skip to main content

Help Identifying Citrus Tree and Rot (Central Florida)

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

New to this forum, hoping you can help out a newbie. My wife and I just purchased a home and found the following tree in the back that is producing lots of fruit that gets slightly larger than a golf ball at the largest and turns a shade of orange. The fruit is extremely sour at this time (tastes like warhead candy if you have ever had that) but hopefully will sweeten as they begin to turn more orange color in the heat.

1) I am trying to identify this tree and figure out how and when to take advantage of the fruit.

2) I am trying to identify what appears to be rot on some of the fruits and if/how to treat it.

Thanks in advance!!!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

johnmerr
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Tree looks like a calamondin. The damage to the fruit is due to an insect (likely a mite) that has damaged the fruit at a very small size, hence the growing ring. Nothing you can do about that now; but since you are in Florida, I would strongly urge you to treat your tree with systemic imidacloprid 3 times per year. Ask your nurseryman or garden shop what is the best formula, although Bayer Fruit Insecticide contains the imidacloprid.

Last, your tree shows significant magnesium deficiency (the green "Christmas tree" in the center of the leaf). For home gardeners the easiest solution is to apply a cup or so of Epsom Salt around the dripline and water it in well.
warrenis1 thanked johnmerr
limeinqueens
8 years ago
I was also going to say Calamondin. it's a cross between a kumquat and... I forget. A mandarin orange? Point is, like a kumquat the skin is sweeter than the fruit. It should get fully orange, but it will always be sour, similar to a lemon. In the Phillipines they make a kind of lemonade from the juice (they call it Calamansi if you want recipes) and use it in cooking anywhere you'de use lemon (on fish, etc). Calamondin also makes an excellent marmalade since the skin isn't bitter.

By the way your tree has a magnesium deficency, that color pattern on the leaves in't how its supposed to look. :) A fertilizer with micronutrients, like Dyna-Gro Foliage Pro or Osmocote Plus will fix that up. (because its a waxy, time release pellet, Osmocote Plus is *extremely* difficult to f-up, which is always a plus for me, lol).
warrenis1 thanked limeinqueens
Related Discussions
Help identify this citrus plant # 2
Q
Comments (4)
This is the fruit it gives off. It's shaped like a tangelo, but this is the first year of me being here that it is fruiting. It was near dead when I got here. It was hidden and I didn't even realize it was there because of the yuccas. When I found it, I promptly cleaned up around it, and trimmed the yuccas to let in sunlight. Then I removed the yuccas completely. Never mind the Mexican limes in my hand :) or my dirty fingernail lol. I went to pick limes for limeade and pulled some weeds at the base.
...See More
Shade Tree For Small Central Florida Yard
Q
Comments (12)
Just a thought, have they considered an arbor with a vine? I have not done this myself, but many of my books and a few magazines suggest that for 'near instant shade', try putting in an arbor with an aromatic or attractive blooming vine." Sometimes the arbor they suggest is merely a single post with 'branches' at the top so the vines will form an umbrella-like shape and cascade down. The arbor should be "10-12 ft" tall. It's also suggested to not skimp on the posts but to use 6x6" or thucker treated lumber, especially taking our humid summers into account. Suggested vines are Confederate Jasmine, Carolina Jessamine, Coral Honeysuckle, Crossvine, American Wisteria and Trumpet Vine. There are others to choose from, but they tend to have 'seasons' where your friends would end up having a giant, wooden golf tee in their front yard. It may even be possible to mix up some vines. From my observation, my Confederate Jasmine and my Carolina Jessamine seem to grow at about the same rate. So there could be early spring fragrant yellow flowers followed by late spring/early summer white, SUPER fragrant flowers. Just a thought.
...See More
Places to buy fruit trees/Cocktail Citrus trees in Central Florid
Q
Comments (8)
There's a place in Lake Wales (appx. 10-15) miles from Winter Haven called McGill Citrus Nursery...google them and call ahead to make sure they have the Citrus you are looking for. I purchased a very healthy Dancy tangerine from them several months ago... I've never been but there's one in Winter Haven called Rasnake Citrus Nursery And Hickory Hills Citrus Nursery in Lake Wales...call them before hand to make sure they are still around :o) Oh one more thing if you drive south of Winter Haven to Sebring ( less than an hour) one way there are a couple of nice nurseries that sell Fruit and Citrus trees...Robbins Nursery and Lords Farm Nursery... This post was edited by puglvr1 on Sun, Jun 15, 14 at 9:03
...See More
Can someone help me identify this citrus tree? Orange maybe?
Q
Comments (9)
Yes, but most citrus grow true-to-type from seed due to Nucellar embryony... certainly most oranges and grapefruit. Exceptions are Meyer lemon, 'Temple' oranges, Clementines, Persian lime, most pummelos, I think. Tangors and Tangelos put off a high % of nucellar seedlings. According to my notes where I keep my citrus information, I had this filed away. This is a quote from Dr. Malcolm Manners, professor of Citrus Science at Florida Southern College: 'Nearly all of the sweet oranges (C. sinensis) come true-to type from seed. A few (some navels, 'Pineapple') make minor variations in their seedlings, even though they are technically nucellar. Nearly all grapefruit also come true-to-type. The only exception I can think of is 'Thompson Pink' which produces 'Marsh Seedless' seedlings, since it is a periclinal chimera, and the mutant tissue is not in the layer that makes the seeds. The vast majority of mandarin types are also nucellar, and therefore, come true-to-type. Also, nearly all lemons, 'Key' Lime, and most other sour-fruited types come true. Persian limes do not. Meyer is monoembryonic, so does not come true-to-type from seed. Actually, the list of citrus that don't come true is quite small.'
...See More
warrenis1
Original Author
8 years ago
THANK YOU. This is extremely helpful and MUCH appreciated!!! What is the right way to prune this tree if it starts to grow too tall? Or will it limit itself at a certain height.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES How to Keep Your Citrus Trees Well Fed and Healthy

