Wanted So. Af.Citrus: a mix of Grapefruit/tangerine/orange

I have the following seeds for trade:
-Rare Kumquat Meiwa tree growing in my garden. The well known Kumquat has a sweet skin with a sour tasting fruit. Kumquat Meiwa has a sweet skin and sweet tasting fruit.
-Meyers Lemon. A rather large rather large, sweet tasting lemon. Also growing in my garden.
-Sour Oranges ( Citrus x aurantium). This fruit was bought.

I'm looking for the following fruit:
- A South African citrus found in Tongaat, Kwa Zulu Natal. Its flavour is a mix of grapefruit, tangerine & naartjie (mandarin). The skin is lumpy, very thick and easily peeled. The fruit is a wonderful mix of the above citrus fruits. Absolutely delicious. Its not a Pumillo (Citrus maxima) or a Citrus Pampelmoes (Citrus maxima?). These 2 fruits have a smooth skin. (but if a Citrus Pampelmoes was offered, I'd not turn it down)!
- Jamaican Citrus Ugli Fruit' seeds. (Citrus reticulata x paradisi). (A mix of grapefruit, orange and mandarin)
South African 'bush' guava. A bushy shrub rather than a tree, with round fruit +- 2-3" in width .
- There is another South African fruit I'd like to find but dont know the name of it. The fruit is oblong +- 2.25" long, a rather translucent skin colour with orange/yellow gelatenous fruit.
- Passiflora Mollissima seeds. (banana passiflora)

Hi Joanmary,

eeing that it is winter her in SA, I will keep my eyes open for the citrus found in Tongaat. I know what you are talking about, but can't remember the name right now. Unfortunately I don't know the other fruits you are looking for, but will keep my eyes and ears open!

Have a lovely day,
Elsa

Thanks Elsa, how nice to hear from you.
I'd appreciate any information re the Tongaat fruit. Hmmm, I can still taste the fruit! It was so juciy, sweet and delicious! And I bet the thick skins would make wonderful marmalade! I bought some Ugli Fruit some time ago and have about 9 seedlings from the seeds, which I was told , 'are very scarce' as very few fruits ever seed. Of the 3 fruits I bought, only 1 had the seeds, so I'm so glad I splurged..... But of course who knows what the fertilization was, hence what I'll have as fruit, if any!

Would you believe I STILL dont have an email I can use for my aunt. I even offered to buy her a computer but she said she is not computer savvy so that put paid to that idea! Still, one can only suggest/offer..........horse to water and all that!

How did the seeds turn out? Lots of shrubs/trees/vines? Hope many are large and flowering already.

My best,
Cheers,
Joanmary



This message was edited Jun 7, 2008 4:14 PM

Hi Joanmary,

About the horse - that is so true! The seeds are doing great...some lovely plants, that will hopefully flower this coming summer, or at least grow a lot more. I think I discovered the secret of Aristolochia - they have to have a cold period before they germinate. I tried again a few weeks ago - left the seeds in the refrigerator - and almost all of them germinated. I am so excited. The same with the gloriosa lily seed. Have these teeny weeny little things, all ready to take off once it is warmer.

Will talk to you again soon,
Elsa

Heavens! I never thought of cold treating the Aristolochias. I think that info is worth passing on should anyone have difficulty with these seeds. I've not tried to germinate them as the vines I have are more than enough for me to deal with! Re the Gloriosa seeds - I literally throw them into whatever pot I'm near and scratch the soil surface, and nature does the rest. I think germination must be temp oriented as its always hot here and just nothing takes a rest in the garden! Try hand pollinating them when they flower. Its quite interesting to see the results! I had 3 definite types - G. Rothschildiana, Superba and Carsonii. I have no clue as to what types I now have, so I just collect all the ripe seeds into one envelope, no longer trying to seperate them into 'types'. Arnt they indiginous to South Africa Elsa? Or perhaps Zimbabwe.

What a world the Zimbabwians are living in! The countryside is so beautiful, the animals so plentiful. Megalomaniac leadership!

.....

This message was edited Jun 8, 2008 3:51 PM