Large citrus trees in Southern California?
ElGrecus
11 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (12)
hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoElGrecus
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Purchasing large citrus and palisse citrus
Comments (8)I am not sure where you are in LA, but I was just in southern Cali about 2 weeks ago and there are some very nice and quite large trees at Green Thumb Nursery in Canoga Park--Sherman Way near Topanga Canyon. They had just gotten a shipment of new trees in and there were some that were at least 5-6 feet tall and with large trunk calipers. There is another nursery that I think is called Green Arrow in North Hills (corner of Sepulveda near Roscoe) and they also had quite a few large specimens--including a big tree of one of the TDE hybrids. And of course you could always inquire with your big-box home improvement stores and ask about special-ordering. I agree with bencelest and I would also refrain from doing much pruning until after your new trees get established--I think of it as maximizing photosynthetic surface area, which allows your tree to produce energy for growth. Plus, in citrus the lower branches (the "skirt") is where significant fruit production can occur, but I realize that is not the only goal. HTH....See MoreMoved kumquat (Citrus) tree Southern California having issues
Comments (9)I agree with mrtexas and justfigured. It sounds like you had to leave behind a large portion of the roots. The tree has lost a lot of its power to gain water and nutrients; some of the branches are just too far away to be bothered with, or it can't physically "pump" water that far. Many people think that leaving as many leaves as possible on a tree like this will help the roots recover. They figure it will provide more surface for sunlight to hit, which should make more energy, right? However, there is a major reason why this tactic ultimately fails: plants transpire through their leaves, so removing some leaves helps the plant retain what precious water it can take up with its diminished roots. Plants need water to perform photosynthesis; if there's limited water, it doesn't matter how much light it gets. I would suggest pruning the branches back to about 50% of their original volume. I know this sounds scary, but the tree can handle it! Keep the tree protected from direct light and wind: sounds like you have wind covered, but definitely use the shade cloth method mentioned previously. It is most important that the tree is protected from those last 3-4 hours of harsh sun (10 am until 2 pm). Keep your eye on the soil moisture. You don't want to let it dry out completely, obviously, but citrus hate sitting in a puddle. You can use a wooden dowel/skewer, inserted six inches into the soil beneath the tree, to get a feel for how damp the soil is. Good luck, and keep us updated!...See MoreAttempts at trying to grow Coconut trees in Southern California
Comments (20)I observe that the few specimens which did succeed all seem to have one thing in common - protection by buildings (e.g. Newport Beach, Corona, Orange County, Del Mar, La Quinta Inn). Perhaps a systematic study of thermal shielding should be done regarding this. Do not plant in the ground until it develops a foot or so of solid trunk; it may need to be kept indoors part-time until it does. When planted in the ground the palm must have its own isolated soil (almost as if it were still in the pot) so that it does not get affected by other plants. During the summer water it almost daily. Also, some sort of transparent coating over the soil allotment (but not covering the rest of the tree) during the winter would help to protect it from rain but let in the sunlight; only open the coating to give it lukewarm (not cold) water during the morning. Else, Winter monthly rainfall must not exceed around 60-70 mm, and no more than around 2 or 3 months where the record low has dropped below freezing. For the coldest month, daytime high close to 70F, with corresponding night temperature not below 45-50 F. A couple of slightly inland places in Orange County may satisfy this requirement. At first one may think that the likes of Pasadena and Palm Springs could also satisfy the requirement, but the former has almost double the allowed winter rainfall, and the latter has too many months where the record low was below freezing, increasing the risk that chilly nights can be semi-regular rather than being a relatively rare occurrence. On this note, I hear that the Nepal/Mexican/Jamaican tall species are slightly better at tolerating the occasional chilly evening than the Malaysian dwarf varieties - in fact the Corona tree may be of such a type. The nearest comparison to Coconuts being planted in semi-Mediterranean type