Citrus Growers Forum

Vlk · Joined: 25 Mar 2013 Posts: 7 Location: Czech Republic

Hi there!

I've been growing this citrus tree for many years. Me and my grandmother planted it from seed when I was about 2 years old and it grew into a very nice tree since then. However, I wasn't able to identify for sure which kind of citrus tree it is exactly. I always thought it is a lemon tree, since the seed was from a lemon. But my friend told me there is no way that it is a lemon tree, according to its specific leaves. The tree hasn't been fruiting so far, but I already grafted him, and the budwood was accepted by the tree, so I hope I will see its fruit in the near future. Smile

However, could you please help me to identify this citrus tree? It has very large thorns/spikes I haven't seen on any citrus trees before. The longest one I found was about 5 cm long. According to my friend, its leaves shows that it could be either grapefruit or pomelo.

I will be glad for any answers, thank you! Smile

Laaz · Posted: Mon 25 Mar, 2013 5:28 pm

Welcome to the forum. It is not a lemon. With the winged leave it could be grapefruit, pumelo or a sour orange. How old is the tree? Also where are you located?

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Vlk · Joined: 25 Mar 2013 Posts: 7 Location: Czech Republic

Laaz wrote:

Welcome to the forum. It is not a lemon. With the winged leave it could be grapefruit, pumelo or a sour orange. How old is the tree? Also where are you located?

Thank you for the welcome. Smile

I am from Czech Republic.
So you think it is not? I came across one grower who has lemons and they show the same signs as my tree. One of the folks on other forum suggested sour orange as well. That one is very simillar to mine indeed, when I checked pictures on Google. However, it was planted from a lemon seed, is it possible then, that the tree might not be a lemon?
One guy also sent me a link to a page where they state:

Quote:

The true lemon tree reaches 10 to 20 ft (3-6 m) in height and usually has sharp thorns on the twigs. The alternate leaves, reddish when young, become dark-green above, light-green below; are oblong, elliptic or long-ovate, 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 in (6.25-11.25 cm) long, finely toothed, with slender wings on the petioles.

MarcV · Posted: Mon 25 Mar, 2013 6:42 pm

Squeeze one of the leaves. If the plant is a lemon tree, you should get a lemon scent. But just like Laaz I doubt it...

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Vlk · Joined: 25 Mar 2013 Posts: 7 Location: Czech Republic

MarcV wrote:

Squeeze one of the leaves. If the plant is a lemon tree, you should get a lemon scent. But just like Laaz I doubt it...

What I smell is more lemon than anything else, but after all, I am no specialist on citrus trees.

MarcV · Posted: Tue 26 Mar, 2013 4:58 am

Well, the leaves don't look like lemon leaves. Your plant could be a hybrid between lemon and something else. Makes it even more interesting (to me at least Very Happy

).

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Vlk · Joined: 25 Mar 2013 Posts: 7 Location: Czech Republic

MarcV wrote:

Well, the leaves don't look like lemon leaves. Your plant could be a hybrid between lemon and something else. Makes it even more interesting (to me at least Very Happy

).

Yes, they are definitely not typical for a lemon. To me as well, I can't wait when it starts to fruit and bloom. I have this tree for so many years and only at the start of this year, I finally managed to graft it. So hopefully in two years, it will start to bloom. I will surely post an update then. Smile

citrange · Posted: Tue 26 Mar, 2013 8:12 pm

Quote:

I finally managed to graft it. So hopefully in two years, it will start to bloom.

I don't quite understand what you mean by this. Did you graft a piece of this seedling 'lemon' on to some other rootstock? Unfortunately that doesn't mean that it will start to bloom any sooner.

Vlk · Joined: 25 Mar 2013 Posts: 7 Location: Czech Republic

citrange wrote:

Quote:

I finally managed to graft it. So hopefully in two years, it will start to bloom.

I don't quite understand what you mean by this. Did you graft a piece of this seedling 'lemon' on to some other rootstock? Unfortunately that doesn't mean that it will start to bloom any sooner.

I am sorry, no, we call it that way in our language. Smile

I mean I attached a budwood to this tree, a budwood from a mature grapefruit tree, star ruby cultivar. Smile

hoosierquilt · Posted: Tue 26 Mar, 2013 9:11 pm

Vlk wrote:

citrange wrote:

Quote:

I finally managed to graft it. So hopefully in two years, it will start to bloom.

I don't quite understand what you mean by this. Did you graft a piece of this seedling 'lemon' on to some other rootstock? Unfortunately that doesn't mean that it will start to bloom any sooner.

I am sorry, no, we call it that way in our language. Smile

I mean I attached a budwood to this tree, a budwood from a mature grapefruit tree, star ruby cultivar. Smile

Vlk, if you're grafting another variety to this tree, yes, that variety will eventually bloom and produce fruit, but it will be that budwood variety (in your case, Star Ruby), and not the fruit from the main plant (which I am sure you probably realize). I agree that it most likely is a hybrid of a lemon and something else. It will eventually bloom and produce some sort of fruit for you, just not sure what that will be.

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pagnr · Posted: Wed 27 Mar, 2013 9:47 am

It looks like either Yuzu or Ichang to me, or another close relative.
I guess the fruit could be confused with Lemon to some degree.

MarcV · Posted: Wed 27 Mar, 2013 9:52 am

I don't know about ichang, but the leaves of a yuzu don't smell like lemon. Or at least the ones of my yuzu don't...

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Vlk · Joined: 25 Mar 2013 Posts: 7 Location: Czech Republic

pagnr wrote:

It looks like either Yuzu or Ichang to me, or another close relative.
I guess the fruit could be confused with Lemon to some degree.

Looking at pictures, Yuzu is quite close, although it doesn't have such a large thorns. I guess I will wait for the fruit to come and I will let you guys know then. Although it might take another 2 years for the fruit to come. Smile

Anyway, thank you very much for your help!