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Ripe for some citrus fertilizer know-how? This mini guide will help your lemon, orange and grapefruit trees flourish

GARDENING GUIDES Spring Citrus Care Reaps Months of Sweet Rewards

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Learn how to tend citrus trees in spring and ways to preserve their delicious fruit

GARDENING GUIDES Tree Care: Common Tree Diseases and What to Do About Them

By Falon Mihalic

Learn to recognize trees that may be affected by diseases or pests so you can quickly take action

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Kumquats for a Juiced-Up Winter

By Steve Asbell

Grow it for the edible fruit or its good looks alone. This citrus cousin will brighten any gray winter day

FARM YOUR YARD If You Have Room for Only One Fruit Tree ...

Juice up a small garden with one of these easier-care or worth-the-effort fruit trees for a mild climate

FALL GARDENING 6 Trees You'll Fall For

By Therese Ciesinski

Don’t put down that spade! Autumn is the perfect time for planting these trees

LANDSCAPE DESIGN 7 Great Trees for Summer Shade and Fall Color

By Tiffany Carboni

These landscape-pro faves straddle the seasons beautifully. Could one enhance your own yard?

NATIVE PLANTS Great Design Plant: Wild Bergamot, Friend of Foragers

By Pollination Press LLC

Nourish butterflies and other winged creatures with the tubular flowers of Monarda fistulosa, a pretty pink native

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES 3 Ways Native Plants Make Gardening So Much Better

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

You probably know about the lower maintenance. But native plants' other benefits go far beyond a little less watering and weeding

FRUIT TREES How to Grow Your Own Persimmons

By Marianne Lipanovich

Sturdy and easy to care for, these trees offer bright fruit through winter — and keeping them in bounds is no sweat

Sponsored

More Discussions

Advice needed. Just repotted my two dying avocados in Tapla's 5-1-1

8

New Zealand lemonade tree with flowers

0

indoor lemon tree

6

HowardMartingrowing citrus #33

39

Productivity of kumquats and their hybrids

4