Does anyone have info on the Dunstan Honey Orange? I'm wondering if it is a mandarin or hybrid and what is the cold hardiness? I obtained one last year and I thought the fruit was good tasting.

Matt, I have tasted one but it is hard to remember exactly what it tasted like. I believe it was of poor quality though. I have some fruit on potted trees that I have at the nursery, and will try to remember to provide my take on what they are like when they ripen.

Ned

Hey Matt, I have a small tree that bore about 7 or 8 oranges this year. Some of them cracked after a big rain.. Even a month ago, I thought the taste was pretty good! I gave a sample to some visiting folks a week ago and they were sold! They had to have a Honey Orange to take home with them! I would say it definitely has some mandarin in its background but the flavor to me is more that of an orange than a mandarin. In my opinion, its a KEEPER!

Thanks Stan & Ned. I tasted the D. Honey Orange at Sherwood Akin's and thought it was very good.

I have never heard of the Dunstan Honey Orange. Is it cold hardy, with Trifoliate blood? Where is it from, geographically speaking? Patrick

Hey Patrick, Maybe Ned or Keith Endres can help me out here. They were with me when we visited with Mr Bob Zendher in Summerville, SC a couple of years ago. It was there that I first saw and tasted the Dunstan Honey Orange. If my memory serves me correctly, He said that he obtained it from Major Collins in Tifton Georgia. Major Collins had obtained the tree from Doctor Dunstan of Florida who was trying to develop more cold hardy citrus after some of the damaging freezes had killed back much of the mainstream citrus types. I may be wrong but I believe that his family ( Dr Dunstans) has continued to operate in the nursery business and now is called Chestnut Hill Nurseries. A search engine should bring them up. I dont think they carry the Dunstan honey orange so there are just a few survivors of this strain scattered around the Southeast. Im glad Ned, Keith and myself were able to meet Mr Zendher and get some budwood from this tasty cultivar. Im not sure if there is any trifoliate in its parentage or not. There is no evidence of trifoliate in the leaf patterns. Just my remembrances of our conversation that Sunday afternoon a few years ago.

Thanks for the information Stan. I know of the Chestnut Hill Nursery for their low chill stone fruits, but didn't know much about their citrus work.
Its good to know a few of you are keeping and sharing the word about this variety of orange.