Ponkan does great here in the Charleston area & is one of my favorite mandarins.

Gre, I live in Vista. Up in the hills about 6-7 miles from the ocean. My Ponkan produces some of the best of all my 60 some citrus cultivars. One my "top 10" list for sure. I would dispute that. In fact, I just bought a second Ponkan from Walter Andersen, it was good enough to warrant two spots in my yard. Not many citrus acheive that status, here, in my limited space.

Thanks to both for the info.

That area of Vista sounds more different than Upland in climate than I first thought. My parents live north of Hwy78, 6 miles from the ocean and I know that does not get nearly as hot or as cold as Upland. I was thinking of Vista as more like the area around Vista Way and Gopher Canyon Road. The intersection of Hwy 15 and Gopher Canyon Road is always about the same temperature as Upland when I go through.

Reading the info in the book, I was assuming that Ponkan liked hot HUMID areas and Vista is similar in humidity to Upland. Sounds like I should try one. I was planning on buying from Maddocks in Fallbrook but they don't show that. Where should I try?

I live about where your parents live, Greg. North of the 78, 6-7 miles from the ocean at almost 1,000 ft above sea level. I look down over one of Altman Nursery's large growing grounds. I would go to Walter Andersen Nursery in Poway (or San Diego, but that's a hoof). Call first to make sure they have a Ponkan in stock, though, as they don't carry a lot of the more unusual varieties. They had both the Ponkan and the Kiyomi tangor in stock (parents of the infamous Dekopon).

Uh, I think I got carried away. My big backyard looks like it will be full:

4 50 year old Washington Navels
1 35 year old Minneola
1 35 year old Grapefruit
1 15 year old Lemon: Pomona Sweet?
1 35 year old Avocado

Ready to plant:
2 Valencia Midknight
Tarocco
Gold Nugget
Pixie - just followed me home from Home Depot for $20
Seedless Kishu
Meyer
Bearss
Rio Red
Oro Blanco
Pomegranate: Wonderful

Ordered:
Tango
Pomona Sweet

Still thinking of:
Powell Navel
Ponkan
Reed and/or Sir Prize Avocados

Sounds like a great lineup, Greg I just picked up a Powell Late navel orange based on tasting it at the UC Citrus Day this year. It was exceptionally good, very sweet and nice to have such a late navel orange, later than Lane Late. Good choice to extend your navel orange picking times. And of course, you know I love the Ponkan, so why not find room to squeeze that, and of course, the famous Reed avocado. Here's a photo of my last Reed avocado, with a Tahitian pommelo next to it, just to give you a size comparison, about softball-sized.

Patty,
I saw a post of yours on another forum raving about the taste of the Wekiwa Tangelo so am thinking of getting one of those. Seems those come from Clausen Nursery even though they don't list them on their website. I'm assuming that if they have them, that they have them on dwarf rootstock. That would certainly be convenient since that is near my parents house. If that is the place to get that, would it also be a good place to get the Reed and Lamb Haas Avocados?

I'm having trouble finding a Powell Navel although it seems Lane Late and Summernavel are available. Is there somewhere nearby to get one since it looks like I'll be loading up my truck in Vista, anyway.

Is Dekopan available as a plant?

I added a Meiwa, Page and a Thornless Mexican Lime to my list and am planning on a Ponkan. I think I have room for 30 trees total and want to reserve a little space for something interesting that becomes available in the next few years.

Is Valencia Orange the only thing really good in So Cal Summer?

Sorry for so many questions..........

Moro Blood Orange?

Dave,
I have a Tarocco Blood Orange ready to plant and it looked like the Tarocco and Moro are ripe at pretty much the same time. Are they much different? I have never tasted either.

Clausen's should have Wekiwa's budded up, but give them a call before you make the drive, just to be sure. They usually bud them to semi-dwarfing rootstock, so you should be fine. And I do think they have both Reed and Lamb Haas. My Lamb Haas must have 50 avocados on it this year, 3rd year in the ground. They love it here. Powell navel is grown by Willits & Newcomb, so check with them to see if they have any budded up, and are ready to go out. You would have to pick them up there, or see if they're shipping any to a local retailer. Dekopon (or Shiranui, same cultivar) is not yet available in California. You should be able to find a Ponkan at Walter Andersen Nursery in Poway, if you're coming down this way, but again, call ahead to make sure. And, Valencia for sure is great in the summer, but why not make it interesting, and pick up a Smith Red Valencia, a blood sport of the Valencia? Again, Walter Andersen usually has them, but check ahead. Another sort of summer option, which is GREAT to add to your line up to extend your citrus season is the Gold Nugget mandarin, if you don't already have it on the list. Or, Pixie, which is smaller, but very good. Clalusen's has Pixie, many other folks carry Gold Nugget. And, Tarrocco and and Moro taste very different, both are excellent, I like them both for their different attributes. Lastly, be sure to save room for a Valentine pummelo

Patty S.

GregBradley wrote:

Patty, I saw a post of yours on another forum raving about the taste of the Wekiwa Tangelo so am thinking of getting one of those. Seems those come from Clausen Nursery even though they don't list them on their website. I'm assuming that if they have them, that they have them on dwarf rootstock. That would certainly be convenient since that is near my parents house. If that is the place to get that, would it also be a good place to get the Reed and Lamb Haas Avocados? I'm having trouble finding a Powell Navel although it seems Lane Late and Summernavel are available. Is there somewhere nearby to get one since it looks like I'll be loading up my truck in Vista, anyway. Is Dekopan available as a plant? I added a Meiwa, Page and a Thornless Mexican Lime to my list and am planning on a Ponkan. I think I have room for 30 trees total and want to reserve a little space for something interesting that becomes available in the next few years. Is Valencia Orange the only thing really good in So Cal Summer? Sorry for so many questions..........

Thanks Patty for the info. I must be getting carried away since going by Walter Anderson in Poway on the way to Oceanside seemed to make sense at the time. What's an extra 70 miles to get a citrus tree, right?

They had 88-2 in stock so I added one for a friend and one for me. $40 for #5 citrus!

I thought about the Smith Valencia until I saw the nasty thorns on it.

Clausen Nursery had Wekewa and the other citrus on my list and fabulous looking Avocado trees. $19.50 for #5 citrus and $60 for really nice #15 Avocados.

Those are two very nice nurseries that are so different. I arrived back home with 12 new trees.

Moro, Powell, Valentine still on the list but clearly some of the plants going in the big pots in my front yard will now need to be citrus as I'm clearly over 30 trees.

Greg, those nasty thorns go away as the tree matures. In fact, in a few years with the Smith Valencia, you'll have no thorns at all Thorns are common on young citrus. It is their defense mechanism from discouraging animals from snacking on their young and tender branches. I had a Yosemite Gold mandarin that had the most wicked thorns I've even seen on a citrus tree, I was really shocked. It has since settled down.