Thanx Marc !

@Sanguinello : I hope he's still around!

Radoslav wrote:

If you want budwood from my collection - we can exchange in spring.

I don't think I have anything special to offer... . Besides, I still have to practice the art of grafting!
I urgently need to regraft my star ruby grapefruit onto another rootstock as the original plant is in a very bad shape...

Okay, I know the folks at Willits & Newcomb. Very, very nice folks. We've chatted about this particular patented cultivar, in fact. It has been planted commercially here in California and they are expecting first crops to hit the market possibly this year, definitely next. No sweet talking, pleading or otherwise cajoling would talk them out of a tree, lol! They were very sweet about it. Have to put in a really nice plug about Willits & Newcomb - all my conversations were with the nicest gal ever. She was very candid, no problems at all coming up to Bakersfield and buying individual trees from them, discount price because I'm a CRFG member. Able to pay over the phone. They set all my 5 trees outside their office since we couldn't pick them up until after office hours, and my wonderful niece, who lives down in San Diego county picked them up for me, when she went to visit her parents in Bakersfield one weekend. She & her boyfriend stuffed all the trees into their jeep. The lovely gal I had had all the conversations with? Jackie Maxwell, the president of Willits & Newcomb. I had no idea until I read her name at the bottom of an email and put two and two together. She answers the phone like the receptionist. She can do any job in that company, and she is the nicest person ever. She understands having a love affair with citrus. What a great company and what beautiful trees they have. I'll be collecting seeds from this cultivar as soon as I see them in the markets.

@Radoslav


There is also new cultivar called MANDARED in Italy, which is triploid hybrid (clementine di "Nules" (2x) x arancio Tarocco (4x).)
which has red pulp and orange skin

This is probably the same as they startet in CRA Sicily called M.N.D.R ?

I have many of them in my nursery-and can send you budwood in spring if you like.

Hejsan Esmark !

Could you show us pics ?

Rad, that's for Florida, they're now releasing the budwood. It's been available in California for several years, but under very strict patent (like the Dekopon), and I think the commercial trees are about 3 to 4 years old, now, and ready for their first commercial crops to hit the stores. Just trying to find out what stores (supermarkets, or specialty grocery stores).

Wanna SEEDS !!!

It is very late variety - harvest time in Italy March - April so you can expect it in stores at spring

I´ll watch like a cross of watchdog and triffle dog ..

Not sure if this document is known or posted here before, but I just found out about it today...

http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi/enpp/germplasm/newsletter/cgip_newsletter_0104.pdf

A citrus variety called "OTA 9" is mentioned that (again ) attracted my attention...

Quote:

'Ota 9' mandarin (DPI 160) was released to Dr. Fred Gmitter, UF-CREC for evaluation under Florida growing conditions. The variety is a seedy diploid hybrid, mandarin crossed with a blood orange (Oroval x Tarocco) with extremely high levels of anthocyanins, flavonones and hydroxycinnnamic acids. Consumption of fruit or juice of this variety could be promoted for its enhanced nutritional value as well as the consumer’s well-being. It is licensed for restricted use, and originates from Italy.

OTA 9 has really extremely red fruit - both inside and outside, but it is small (average weight is 60 g) and with a lot of seeds, so it is not recommended for market of raw fruits. It is suitable for commercial juice production - it is really extremly deep red, and also as ornamental plant.
Released from "Cra-Istituto Sperimentale per l’Agrumicoltura di Acireale" in 2004.

So how many different varieties are there of these blood mandarins? Maybe they are all the same with different names?

No !
Every breed has the old ISA or new CRA name and a invidual number, which is copyright protected.

Well then, start sending me seeds of all the different varieties!