I've had a grafted Benton citrange planted outside for about 5 years.
This year it flowered for the first time - although in mid June rather than in spring.
Today, the one remaining small, green fruit dropped off. Not surprising really, after several frosts and a lot of rain. After 35 years of citrus growing, I still haven't managed to produce a single ripe citrange fruit outdoors.
How I long for another Californian summer! A repeat of the one we had in 1976 would do fine.

That's tough. Here just about everything I plant from seed produces a nice crop within 3-5 years. My swingle & citrange have been producing from the third year. I use both for rootstock which works out pretty well.

Living in the "wrong" part of the world can be frustrating at times...

Actually I hate hot, dry summers but my citrus would probably love it...

Hot yes, dry? not on your life. Here in the SE USA summer humidity is almost 100%. We have a storm almost daily in late afternoon.

That must be unbearable, 100% humidity on a hot day!

You get used to it. And almost miss it once the winter kicks in for the few weeks we have a winter...

I get used to it. But I never want to.

Mike,
I am still much surprised by these failures. I do not have Benton, but Morton is flowering and giving plenty big and ripe fruits almost every year here.
May be this is something to do with your microclimate? I know that in London some people even manage to have Butia fruits almost ripe.

Ilya,
The built-up area of London is very different from the rest of the UK. I drive to work from about 20Km west, to about 5km west of the centre. On clear winter mornings the temperature rises progressively from well below freezing to well above. In fact, it is very unusual for temperatures in central London to go below freezing. I regard London as a big micro-climate - it is often referred to as a 'heat island'.
But I still think you underestimate the summer difference between your area south of Paris and my area west of London. We have far more cloudy days, and the average daily maximum temperature is several degrees (C) lower. I believe it is this lack of spring and summer warmth that inhibits the growth and fruiting of even the hardy citrus species.
Mike.

I agree, there are certainly some differences in the summer temperatures.
But I also know one person on the French forum ( Alias) that has grown Morton from the fruit that he picked 9 years ago in a London park.

Mike,
I asked him, the story is a little bit more complicated.
Ten years ago Michel Baches got the seeds from the Morton growing in London. Alias was one of the first to get budded plant from one of these seedlings. His Morton was flowering for some years, but only with male flowers. Last year, for the first time it gave mature fruits.
Alias promised to ask Michel on the exact origin of this Morton seedling next time he meets him. It seems that you also know Baches, probably can also ask Michel directly. Hope it helps.
Ilya

Thanks for that information.
I will e-mail Michel Baches and see what he knows.

Now I've got a real problem!

I e-mailed the Baches and this is the reply

Quote:

Yes ten years ago a customer gave us a morton from england. We always have, but we dont see more this man.. And we dont remember where the morton came from in england..

If it exists, I would dearly love to locate this plant. Over the years, I have wandered around many London parks and gardens keeping an eye out for Poncirus or citrus hybrids. I've found a few Poncirus specimens, never a citrange.

To be identified as 'Morton' is itself a bit strange. The only UK nursery that I have known to sell a citrange more than ten years ago, was the well-known Hilliers Nursery. They listed a citrange up to about 1976, but it was identified as 'Citroncirus Webberi' - a then correct botanical name for citrange. A genuine Morton citrange can only have come from the USA. If a labelled plant exists the most likely site would be Kew Gardens - but I have gone through their plant databases and found nothing. Any individual could of-course have obtained Morton seeds in the USA and grown them in their private garden.

So, please, any suggestions how to find this plant?

Mike/Citrange

I have some Rusk seed right now if you want to try some Mike.