How funny you should say you are allergic to the fruit! I have a mature navel orange tree that I grew just to eat the fruit. Unfortunately in the past few years I started having migraines and eating citrus triggers them. :(

I now have to limit my intake so I'm only using citrus in cooking (1-2 teaspoons in a sauce). But I'm hoping some day the migraines go away and I can return to orange juice and eating oranges.

I grow them for the fruit and the leaves - giant swallowtails lay their eggs on the new growth of citrus trees, which become caterpillars which become big, beautiful butterflies.
I've got a Louisiana Sweet orange tree outside that's loaded with unripe fruit now, that's gotten as big as the citrus you see growing commercially in Florida. Louisiana Sweet is very cold hardy, it only gets nipped back a little on the coldest winter nights, then it regrows what it lost plus a lot more in the spring.
Of course, I LOVE the smell of the flowers - that's a real plus in spring. I don't think I like citrus well enough to try and keep one alive in a container for the long, cold northern winters.
I'm planning on planting some type of satsuma or mandarin in a spot I've picked out as soon as they start selling citrus again at Home Depot, Walmart, Lowe's, etc.
I've been reading up on it, and it sounds like the Kishu mandarin or satsuma - can't remember which - would be good - is it as cold hardy as the Owari satsuma? I'd like a tree that gets around 12' tall or so, that's very cold hardy, for citrus.
Anybody got any suggestions?
Sherry

I grow Mexican Lime (Key lime), Meyer Lemon (a very sickly one with one foot in it's grave), a Satsuma Owari and Washington Navel. The reason I grow them - I grew up in India, where citrus are prolific in the backyards and street markets. There used to be so many varieties of citrus and citrons and hence I was used to an over abundance of citrus in day to day life, home remedies and in cuisine. So, i cannot imagine a yard without citrus. Some trivia: I have several Taiwanese and Chinese neighbors and co-workers who say that a producing citrus near your front entry way is symbolic of great prosperity as a fruit indicate (and look a lot like) gold coins or gold nuggets! BTW/ a kumquat is their first choice but they have several choices.
I have been super successful in growing oranges and a super failure in the lemons/limes department. Can't figure out why because I treat them with the exact same amount of TLC. I stopped buying citrus plants a few years back thinking that we were going to move to a new home which did not happen - now I have decided to buy as many as I like and grow them in containers until the new home happens. I live in NorCal where there are 8-10 ft tall citrus in many people's front yard - a lot of them Meyers and Oranges and they easily have a few hundred fruit on them, many dropped on the ground. My co-workers bring in shopping bags full of home grown lemons all the time. I just love to look at all those citrus trees - lovely edible landscaping if you ask me.

Interesting question.

Let's see. I grow citrus because:

1.) Aromatic flowers (especially in the spring).
2.) Attractive and edible fruit.
2.) I love eating citrus (oranges, grapefruit)
3.) Quintiscentially Asian (my collection tends to give emphasis to East Asian plants).
4.) You can treat them as seasonal growers--I keep mine very cool, dry and dormant in the winter (between 32 and 60F.), and I don't have to drag these into the house with limited space for trees).
5.) Interesting conversation pieces (who doesn't know what an orange is?)
6.) They have a fair degree of tolerance for neglect.
7.) Late winter flowering just screams--SPRING HAS SPRUNG!!
8.) I live in NJ and love to see the reaction of well-meaning but clueless wannabe plant growers who have enough problems keeping a snake plant alive much less a northern citrus grove (okay a secret guilty pleasure I admit).

njoasis!!!!

Where have you been? I missed you..

