Zone 7 = 10 degrees F. - 3 degrees = zone 5B on the high side. Your tree just died. .If you are hoping for fruit, you need to keep in mind that some fruit take as much as a year. The fruit is also destroyed at temperature less than 28 degrees F. The price looked good. Check out the "scoop on logees" to get there reputation. You might want to try one of the cold hardy early ripening satsumas or maybe a harvey lemon . You have a much better chance of getting fruit from trees grown on or beyond there fringes if the fruits are SMALL.Perhaps a nippon orangequat.

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I am going with a seed grown meiwa kumquat tree.
Click on picture to open display then use arrow keys on screen or keyboard to navigate.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/wreristhechimney/slideshow/HAPPY%20BIRTHDAY%20TO%20MEIWA%20ONE%20YEAR%20OLD

I have been to Logee's before and they're definatly a reputable place, its just that what you get is SO tiny! They're literally just one stem! I wouldn't plant the tree in the middle of the yard; that's just crazy business. I would plant it up against the house providing shelter from winds and warmth off the house, on the south side, wrapped in Christmas lights and for the first 4 years or until it gets too large, in a small enclosure.

Logee's is reputable, years ago I bought a bunch of plants from them, mostly begonias. They were tiny and all died a week or so after their guarantee period expired and they wouldn't do anything about it. So I haven't bought anything from them again. If you get a citrus from them, remember, it's been pampered in a greenhouse. I suggest you pot it in a pot that's one size larger than the one it is in when you get it. You'll need to bring it indoors probably for several winters until it's larger and tough enough to survive in the warmest part of your yard.

They're grown from cuttings? from seed? It makes a difference in how long it takes for them to get to bearing size, and it's going to take probably 5-10 years either way. I grew one citrus from seed and kept it in a pot for several years before putting it in the ground (I live in citrus country), and I brought it indoors when we got freezes (down to 25 at the worst, usually warmer than that). It's about 4 years old and I don't expect to see any production for about another 5 years.

Do a lot of research on different varieties. there are beter citrus to chose from unless you have tasted this one and know to like it.
Try these linls.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/citrus/msg0413465229079.html

another link

Here is a link that might be useful: http://plantfolks.com/preview/sitebuilder/Plantfolks/CitrusAvailability.html

another link

Here is a link that might be useful: http://mckenzie-farms.com/index.htm

I have what is likely a Dunstan's citrumelo growing here -- actually two plants. They have seen 0 degrees with no appreciable damage. Most winters though they see down to around 10 degrees for a low. Duration of cold makes a difference too. Both are up against structures to protect from cold winds.

Both were grown from seed (likely the Logees ones are too?) and grapefruit hybrids are notorious to have a very long juvenile period before they will flower -- up to 10 years or more. Mine are both about 14 feet tall and have not bloomed yet. I am currently grafting some hardy Citrandarin onto them.

My 'dunstan' citrumelo which is fully hardy in zone 7a is a great cold hardy one to try in zone 6 if planted in a sheltered spot. The fruit juice can be diluted with water and sugar added to make a drink almost identicle to grapefruit juice. I tried this the other day and it is surprisingly good. These fruits are seedier and more sour than typical grapefruit and would likely make a great lemon/lime substitute if the juice is used straight. This is the 1st year my tree has fruited and I plan on trying many things with the fruit including a mock lemon pie.

Keep in mind that a lot of uncommon plants can be grown "out of zone" but that doesn't mean they will thrive or produce fruit there. Around here (zone 7) a lot of people brag about such-and-such plant surviving last winter, but when you see the plant in person it looks like crap and they can take months to recover. Sometimes it isn't worth the hassle.

Citrus generally bloom in the Winter or early Spring. Most of them take at least a year for the fruit to ripen (grapefruit take 14 months!). So not only are you asking the plant to survive in your yard, but you need the flowers to not be damaged by cold temps and you need the fruit to hang on through all that mother nature is going to throw at it over the course of a year or more. That's asking a lot. It can be done. I've seen it with my own two eyes. I have hardy citrus in my yard. I didn't plant them expecting a crop every year. I just like the way they look and the way the flowers smell. To get fruit, I grow citrus in containers and shelter them in a simple greenhouse. It is worth it most of the time. Sometimes the flavor is missing and sometimes the trees just don't produce fruit.

Every tree I have that is a hybrid with Poncirus has nasty long thorns - like 4 to 5 inches long!!! keep that in mind where you plant yours.

Just a correction: -3 is zone 6b, NOT 5b. Zone 7 is a 0 to 10 AVERAGE annual minimum temp. Of course, many winters Zone 7 will not see single digits, but a freak winter in zone 7 can produce -10 just as easily!

