Citrus Growers Forum

Millet · Posted: Sun 30 Jun, 2013 2:46 pm

The famous Doctor John R. Brown, M.D. of Franklin, Texas stated -- "The Meyer lemon itself is a probable cross of kumquat x lemon, so this makes the Meyerquat an F2 kumquat backcross". I have never heard before that Meyer came from a cross of kumquat x lemon. The Doctor correct ????, I don't know.? - Millet

GregMartin · Posted: Sun 30 Jun, 2013 3:56 pm

First time I've ever heard that too. The standard belief I've always heard is that the Meyer is a lemon crossed with either an orange or a mandarin.

citrange · Posted: Sun 30 Jun, 2013 4:08 pm

Meyers is usually said to be lemon X orange.
I think you can taste the sweet orange's contribution in the flavour and lower acidity of a ripe Meyers Lemon.
Having Kumquat as one parent would likely produce a more acidic and smaller fruit.

hoosierquilt · Posted: Mon 01 Jul, 2013 2:06 am

What Greg said, the jury is out as to whether it was an orange or mandarin somewhere in its genetic background. I have never heard kumquat.

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Patty S.

pagnr · Posted: Mon 01 Jul, 2013 8:33 am

I have also come across the Meyer = Fortunella hybrid suggestion, not sure how it arose. All the Fortunella hybrids I can think of, such as Limequat, Orangequat, Citrangequat etc seem to have a lot of obvious Fortunella traits, which I cant see in Meyer.
I did wonder if it was thought that the sweet peel must have come from Fortunella ?
Seedlings of Meyer are variable, and seem to resemble Limes, Citrons etc.
I didnt see anything much like a Fortunella reversion.

mrtexas · Posted: Tue 02 Jul, 2013 1:04 am

Millet wrote:

The famous Doctor John R. Brown, M.D. of Franklin, Texas stated -- "The Meyer lemon itself is a probable cross of kumquat x lemon, so this makes the Meyerquat an F2 kumquat backcross". I have never heard before that Meyer came from a cross of kumquat x lemon. The Doctor correct ????, I don't know.? - Millet

Must be reading the old Fruit Gardener magazines I sent? They had several articles about Dr Brown. When I met him he was very creaky and old. He has since died. Stewart Nagle is dead also. Some of the others like Louis Walden(co-discoverer of Sunquat and on the front cover of one old Fruit Gardener) are still around.

This year I tasted a Houston grown sweet meyer lemon cross that tasted like a bloomsweet grapefruit with the size of an orange.

My fascination for the Houston crosses of Dr Brown and others reported by Fruit Gardener magazine has dwindled in the 13 years I have been growing mainstream citrus varieties here 500 miles north of the citrus belt. Interesting reading tho!

Millet · Posted: Tue 02 Jul, 2013 1:21 am

Very interesting obituary of Dr. Brown.

Dr. Brown first went to College and received a degree in Horticulture, after which he was drafted into the Army during WW-II. Returning from the war he then entered medical school and became a doctor. - Millet

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theeagle/Obituary.aspx?pid=141619946#fbLoggedOut