About two years ago I recieved a small cutting from a neighbor. She said it was her father's and was a citrus (she has since moved). It spent the first summer on my balcony and the winter in my bedroom, both with Northern exposure. It gets small clusters of white flowers and has a distintive odor; it doesn't really smell like a citrus (orange, lemon, lime,...). I've only had it about two years and although it has flowered profusely it has never developed any fruitlets. I've started a few new ones from cuttings aready. Any help with it's proper name and what type of citrus (or whether it even is a citrus)? I'm including a few pics. Any suggestions on what I should be looking for to identify this plant? If you need a particular pic I can take one. Thanks in advance, Bart.
If you don't recognize the smell as being lemon, or orange, or even lime, then it's hard to guess at it.
It's not your typical looking citrus. Are the flowers citrus-scented? Has it ever produced any fruitlets?
Please note that there is also a discussion of this plant in the thread Unknown Citrus(?) Tree Needs ID | UBC Botanical Garden Forums in the Citrus forum.
Just noticed I had asked the most redundant questions earlier. Doh! Anyway, hope this makes up for it. How about Wrightia religiosa, Water Jasmine?
I'm no expert, but it looks to me like a grape fruit tree, from the elongated leaves, the color/grouping of flowers, and general shape of the tree. Again, im not an "expert" but i have 16 small tangerine trees, 2 4ft lemon trees, and 4 small key limes. I'd say its a grapefruit, i've seen a few at a local greenhouse.
I agree with jungle keeper... Here is a webpage that has some good pix that should help... The leaves look like silk floral citrus leaves... nothing like a grapefruit and the floweres are in tight clusters on long stalks... nothing like citrus.... http://toptropicals.com/cgi-bin/garden_catalog/cat.cgi?uid=Wrightia_religiosa But it does fit this genus easily! Cat
I'm still hunting for a good image, but grapefruit trees actually do flower in clusters, which is part of the reason i think this is a grapefruit tree. here's a quote from http://www.bouquetoffruits.com/fruit-facts/grapefruit-facts.html :"The large white flowers produce yellow, globe-shaped fruit in grapelike clusters." They flower in clusters, and produce in clusters, that is part of the reason why the name stuck( it was named grapefruit after an early explorer discovered the fruit, and incorrectly described the flavor as grape-like. Talk about bad taste buds!) If i find a decent piture, i'll post it.
Here is a picture of grapefruit leaves for comparision. The winged petioles are quite distinctive. This thread is fairly old - hopefully the original poster has since positively identified the plant and can help us out.
its definately not a citrus, it doesn't have any thorns. Its a type of jasmine, probably star jasmine. Another way to check if it is a jasmine is the dead flowers if they turn a purply colour after flowering thats another telltale sign its a jasmine.
First of all a thanks to all of you who have reponded to this thread. I'm happy to see that it has sparked a new debate after these past few months since I first posted. The tree has been thriving this summer and has grown a few feet in height and that is after a fairly heavy pruning. It is still in constant flowering mode and that seems to go on all year long. I haven't really noticed any purplish tones to the dead flowers and I wish I could explain the aroma that it gives off when brushed against or touched. It has developed two fruitlets this summer, right now about the size of very large peas, which are green and I hope continue through the ripening cycle. I have included several new pictures which I hope will add more fuel to the discussion. All are of the original plant except for the one of first "off-spring" [I'm so proud...lol]. It seems to root every easily with just a bit of rooting hormone...in fact I have another pot with all the cutting from the last pruning and they're all thriving. Once again thanks to all who have tried to help.
Citrus...Or Not Citrus...That Is The Question! In March of 2006 I posted my original inquiry (What type of Citrus?...http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?p=36248#post36248) as to what type of plant I've enjoyed for the past several years. Most thought it wasn't a citrus at all but possibly Wrightia religiousa, Water Jasmine. I have to admit I did notice a similarity in the leaves and flowers, but the fruitlets are not paired pods as the information indicates. This summer the plant (as well as many cuttings) has continued to thrive and has produced literally hundreds of fruitlets...from single ones to bunches of twelve or more in a cluster. I'm now leaning more to squirrelmaniac's suggestion that it is some type of grapefruit tree. I've attached some more pictures of both the plant and the fruit it has produced. It seems the fruits as they ripen turn from green to a yellowish orange. There is an odor to the leaves but I guess my old olfactories are not as good as they once were since I'm having a hard time describing the smell. Hopefully someone will be able to identify it from the new pictures. Thanks for your help. Bart
Re: Citrus...Or Not Citrus...That Is The Question! Moderators: This thread should be merged with the aforementioned one for continuity.