Is anyone growing this tree does anyone have pics of it I know the fruit is not going to replace a navel orange lol. But would be fun if I could grow something in ground out side citrusy.
Trace

One of my Citrumelos completely died after this winter here in zone 7a. Perhaps in 7B they'd have a much better chance.

My other citumelo is sprouting back from about 4 feet up. It was 14 feet tall. Sad, because I think they were close to blooming (about 8 years old).

Trace, most likely, this unknown cultivar will be completely inedible. Almost anything crossed with trifoliate is inedible. It's one thing to have a sour fruit, another entirely when it's bitter. If you're interested in try to grow cold tolerant (there is no such thing as "cold hardy" citrus), I would contact Stan McKenzie and ask him what he thinks. He really is the best source out there, for being about to grow edible citrus in marginal zones. He sells several different options for cold tolerant citrus, and ones that are actually edible :-) Skip Logee's, they really are not "citrus experts", as Stan is.

Patty S.

Here is a link that might be useful: McKenzie Farms

Thanks patty I spoke with him I know logeees iant for citrus they are just cheap lol.
Trace

When it comes to citrus, go with the specialists. There's nothing worse than getting a cheap plant, waiting years, and learning that the plant is not what you were sold. Stan McKenzie is a great guy, his plants are a good size, and they are quite affordable for the size imo. Woodlanders is also a good provider.

What manfromyard, said. Skip Logee's. Their plants are tiny, poorly developed, and you'll have a high chance of demise. That has been my experience with Logee's. So, if your goal is to keep a plant alive, I would make a slightly larger investment in one of Stan's plants. Or, check out Woodlander's. Cheap is a relative term. If that plant dies, then it's not so cheap.

Patty S.

If Logees sells seedling plants, then you could be waiting about 10 years for it to reach maturity!

You have to push your luck develop them that is what I would if all else falls start pushing supermarket grapefruit for handling the zone 6 winters outside take time

Give it a shot Howard. I am behind you on this.

I have no choice but I addressaddressing the one that started talk about cold hardy grapefruit this what they must do if other ways fail

And I got nonormal lemon seeds coming up and temperature about 20 didn't kill them and they In clay soil

xdxdaustin Is gone. Her last post was 5-13-13. She quite citrus when she became aware of how hard it is to grow more than 1 zone north of its limits. Citrus trees grown in clay will be more cold tolerant than other more fertile soils. You are on to a good start. Are you still in ashland Ky or have you taken a new job yet.

correction to opening post: Citrumelo is actually a hybrid between trifoliate and grapefruit.

The only two types of Citrumelo I am aware of are Dunstan and Swingle. The grapefruit variety they both came from is Duncan, a white grapefruit variety (unparalleled flavor, by the way, but kind of seedy).

Duncan is the somewhat better tasting one, but Swingle is often used as rootstock.

I suppose if you actually made a cross between pomelo and trifoliate, that would also be considered a Citrumelo, but as far as I know it does not exist.

>....." Citrus trees grown in clay will be more cold tolerant .....<

I doubt that this has any truth to it. If anything it is not due to clay, but to a trifoliate root stock. In any case both of the above fruit taste terrible.

Slower growth trees harden off faster and sooner than fast growth wood. This is mostly true for all woody plants. It may not be a great difference but there will probably be some.

Steve

Do you have scientific studies

I would not be able to find the data that I have studied over the past 52 years. Otherwise yes. I started working with plants 56 years ago. Anyway I would like to see and be supportive in Howard create a zone 6-ish citrus tree.

steve

Can you work on a zone 7-hardy citrus first?

Instead grafting citrus for growth clay soil I grow them from seed clay soil makes them more tolerant clay soils

Idon't want trifolitta genes

I'm all in favor of anyone experimenting for a cold hardy Citrus. But expecting to grow supermarket Citrus fruit trees from seed outdoors planted directly in clay soil lemons (in zone 6?) is really looking for a needle in a haystack not counting the time involved which may be a decade. But hey.....you may find some rare genetic variance...just don't be too disappointed

You can grow some manderans here but you have to protect them when it gets really cold. I live in 7b and have grown a few outside But the fruit isn't good if you don't protect it when it's really cold. And they trees don't live more than 5 years planted outside. They get sick easier and are harder to nurse back. But growing in pots I can leave trees out until first of Dec sometimes and take back out late Feb early March. But even with this fruit will not be like flordia or California sweet. I do for fun to not go crazy.