Please e-mail because I need your help asap...Lookining forward to hearing from you..:-) :-) :-)

mikerno_1@yahoo.com

Misssherry; where you are you can grow almost any citrus except the most tender [i.e., key lime] if you graft them to 'Flying Dragon' rootstock. It will protect the graft down to 22-24 degrees and dwarf the tree to 8-15', depending on the type/variety of the fruit. Don

For me, I grow them strictly for the fun of it. Since I live in FL and 90% of my neighbors have citrus trees(I get all I want). I only grow three small ones..and all in containers. For me this is more like an ornamental tree, but a lot prettier especially when it has fruits. Something about a potted citrus with the dark green leaves with bright yellow or orange fruits all over it. Of course the fruits are a definite bonus!

Its like a Christmas tree!!

Hi
Originally ,because they came with the house.lol Loved the limes and navels, Grapefruit not so much. Then the state came around and ground them all up lol. Just recently bought a Clementine and limequat and now they tell me that they may have "Citrus greening" Now ,why am I growing them ?? lol I was going to say because they were so easy!!! lol gary

I just like to grow plants. I like to cook too. I have a lemon tree.

This is great...It's amazing how many reasons why we in particular choose to grow citrus..!

Well, the citrus won out in my home for the winter. I am use to growing everything from gardenias, brouvardia,clivia,plumeria,palms,and lot of succulants...

It is the citrus that never seem to let me down in the fragrant department, while in the mist of dreary cold short winter days..!

This winter, everything but my citrus, and small potted gardenias are all at my work in full sun windows because the citrus give such a pleasant feeling to everyone who walks into my plant room, with the sound of waterfalls and the feel of warmth mixed with my trees...

Nothing like having a room I walk into to, remind me of driving through the back roads of Florida orange groves while in full bloom..:-0)

they are beautiful trees and flowers. the fruit is most refreshing and striking when on a full tree.

im really more of a mango fanatic, but citrus is second.

i just wish they didnt have so many scary problems down here, everytime i see a little rust or blemish i get worried but there really isnt much you can do to prevent the lethal diseases.

I like the challenge of trying to grow things which are not hardy in my zone. I've always loved citrus, the fruit, the leaves and especially the sweet smelling blooms. I grow lots of potted tropicals in zone 7.

Tsmith, I grow a lot of tropicals in zone 5..lol

Other than the reason I gave, when I started this thread, I forgot that this was the reason that me even started on citrus, then enjoyed them, the challange like you..

The only two nonchallenging plants I own are cactus and philos...boring..lol. But once in a while a refreshment to not even have to worry about these..Citrus can not be ignored, but my easy ones can..lol

I wish we could have a garden forum citrus convention to meet each other! It is so awsome to see us all have so much in common with these trees,and yet it's sad we never get to meet each other in person, or is that a good thing?LoL

Tsmith, Glad to hear from you by the way..I always enjoy your posts and learn so much from you..Stay safe!

I enjoy my citrus most in the winter. There is something very magical when the sun peeks out on a cloudy winter day and floods my Bearss Lime in warm sunlight. The plant suddenly glows a brilliant green and radiates life. That is truly a beautiful and joyful sight on a cold, bleak winter day. Lifts my spirits immeasurably! Love the blossoms and fruit too...

fofoca - If food triggers your migraines, try the supplement product called Magrahealth. About half the people who try it are helped a lot, and half not at all, but it's worth the try if you happen to be one of the half who are.

I grow citrus to eat first of all, but also for the nice green (sometimes green is a little hard to come buy in the desert)as a screen along the property line, and yes, for the beautiful blossoms. I even use the leaves of my lime for flavoring some of my favorite dishes.

I grow over 40 varieties, and have over 100 trees. Top of my list are Tahiti shaddoc, Daisy tangerine, Kinnow tangerine, Eureka lemon, Red shaddoc, Ruby grapefruit, Cocktail not-really-a-grapefruit. I do LOTS of juice as well as cooking and eating out of hand. MMMMMMM coooold fresh Daisy tangerine juice in the morning followed by good oat meal with Barhi dates. wow the simple things in life can be soooo sweet.

Great question!

Thus far, I'm growing eureka lemons, tangelos, yuzu, and calamondin. Unexpectedly, the yuzu has turned out to be the most vigorous and generally happy in the climate here. The yuzu and calamondin are grafted, the others are seed grown.

