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Is there a hardy citrus for zone 7a??

Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A

17 years ago

Is there anyone in the Eastern US zone 7a growing any varieties of hardy citrus -- like Nanshodaidai (Citrus taiwanica), Citrumelo, Yuzu, Citrange or some other hardy hybrid? Just curious. I know of folks in 7b who are able to. I've got some citrumelo seeds I'm starting and am going to test them outdoors in a year or so. The seeds are from North Carolina and Tennessee sources.

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Comments (5)

frank_zone5_5
17 years ago
Hi Dave
I have been looking into doing this in my area, which is much colder than yours. I have been emailing someone from Colorado that keeps the hardier versions alive with a lot of passive protection.

With a heater cable I have kept a calamondian alive and very healthy OUTSIDE in massachusetts.

This spring I hope to plant Yuzu, changsha manderan, and a Thomasville Citraquat. It takes a lot of work, but I think it would be cool to have citrus in your back yard.

Frank
Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
Original Author
17 years ago
Frank,
Wow...A calamondin outside! What kind of heating cable do you use? Do you basically build a little greenhouse around it? Let me know how the others fare when you plant them. Key will protection during extended periods of subfreezing weather.
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frank_zone5_5
17 years ago
yes so far so good, it has been as low as -8 f here, for 3 days it didnt get above 15.

Yes it is with 4 layers of plastic and surrounded by 3 10 gallons of water.

as an experienet , I shut the electicity off 5 hours ago. it is 11 f outside and 47 inside the "greenhouse" ( I will turn it back on soon.)

yes it is a 100 watt (ish ) heater cable. The tree is burried in a cooler for insulation.

As I dont really like the cal for taste,this set up is a test.

Frank
forever_a_newbie_VA8
15 years ago
I would like to know about this, too. I'm in a slightly warmer zone at coastal Virgina.

We have 2 citrus trees, calamondian and an unknow lemon/lime. Like them so much. the calamondian gave us over 100 fruits this year and the lemon flowers are very beautiful and sweet. They are put outside in summer, and brought inside in the winter.

I hope there is a citrus tree that can grow outside in our zone. Even if we might not get fruits or have to wait for a long time, the trees and flowers themselves would be a great reward.

Changsong
User
15 years ago
I have a large citrus collection. Almost all of the collection (kumquats, lemons,oranges, mandarins, limequats, and citron) were overwintered in a location where they had to experience January temps between 32. and 50 F. I had one lonely Calamondin that I brought into the house with me, to spend the Winter at room temperature (70 F. plus). Guess which one is as dead as a door knob and which ones are currently in bloom. I learned my lesson and have given up on overwintering anything but (more tropical) limes in the house. I loved that Calamondin and am now looking to replace it.

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