Best edible hybrid for Vancouver, BC

Discussion in 'Citrus' started by Deneb1978, Aug 3, 2009.

  1. Deneb1978

    Deneb1978 Active Member 10 Years

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    Hey all,

    I am doing research on the best edible hybrid which would be great for lower mainland in terms of tastiness and hardiness.... which is better do you think: Citrangequat, Citrange, Yuzu or Citrandarin? Any experiences and suggestions would be helpful... thanks.
     
  2. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Of the four citrus varieties you list, the only one with any value what-so-ever, as far as being eatable is the Yuzu. Yuzu juice can be used as a lemon substitute on fish dishes or over a salad. The big problems with Yuzu is that the fruits are small, and filled with LOTS of seeds. Each fruit yield very little juice. Most any citrus fruit with a name that starts with "Citran..." is useless for eatable purposes. - Millet (1,258-)
     
  3. Deneb1978

    Deneb1978 Active Member 10 Years

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    Cool...another variety I forgot to mention that I wanted to ask about was the Ichang Lemon. Is it also edible? Can you make lemonade with the Yuzu/Ichang?
     
  4. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    I forgot to mention in the above post, that the peel of the Yuzu is edible, and the albedo (white on the inside of the peel) has a sweet taste.

    The Ichang Lemon is a cross between an Ichang papeda, and a pummelo (inchangensis X Citrus maxima) making a large very ornamental tree. The Ichang part of the cross (Ichang Papeda), is the most cold hardy evergreen citrus, withstanding temperatures down to 0-F (-21C). Its flavor is bitter with some off-flavors, and poor quality. The other part of the cross (pummelo) produces a very large fruit of excellent quality and juice.

    When the two trees are crossed to form an Ichang Lemon, the fruit is large, resembling a grapefruit, which can be used like a lemon. Ichang Lemon fruits are extremely juicy with each one producing as much as a half cup of juice. If the fruit is left hanging on the tree until it becomes over ripe, it tastes like a grapefruit and is quite edible with sugar. The Ichang Lemon is a very hardy tree, capable of enduring temperatures down to 10F (-11C) without damage *IF* protected from the wind. - Millet (1,258-)
     
  5. Laaz

    Laaz Active Member 10 Years

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    Still none of them are really eatable out of hand. The hardiest good tasting citrus would be the Juanita tangerine and the satsuma mandarin. Both should be reliable to the upper teens.
     
  6. Deneb1978

    Deneb1978 Active Member 10 Years

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    The Ichang Lemon sounds great...We got down to 5F (-15C) last winter here and freezing temps for several weeks in December/January. How long can the Ichang Lemon withstand freezing (less than 32F) temperatures before being injured/killed?
     
  7. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    My best guess is that an Ichang Lemon would have no problem withstanding temperatures in the 20sF for quite some time, upper teens for several days. One of the easiest protection methods against the cold, is to string Christmas lights through the tree's branches for protection against really cold weather. - Millet (1,258-)
     
  8. Deneb1978

    Deneb1978 Active Member 10 Years

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    Sounds great.... more people will have to try the Ichang Lemons around here as they sound like they could be a long term citrus here. I imagine Christmas lights on them would not only help warm them up during colder weather but would look festive around Christmas time too...
     
  9. Gregn

    Gregn Active Member 10 Years

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    I have 2 Ichang lemons - both are in pots for now - one is much more vigorous than the other...I am not sure if both flowered this year - one did for sure...

    Laaz, what is your experience with the Changsha mandarin? I haven't let mine go unprotected - nor do I plan to. The few that I have harvested were extremely sweet albeit with quite a few seeds. Another fellow I have spoke to didn't care much for the Changsha - I read somewhere there are vast differences between different trees???...

    Thanks, Greg
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2009
  10. Laaz

    Laaz Active Member 10 Years

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    Hey Greg. Some are ok and some are really dry and nasty. Way to many seeds for me, but they are quite hardy.
     
  11. frankmass

    frankmass Member

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    I have an Ichang outside and it is a slower grower...
     

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