climates with mainly Winter rain are Madeira/Porto Santo (latitude 32), and Geraldton W.A. (latitude 28). They just about manage in those locations. A whole week of daytime temps consistently below 56F is a critical threshold for (non) survival, and perhaps this is what causes so many specimens in CA to fail. Indeed, Southern Florida, parts of coastal Queensland, and even Hong Kong have all experienced this at least once in their history with the loss of some weaker specimens. (BTW, I am temporarily living in the United Kingdom in a village near Gatwick, where in 2019 I kept a mini Coconut Palm from the supermarket outdoors in the pot and wanted to see how long it could survive with minimal assistance. Thanks to an unusually hot summer where there was a week of 100F followed by a relatively dry fall that year, it remained largely undamaged until the first week of November, then temperatures suddenly nosedived where a Canada-style frost arrived and within a week it was gone)....See MoreCherry trees in Southern California - mixed success
Comments (7)Yoshino seedling: Kwanzan cherry seedling: These little trees have been in the ground for over 3 years, been kept watered, and as you can see they still haven't really put on much growth and have stunted small leaves. But they have all survived. I also have a Bing cherry (standard size rootstock) with nice lush leaves that has been able to grow, even though it struggles to break out of dormancy each year and has delayed growth until around May (which is very late in this climate because temperatures warm up and the growing season begins in February). Two or three little blossoms did appear on the Bing one year. Just for comparison, here is how fast a tiny seedling sized Yoshino cherry has grown in the cooler Pacific Northwest climate, after just slightly more than a year in the ground: As you can see, cherries in Southern California don't do very well in comparison. I had another flowering Kwanzan cherry tree, much larger size, grafted onto rootstock, but it declined after the first year and then finally didn't come back after the second Winter. (It did bloom moderately after the first Winter though) I think flowering cherries being grafted onto different rootstock makes the tree less vigorous growing and then it becomes too much for the tree to survive, combined with the lack of vigor from inadequate chill....See Moreparker25mv
8 years agootcay
8 years agodimitrig
8 years agoParadise Nursery
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agokcandmilo
6 years agodimitrig
6 years agokcandmilo
6 years agodimitrig
6 years agokcandmilo
6 years ago
Related Stories
GARDENING GUIDESSpring Citrus Care Reaps Months of Sweet Rewards
Learn how to tend citrus trees in spring and ways to preserve their delicious fruit
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESHow to Keep Your Citrus Trees Well Fed and Healthy
Ripe for some citrus fertilizer know-how? This mini guide will help your lemon, orange and grapefruit trees flourish
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESSouthern California Gardener's October Checklist
Get planting happy this month — so many natives, bulbs, cool-season flowers and vegetable crops to choose from, so little time ...
Full StoryTRADITIONAL ARCHITECTUREHouzz Tour: Southern Charm in the California Wine Country
An old farm cottage gets some Big Easy style with an expansion that preserves memories and adds whimsy
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDES10 Top Native Plants for Southern California Gardens
Enjoy a fuss-free, water-wise garden by growing plants naturally in tune with the climate and wildlife of Southern California
Full StoryINSPIRING GARDENSNative Plants Bring 10 Southern California Front-Yard Gardens to Life
Rare plants, rain gardens and wildlife habitats are just a few of the features showcased on the 2016 Theodore Payne Native Plant Garden Tour
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESSouthern California Gardener's September Checklist
Before prime planting time, clean out the old garden, prepare for the new, and dream up ideas for fall flowers and veggies
Full StoryMY HOUZZMy Houzz: Color and Ceramics Brighten a Southern California Home
A family home becomes a sanctuary that honors the heritage of historic California
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDES10 Top California Native Plants, Trees and Grasses
Enjoy a fuss-free, water-wise garden in the Golden State by growing plants naturally in tune with the climate and wildlife
Full StoryGARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGCitrus 101: Start Your Own Backyard Orchard
This Earth Day Weekend, Add Some Green, Style and Deliciousness to Your Landscape
Full Story
hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA