I visited with Juantia Barrineau today and got her and two of her grandchildren to pose for a picture in front of the original "Juanita Tangerine" tree. This tree survivied the 0F freeze of 89. The tree has a good crop of fruit this year in spite of a 24F on April 15th 07! F freeze on April 15th 07!

Good picture Stan! Is Juanita coming to the expo?

Like I told you on the phone, my in-ground Juanita has fruit as big as naval oranges! (but not quite as big as the ones in LA.) I will have to take a clue from Eric, and polished them up before the 17th. They look like blue ribbon material for sure - you might as well save room and leave yours at home! The only problem I see is that things seem to be slow about coloring up. Didn't I hear you could put them in a bag with apples to bring out the color?

Ned

Thanks for the pics Stan. Good to see that Juanita and her tree are doing well. My in-ground Juanita tangerine that I high grafted really took off this year too. I'm still not letting it bear yet until it gets more size although its at about 7ft tall now. My original potted plant that I have let fruit has produced some tasty tangerines I must say.

Looks great Stan. Mine is about 7ft tall now from the tree I got from you three years ago as a 1 gal.

Hi Stan-I hope there is a legal way for a Floridian to get their hands on this variety.Sounds like a real winner-survived 0 degrees F, fruit as large as grapefruits, My question would be how good is the fruit? I have 40 acres in Columbia county Florida that are begging for really hardy citrus Hi Ned-Ripening fruit releases ethylene that will color the fruit-you can use this same technique to make bromeliads or pineapples bloom.

Thanks David. Tom McClendon had mentioned that he got his to color up like that.

The fruit is good, easily peeled, segments seperate easily, and mine have few seed. I have heard it mentioned that it was much like a Dancy, but I don't remember tasting Dancy, so I can't say for sure. Not sure about where the grapefruit size came from, maybe I could say a small grapefruit. I have to be careful how much I stretch the size, here; I was planning on taking a few to the expo. lol

As for the original Dancy, I am not sure if the upper portions of the tree survived 0 degrees, or it came back from the root system. It is on its own roots, so it could have survived that way. Maybe Stan can clarify. I do know the tree is very cold hardy, offhand I would say at least on the order of a Satsuma, which the fruit somewhat resembles. I know the temperture went to 13 at Stan's a few years back, and I believe he told me the tree bore fruit the same year. I am not sure if it bore this year or not, after the late spring frost Stan had. The tree has an upright growth habit, which seems to be the case with Dancy.

Ned

Ned, The tree did not die back all the way to the ground but did suffer heavy damage from the 0F freeze of 86. I will always remember asking you the question about what is the cure for a "citruholic" Your answer: one 5 degree night! LOL

Thanks Stan. It would have been interesting to see it come back. That is one tough citrus tree any way you look at it. I have rooted one, just so I would have a tree on its own roots like Juanita's.

I think a 5 degree night might cause a lot of folks to look for another hobby. But then, if you think about it, it hasn't dampened Millets enthusiasm. lol Hopefully, the next one is far enough into the future that we want have to deal with it.

Ned