Last year I planted a Sour Orange seedling with Meyer Lemon and Tahitian Lime grafted on. A few weeks ago I added Valencia and Navel Orange, and Satsuma Mandarin. All grafts appear to be taking, so I'm really happy about this.



The lemon branch already has a few tiny fruit. What fun!

John

Once the tree grows out, you will have a very lopsided tree. This is the problem with citrus "cocktail" trees.

Different varieties grow at different rates. Yes pruning helps, but also affects the fruit production. I have yet to see a cocktail tree that looks good.

John, it's a really nice tree. Congratulations! Perhaps, you should try looking for different scions which tend to have a similar growth habit. For instance, grafting several kumquat hybrids onto the same rootstock (e.g. kumquat, limequat, mandarinquat, etc) should work just fine, producing an all around, well balanced tree. However, without a good year round pruning program, even a non-cocktail tree might soon enough develop a lopsided look, so on the other hand, it's a must.

Good luck with your trees.
Igor

John, do as you wish with your tree, but I would not do much pruning to your tree if indeed your aim is to receive a good crop of fruit. Citrus fruit only develop on new wood, the more you prune a citrus tree the more you keep removing the new wood. Which would you rather have, a perfect looking specimen tree with little fruit, or a tree that will reward you with a good crop of fruit to enjoy? - Millet 76

Joe Real grew a Cocktail Citrus tree in his California back yard with over 100 different citrus varieties grafted upon it. His cocktail tree still grew to a rather round shape. - Millet 76

My thinking is that the pruning will be mostly to prevent the most vigorous branches/varieties from dominating too much.

Yes, your thinking is on the right track!

The more sorts you have on a tree, the harder the balance.

Nurseries do cocktail trees with 2 or 3 sorts which have same growth.

Yes, most do limit it such ... so it is easy to keep in shape and not cut away all your new wood and get plenty fruits.

My thought is, if you want a perfect looking citrus tree, grow most any variety of citrus you desire. If however, you want a cocktail tree that produces many varieties of fruit, why would you care how it looks. The reason for growing a cocktail tree is for its many varieties of fruit production coming from a single tree, its unusual specialty interest, but certainly not to make the tree look like every other citrus tree growing in the world.

Citrusguy, there are three or four pictures of Joe Real's 100 in 1 citrus tree on this forum. Use the search function to locate them.
Millet