1 - Dumb luck. I've never had a green thumb, and have a gross history of killing 'normal' garden plants: tomatoes, squash, basil, some potted cacti, you name it. I planted citrus seed, and they sprouted, and pretty much exceeded all expectations. As fickle and delicate at they CAN be as container plants (and I am still at a very early stage in the learning curve), I've gotten a ways into cultivating them, and while I don't yet have fruit, they are also all alive, with no major issues.

The other plants I have are even less traditional: ginger, guavas, feijoas, Ceylon cinnamon. Doing well with unusual plants while killing the traditional types of things tells me that I may have discovered some kind of knack for unusual gardening. I love an nice, ongoing learning experience...

2 - They are quite handsome plants, quirky, but in a great kind of quirkiness.

3 - I've always loved the fruit, and have always been annoyed that we can't (in North Carolina) easily get a better variety of citrus fruit in markets. I'm not about to try to take on the challenge of growing all of my own, but we'll see what I can get from a few plants.

4 - And I love a good challenge anyways!

My grandchildren love to pick/eat the citrus. We love lemons and limes on everything and in everything. Marmalade! Butterflies are beautiful. Plus, the main good thing is the darn squirrels and coons do not care for citrus.

If you can't find anyone to give the fruit to you could call your local food bank, they should be more than glad to take anything you can give them.

Citrus plants are visually pleasing, the fruit tastes great, the flowers smell amazing, and not many people up here grow them. So for all these reasons, I like them.

Of course, I don't get much fruit on mine (a greenhouse would be beneficial for that) or maybe more fertilizer.

My collection consists of a navel orange (was supposed to be valencia but was mislabeled), satsuma mandarin, lisbon lemon, persian lime, key lime, kishu mandarin, calamondin orange, 2 meyer lemons, and a tiny ruby red grapefruit on its way.

Next year I'd like to get another satsuma (only larger), valencia orange, and a moro blood orange.

Sorry I can't chime in about why I like citrus trees.

Born and raised in Ohio, moving to southern Georgia put me behind a learning curve that lasted several years. If I had known what I know now about citrus trees, I don't believe I would have been so tempted by the novelty of growing them.

Now I wish I could provide the shelter they need from the nasty Citrus Psyllid, the lousy leaf miners, etc., etc. Anyone from Florida can tell you that there will be no citrus-growing industry in the near distant future. So, while I am still learning and taking care of my precious trees, I am starting to grow Goji berry bushes/trees.

Aside from deer, I don't know of anything around here that would be a threat to the Goji. But, believe me, I'm trying to find out! Learning the hard way (after the fact) isn't something I want to repeat.

This week we cut three trees down. I'm filled with self-distain because I didn't elevate the trees a couple years ago. I knew I should have. My trees were planted high enough, but because I used organic stuff in the planting hole, and the planting hole was dug at least two feet beyond the root ball, the organic matter decayed and the trees sunk lower than the surrounding areas. Watering was difficult and I dreaded downpours.

I've even stayed away from this forum because I just felt so sad.

I don't grow any citrus yet...but I had a delicious little Clementine today!

Josh

Wow brass tacks, that's darn sad, no citrus growing industry soon. I don't know what to say.

So sorry about trees. Hope they stay strong for a long long time. Maybe you'll be tempted to get some new babies.

I'm not at all familiar with goji berries. I'm glad that they're tough though.

Good luck to you and your trees.

