Greetings everyone!

I am new to this board and was wanting to hear of your experiences with cold hardy citrus- in particular the Ichang Lemon.

Is anyone growing it? I read that you can make lemonade and also lemon pies. Is this true?

My name is James and I live in the high desert of New Mexico. It is zoned as 7b, but more in line with a borderline 8a.

I have a location in my yard where I can fit 2 trees. I am looking for a very ornamental citrus. Is there one that you might suggest?

Right now im rooting for an Ichang, but if there is abetter one, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

Thanks,

It all depends on what you are willing to do for your citrus... With a lot of protection you can plant a nice Satsuma, great tasting and well worth the effort.

First welcome to the Citrus Growers forum, we are very glad that you have joined with us. I have been to Albuquerque many many times, a great city. I especially like to eat at the La Pinta. I am growing three Ichang Lemons, that I purchased from Stan McKenzie (a member of this board). The Ichang is an Ichang papeda that is crossed with a pummelo. It is a fast growing tree and grows quite wide. The leaves are large grapefruit looking, and the fruit is yellow grapefruit looking, with a lot of seeds. The fruit contains a LOT of juice. They taste somewhat like a grapefruit when very ripe. Even when sugar is added to the juice you can still taste the off flavors of the papeda in the cross. VERY ORNAMENTAL tree with fruit of fair quality. According to the publication "Hardy Citrus For The Southeast" it has survived 10F as long as it is protected from the wind. My favorite cold hard citrus is the Thomasville Citrangequat that is a cross of the Willits citrange with Nagami Kumquat. The tree is evergreen, very vigorous, of upright habit. The foliage is quite unique as the tree has long-pointed oval uni-,bi-,and trifoliate leaves growing on the same tree. The fruit's pulp is light greenish to amber in color, juicy, pleasantly acid (lime tasting) when immature, becoming sweetish when fully mature. No off flavors. Thomasville has been known to flower/fruit in four years from seed. I am growing perhaps 4 or 5 Thomasville Citrangequats trees at the present time. Hardy to perhaps 10F. Both trees would require some protection in your area on the colder winter night. Take care. - Millet

Thanks to the both of you for taking the time to reply to my message.
Millet-Are you growing the ichang in Colorado? If so, do you protect it? What are the coldest temps they have seen?

Sorry to ask so many q's!

You have helped me decide definately on the Ichang and also the thomasville. The edibility is reallly a second factor in helping me make my decision. I like more the idea of the Ichang having reallly large fruit that would prob. stand out pretty well with the foliage. Do the fruit ripen in October? So it doesnt taste like a lemon at all?

Thanks!

One could say that the Ichang taste like a lemon with some off flavors. I grow all of my citrus trees inside a greenhouse. You can find a lot of cold hardy citrus varieties at this wed site. http://www.mckenzie-farms.com/
Millet

Hi James,

the decision what citrus is suitable to you location depens also on the conditions of the small climate of the planting spot. If you can use a location near to a protecting wall which is south facing, you can select a wider range of Poncirus and Ichangensis hybrids. In Addition to that slight winterprotection is much easier to fix. To explain see the following pictures of my Citrus-Spalier (sorry do not know the english term)





On this side I am growing Trifolis, Rusk Citrange, Ichangesis, Hybrid US 119 and Morton Citrange).

The plants are growing much stronger with no limitation of the roots, so it is advsed to plant them not as close as I did.

My personal favorite and really hardy Poncirus Hybrid for unprotected area is the Swingel citrumelo. As c. paradisi as one of the crossing partners which needs lots of heat during growing season, it should be the best selection for you (only ornamental).

Below see my 13 Year old Swingle which set on blossoms last year the first time ...




If you expect ripe, edible fruits Yuzu might be best selection. If got various other hardy crossings under testing periode, but for most of them it is to early to judge.

Best regards from Hamburg

Andi

http://www.zitrusgarten.net

Andy nice citrus espalier ! Have you gotten them to fruit yet ?

Hi Laaz,

out of those which cou can see on the phote non of these was blooming so far, however from my south espalier Rusic and Yuzu (which unfortunateley died during last winter) where able to set up fruits. The fruit developement I explainted at the following webside (sorry for the german text):

http://www.zitrusgarten.net/homepage/Fruchtentwicklung/fruchtentwicklung.htm

In order to speed up the youth periode I grafted adult scions onto the Morton, Ichangensis (4 different variaties) and the Hybrid US119. So may be I can expect bossoms and may be fruits next season.

Bye