I have a Citsuma (PoncirusXSatsuma) grafted on P. t.. Some years I recognized a branch of the Citsuma that developed qute different from the rest of the plant. Citsuma is mostly monofoliate but this branch shows trifoliate leaves. First I thought this might have been a sport (bud mutation) but now I tend to believe that Poncirus managed to develop a branch well above the grafting-point (10cm and there were Citsuma-twigs between this point an the new thing)
Ever seen such a thing or heard of it?
Salut
Robert

Could we have a picture?
Thanks.

So, are you suggesting the Poncirus grew that 10cms up one side of the Citsuma scion without you noticing it? Or that it somehow grew up through the middle if the Citsuma twig? That seems impossible.
It is just possible, but extremely unlikely, that you have a chimera where one genetic type does indeed grow within another. The best example I know is the Lamburnum/Broom chimera "+Laburnocytisus 'Adamii'". There is a specimen of this tree growing in a garden near here, and it is amazing to see the random patches of yellow Laburnum and purple Broom flowers. Citrus chimeras are also known, such as the historic Bizzaria, but the chances that you have created one are similarly small as winning a national lottery.
These Poncirus/Citrus hybrids do tend to produce different shaped leaves. Perhaps some combination of conditions favoured production of trifoliate leaves while that branch was growing. It will be interesting to see what the flowers & fruit are like on the odd branch.

I will take new pictures. The old ones do not show exactly what the flowers look like now. The first flower showed some details off Poncirus but the flowers now look exactly like Poncirus. Unfortunatly hail killed the only fruit from spring. The tiny fruits I have now will most likely not survive. They look exactly like Poncirus fruits. You think a sport is more likely than a kind of breakthru of the Poncirus-rootstock?
/Robert

Trifoliate leaves and fruit from summer bloom. All other parts of my Citsuma have monofoliate foliage.


The whole plant in front of my newest project. The strange branch is very vigorous in comparison to the rest of the plant. My Citsuma usually has few leaves.



You can see where scion and rootstock meet. The Scion is nearly black. The strange branche comes clearly out of the scion and there is a new little twig growing out of the stem -but this twig again is clearly Citsuma...
Comments please
Robert

Yes, this is actually the "Prag" hybrid. Many thin twigs with seldom strange leaves. Mono, bi or tri-foliate but always very small.
As we don't know the history of that hybrid, we can imagine it is a chimera and the Poncirus cells took over on this branch?
Just a thought...

Sylvain.

Very interesting now!
I have just been in my greenhouse - looking for the Citsuma and their fruits - all 19 fruits at the plant are without hairy skin.
Also the plant has only !!!one!!! trifoliate leave.(most monofoliate, some bifoliate) So this must be a string of I think minimum 50% poncirus genetics at your branch, Robert! The leaves look like the american Citsuma in my collection....
hopefully this string is with better fruit qulity as poncirus but more cold hardyness as the original Citsuma....may you please send me a budwood for tests?

Bernhard

Hi,

Yes, this is what I think aswell, chimera or sport.
I've cut one tiny green fruit: the albedo is very thick but I have never cut a young Poncirus fruit into pieces ...

Bernhard you will get your budwood. I have grafted the strange thing already. Aber das wird teuer! . Kostet ein yuzu-Ästchen, denn die hat sich heuer plötzlich verabschiedet

Ciao
Robert

OK, deal!

I "toured" Jork, Germany, Bernhard's home town, via Google Earth. A VERY nice city, with a lot of agriculture surrounding the city. Should be a nice place to live. - Millet (1,229-)

Correct!

Roberto,
I enjoyed seeing you pictures. Please keep us posted on your unusual Citsuma tree.
Terry

I'll keep you informed

Hi,

here is a picture of an unripe fruit of my strange plant.




Does not seem to be a normal Poncirus fruit? What do you experts think?
Robert

I think we should wait to say if it a normal Poncirus or a Chimera. The chimera can be variable, may be the fruits will have Poncirus fruits skin and satsuma fruit pulp...Wait!