Kind of a dirty little secret for me. Well I'm not growing any yet but will as I continue on my work in progress new home. I am an Alabama boy with roots there for over 200 years. I grew up with apples, peaches, pears, plums, grapes, muscadines, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, figs and persimmons. Then grandmother became ill and we moved to central Florida to be near to her. She passed the year we moved and the only thing we have to say about Florida is it took us three years to get home! Not a time we remember fondly. Yet, I developed a hidden desire. CITRUS
Having once tasted the sinful sweetness of tree ripened fruit I could not shake it and have always had the shameful desire for my own citrus trees. You would think with the bounty of stone fruits, pomes, and berries I would be content but I'm not. So as soon as a place is prepared I shall plant a couple mistress trees. Shameful thing is that I will be moving the two hussies into the same home as my apples, pears, grapes, muscadines, blueberries, strawberries, figs, peaches and plums.
My eyes are already wandering though as I have my eye on a redhead (sweet cherry) as well. LOL

So many reasons! First, I love citrus fruit and many tropical/sub-tropical fruits as well. I love plants, the outdoors, nature, gardening, etc. Living in New England has made me crave the feeling of the tropics year-round so my husband and I started dreaming about having our own greenhouse where we could grow tropical and sub-tropical fruit and escape the winter. As we have learned more and more about the benefits of eating local food for your health and the environment and the fact that there are some very real threats to fruit farming (as Brass Tacks mentioned), it just makes sense to us to invest in growing some citrus and other fruits ourselves. Right now we don't have that greenhouse we have been pining for or even our own house yet. We have been looking on and off for the past 5 years for a house with good southern exposure and in the meantime we have been renting. Two years ago, when we moved to our current apartment which does have a fairly good southern exposure, I bought our first citrus trees and have been doting on them ever since. As much as we are dying to move on with our dream, having the citrus trees has given me the opportunity to learn a lot about them before we go all out with the greenhouse. Currently, I have one orange on my Valencia, three on my Marrs Orange, three lemons on Ujukitsu and my Mexican Lime gave me its first fruit earlier this year. I love the fragrance, aesthetics and the practicality of having both plants/trees that add to the enjoyment of your living space while also providing delicious fruit.

My heart goes out to Florida and its expected loss of the citrus industry. I also sympathize/fret about Panama Disease and banana industry.

Another powerful reason to grow citrus...

SANGRIA...!

Josh

Reasons I like growing citrus:

1. Reminds me of visits to Florida and California (which in my childhood were magical unreal places)
2. I love "different" plants
3. The sheer pleasure of shocking people when they see citrus trees in the Appalachian mountains. I am almost certain that I am the only person in my whole county (Rabun)if not region, that is growing citrus outdoors.
4. I drink orange juice and eat citrus fruit almost every day. Its like absorbing energy direct from the sun!

I have also started growing palms, bananas, cannas and other things for my "tropicalesque" garden. Citrus is just perfect for that tropical look.

I like citrus for many reasons. I love having plants/trees that bloom in the dreary NY winters and also watching fruit grow when I can see 2 feet of snow on the ground. I must admit I have a tropical obsession. One that will vacate me from my apartment sooner then later. I grow several tropical fruits. I also love it when people see them, and say, " You can't grow that here!" And I reply with,"Oh yes I can!" I love the challenge but then again I am a plant nut! Been growing plants since I was a child and loving it ever since!
Andrew

Howdy Mike..fancy seeing you here..lol J/K

I love plants that flower and fruit..watching a beautiful, scented bloom, produce a tiny, green, bean that eventually turns into a large, colorful edible. Yummm.

Like Andrew, while the ground is covered with snow, and cold, no make that, icy winds blow, the house feels tropic-like..there's a certain smell and feeling, one I can't explain..when humidity is at a certain level, and plants newly showered or even misted, fragrance and that 'certain' feeling changes the air and my mood.

Mood. I get very depressed during winter. SADS. A house filled w/plants, each begging for attention, gives me something to do...which leaves little time to whine about the outside temps and cloudy days.

Overall, I just enjoy plants that fruit, each bearing a colorful, scented fruits.

