third tree is an Arlie, with pink flesh. When the winter here turns out to be more severe than usual, I console myself by thinking maybe I'll have apples!

Thanks for the lead re Acorn Springs, Veronica. I'll be sure to check it out.

What type of winter protection? Burlap or cage with straw?

I rigged up a sort of teepee arrangement using some metal rods from a broken trellis arch and then draped a couple of old quilts around that securing them at ground level with rocks. The quilts were a couple of those packing types that the moving company had left behind. Between freezes I took the quilts down but left the metal framework in place. I was careful not to bind up or break any branches. My hunch is that even young trees can probably handle moderate freezes - say, 28 degrees or so - but down toward the 'teens is danger time. Straw bales would probably be useful - I don't have access to any so have no experience to report. If plastic is used in any way none of it should touch the tree as the cold temps would be transferred straight through.

I am getting a pair of Flying Dragon Trifoliate to start and will go from there! I hope to find a Meyer lemon to over winter this year and place out next Spring once it is a little bigger - will keep you all posted. Mitch

Mitch,

Flying Dragon Trifoliate is a a type of sour orange used as rooting stock to dwarf the grafted citrus buds. This root stock doesn't do well in alkaline soil and is not recommended for Texas. I once had a dwarf tree whose top was killed one winter. The Flying Dragon rootstock sent out shoots and continued to grow. Giant thorns!

Satsuma oranges and kumquats can be grown in the ground as far north as Dallas, with winter protection, of course.

I've spoken at length with the person in charge of propagation at Acorn Springs Farm (dwarf citrus tree grower in Texas). He suggested something I had never thought of: foam hot water heater pipe insulation. Cut to length and wrap around trunk. Hill soil around the bottom of the trunk to keep the cold air out. Protect the top. Several citrus tree reference books suggest either covering the tree with a blanket or quilt and removing it during the day, but here in Texas we can get some very cold days so the top would be in the dark for a while. A better recommendation is to build a frame covered with plastic around the tree leaving enough room to keep the leaves from touching the plastic. To provide the warmth at night, wrap miniature Christmas tree lights around and through the branches or use a floodlight. On warm days, part of the plastic can be moved aside to let out trapped heat.

I wouldn't use straw. When it stays wet for a while, it tend to clump and develop mold and mildew.

Alright alright I hear ya... Satsuma is the way to go? Well got to try somewhere - I'll do it, cannot hurt to try right? Thanks betty - Mitch

Mitch,
I vote for what she says! I wouldn't have the Flying Dragon Trifoliate if it weren't the only one I found that would survive outside up here near Pittsburgh, in zone 6a. My thought was: 'Tis better to have sour one that can mix juice w/ sugar than none at all. And, yes, it has thorns; LOTS of them.

Maybe if I had heard or thought of a little greenhouse around it, I might have gone for a tree that went to zone 7 or possibly 8. But, for now, I will be (sorta) happy with what I do have. Maybe in a few years, I'll change my mind when I get to taste them ~ LOL Besides, I've got something that don't see many of, up here.

I told you about them originally, because you weren't sure if you could have any citrus in zone 8 and I knew you could. I am glad you will be getting it, since you wanted citrus so much. Good luck and keep us updated. ~ Suzi :)