I'd love to have a home with a connected Solarium..my dream..or move to a warm climate..Since my second choice is impossible, the Solarium will do..Toni

I love fragrant plants, woody plants, have a weakness for broadleaved evergreens and I like to eat! Also as a youngster I was given a seed raised grapefruit tree by my grandmother many many years ago that took several years for me to kill. Impressive. Of the ones I have now the oldest is a Bearss lime which is good in pots and for gin and tonics. (This ought to tell you something). I have Meyer's lemon and Eureka lemon both to make sorbet and use in cooking. The large Washington Navel reverted to root stock which makes excellent candied lemon peel. I can't get enough of it. I am still debating whether to try grafting it, use it as is or junk it. The debate rages on. Last year I got a Mexican Thornless (gin and tonics again), Washington Navel (if at first you don't succeed...), Clementine and Bouquet Fleurs (sour orange to try "real" orange marmalade). None of these 4 have fruited yet. This year I got Kishu and Vainiglia Sanguigno because I won't find those in the grocery store.
Besides when garden club members say, "But how many fruit do you really get?" and I say, "22" I like to see their jaws drop. Yes, I know, it's a perverse pleasure.
Cath

I had a lime, gin, and tonic with my brother last weekend...it was fantastic!
Marmalade....yet another reason to grow citrus. Thanks for the reminder!

Josh

Meyermike,

If you are growing only for blossoms then you really should try to get a FW Bouquet de Fleurs Sour Orange. The scent is very strong, but the blossoms are also totally unique. They look like a bouquet, hence the name. I think you would really like that tree. Anyone growing for scent and blossoms should check that tree out.

MeyerMike,
If you love fragrance in the house in the Winter, try Osmanthus fragrans (Sweet Olive, Tea Olive). It has no fruit but the scent fills the room. Delicious!
Cath

Oh my goodness!!

Thank you Cath and Reversthong..

Reversthong: Where in the world do you get one of these trees? Looks like I will be adding another to my list, if I can get my hands on them..

Cath: It just so happens that I picked up 3 over the spring! I have heard so much of these plants, and they do not require full sun in the winter to boot..Just a lot of bright light..I have that, now that I have a skylight in the room:-)...I can't wait for the blossoms..How do you encourage olive to blossom a lot?..I heard you give them a bit of lime and they don't like fertilizer..No? Thank you..

Mike..;-)

Mike, Four Winds has the tree, but I'm sure others do as well. Sour Oranges in general are know for their fragrant blossoms, but this tree in particular would seem to fit you. Should be a nice ornamental in general.

I can't believe it..I just talked to 4Winds and they already sent me another tree a few hours ago, or I would of got the sour orange..! If they had known that I only grow for fragrance, they would of recommended that one to me!! Dang!

I will just have to order one come spring Rversethong..Thank so much for your idea...They told me that it is by far a most fragrant...

Mike..:-)

I love the frangrance of teh fruit and as a little boy i wanted to grow 'em outside, of course everyone thought I was crazy for 'em. Now, those same people are in disbelief I got my satsuma and Yuzu today:)

Haha Mike, that's funny. I guess they even make perfume from Boquet de Fleurs!

On topic:

Citrus is by far my favorite fruit to eat, but the species is so interesting, I can hardly control my obsession. They are so varied, from sweet to sour. You can use the juice, the rind, the leaves and the oil. They are pretty trees, that mutate and cross-breed like crazy. They variegate, develope pigments and will accept a diverse group of rootstocks. They have so many uses, inside and outside of the kitchen. The only thing I don't like is I can't have them all!

MeyerMike,
I don't know how to trigger flowering. It just does its thing a few times a year. I did notice that it consistently has a large flush of bloom usually shortly after bringing it inside. Since I leave it out later than anything else, even in light frosts, one trigger may be going from cold to warm but I don't know for certain. And it blooms on and off in the house, with consistent temperature, during the winter anyway.
Cath

Reversthong: You are so right about Citrus..They certainly are an interesting species, most noted for great fruit and fragrant flowers!

Cath: Thank you for the info...I can only hope mine flowers as well as yours does come cooler weather..They say that they don't like to be fertilized..Is this true? Do you feed yours?
Once they are in bloom, I will post a pic or two..Are you ever at the fragrance forum? Would love to see you there.

Thank you

Mike..:-)

MeyerMike,
I do fertilize the Osmanthus sometimes, usually with Jobe sticks for flowering plants or Osmocote for acid loving plants.The Jobe is good for forgetful people like me and the Osmocote acid is because our well water (city) has a lot of lime in it.
I did not even know there was a Fragrance Forum but I am afraid to look because it is hard to keep up with the three I look at now; Fig Forum, Tropical Fruit Forum, and Citrus Forum.

Meyermike,

Why grow citrus?

Many years ago my then girlfriend had unlimited access to citrus at Christmas. I ate lots of it and put several seeds in a potted plant. I think every seed sprouted. I was hooked. I gave them all away. Later I raised orange trees on purpose (for the challenge). They were left out and froze. Several years ago I received an orange tree as a gift. It has produced some fruit for three years.

1. For the challenge.
2. For the envy of those who are either unable or unwilling to grow them.
3. The one that I have produces the best tasting orange that I have ever eaten (in memory).
4. I have four grown children that covet my oranges.
5. I would like to have enough to share them with my 12 grandchildren also.
6. The aroma is so intense that we cannot keep it inside the house. We keep it in the attached garage in the winter.
7. There are too many reasons to list them all.

At the risk of alienaing a huge part of this forum, I grow Meyer lemons initially because I am an amateur chef and there is no substitute in the kitchen for a Meyer; now I grow them... sorry to say...FOR THE MONEY!!!

John,

Nothing wrong with that... everyone has to pay the bills!

Citrus are unique! As a Wisconsinite I've grown plenty of peppers, tomatoes, etc. but citrus have always been my favorite fruit. I learned about dwarf trees and that I'd be able to grow them up here I knew I needed one. None of my friends have one and almost every one of them think it's the coolest thing that I have a lemon tree. Whenever I upsize from this small apartment I am definitely getting more! The only next question will be what am I going to get? =)

So the answer is
1. It's unique in Wisconsin
2. I love the fruit
3. I'm now learning that the blooms smell amazing =)
4. It's a fun learning experience
5. They're just overall great looking trees!

Citrus has a wonderful smell and aroma... especially when fresh right from the tree. So many different variations of the same theme–orange, grapefruit, lemon, each has it's own distinctive smell. They also grow great where I am.

There's nothing like a fresh Valencia orange produced in this sun-baked climate. The orange juice...

Probably my first encounter with citrus, my grandparents had some delicious mandarin trees (I think Satsuma but not absolutely certain). They were mostly seedless and nearly effortless to peel off the loose skin. Infinitely better than the Clementines sometimes sold at the supermarket.

Why grow citrus?

I certainly love the fruit but having just moved to a place with a mature navel orange the aroma is really growing on me. My parents have always had fruit trees in their backyard (avocado, lemon, several variety of orange, pomegranate and apple) but I suppose I never noticed the frangrance until now.

Any time I am passing by the tree in the last couple weeks I have noticed the wonderful aroma. I don't have a ton of room for more trees but I am going to put a couple in containers as I think I have the citrus bug. :D

Nice to see this interesting old thread bumped up .

Mike - Didnt know you were allergic to citrus , no wonder you dont care about the fruit , are you allergic to any citrus - Lemons , Limes ,Orange , Kumquats -the lot .

My reasons are the Fragrance , I love how powerfully fragrant they are are as good as jasmine in full bloom .

It gives edible fruits , some of the vars not easily available at grocery stores n I enjoy cooking .

Reminds me of my childhood in India (nostalgia) and my many trips to Italy ( my fav dest ) .

They are both ornamental and utilitarian .

Devsense, I am with you! Do you hang out at the Fragrant Forums? You should! I am allergic to the acidic ones..I am not sure if there are non acidic citrus but the fikishu did not seem to bother me...)