I'm taking my sweet time and watching my trees soon later the trees will find away how do you think the others developed if handling cold wasn't in the first place

Juanita Tangerine

Arose from a seed taken out of a supermarket tangerine by Juanita Barrineau of Barrineau, South Carolina.[4] The original tree came about when Juanita stuck the seed into a pot that already had a houseplant growing in it. The houseplant died, but the seedling flourished and was planted outdoors. The resulting tree amazingly survived 0F (-18C) in 1985 and continues to bear about five bushels of fruit each year to this day. The tree and the fruit resembles a Dancy Tangerine. The tree grows in an upright habit with few thorns. The fruit is typical for Dancy. The pulp is a nice orange color, tender and very sweet and of excellent quality.[1] Similar description [2]

Original tree died in the severe winter of 2013-2014

lochlaurelnursery has it.

Steve

I seen Juanita Barrineau, the originator of the Juanita Tangerine, while attending a S.E. Citrus Expo in Charleston SC. She soon passed on after the expo. I wish what poncirusguy wrote above about her original tree still being alive was still correct, but sadly the tree died in a sever cold spill several years ago.

'...how do you think the others developed if handling cold wasn't in the first place..'

If I understand your question, the hardier citrus are native to colder regions than the other more tender citrus. They were likely always there (like for millenia). No doubt hardier varieties were selected over the millenia in the colder reaches of its range. But that was probably met with successes and failures over the millenia. Not in one lifetime.

For shorter term gains in hardiness, the citrus should be crossed with hardier species. Then back-crossed again for flavor.

These hardier citrus mutations are found up north because a cold snap comes by and kills everything else but it. These mutations occur in warm climates but are not found because there is no cold enough snap to separate out the winners from the losers. They get pulled as wees instead.

Steve

That's why we have to try impossible to find bring these mutations to the surface capitalize push hard

These mutations develop normally iignored not pushed developed

I'm growing a Dunstan citrumelo outside in Olympia, WA. So far it is doing great. Maybe only three feet tall right now, so it is still too small to produce fruit. I have seen a citrumelo tree outside, up against a wall, in Vancouver, WA, in a suburban neighborhood. Don't know exactly what variety it was. Pretty big tree, about 6 feet tall. I saw several medium-sized green fruits on it. I don't know if they ripen all the way. Both locations are classified in climate zone 8a.

I'm also experimenting growing what they call a "Bloomsweet grapefruit". Research I've dug up shows that it probably originated from a cross between a Japanese citrus variety known as "kunenbo" and a "buntan" (Japanese pomelo). Kunenbo is like a large sized mandarin, very fragrant but seedy, perhaps also a little bit comparable to a tangelo as well. It really has no exact equivalent to any normal citrus outside of Asia. Just for further helpful reference, common Satsuma mandarin is believed to have originated from a cross between Kishu mandarin (which is sometimes known as "Pixie") and Kunenbo. So Satsuma gets most of its distinct flavor from Kunenbo. It's a long story with many complex details. Probably this is the same variety that was known as "Kinkoji" in Japan, was probably later brought over by Japanese immigrant citrus farmers who moved to Texas, and there was given its new name "Bloomsweet" in Texas. And from there it has occasionally been grown in South Carolina. This "Bloomsweet" is not really a "real" grapefruit, but that is the closest most apt description of it. The flowers smells more like sour orange flowers than those of grapefruit.

Anyway, the tree is planted close to a warm south-facing brick wall, and has survived through two winters so far. The first winter was very cold with lots of snow (which was unusual for this area), and it was covered for protection. Suffered severe bark damage, lost most of its leaves. The second winter (2019-2020) it was not protected. Seems to have done well. Amazingly the leaves from last year seem to have mostly recovered (regained their green color after turning yellow) and it has put out a whole new stem full of big leaves.

It remains to be seen how this will do.

Sorry, there are just too many details to write them all here.

From the research I've been able to do (mostly reading other people's anecdotal observations, failures and successes, in other forums) I have gathered that Bloomsweet is probably hardy down to about 18 F or in the range 15-23 F, and I can also state from my own observations it probably has slightly more cold tolerance than Satsuma.

Anyway, I planted the two right next to each other, in perhaps the hope that I might someday be able to develop a new cross between these two varieties, trying to develop a better hardy grapefruit. I'm probably getting ahead of myself with that thought, however.

socalnolympia : Citrumelo 'Duncan' or did you mean 'Dunstan'?

Sorry, for the life of me I keep getting those two names mixed up, even though I really should, and do, know better.

I only have a phone the only from of computer I have thanks for the apologie

and I have another lemon seedling coming up makes me three now

I not used not trifoliata genes

think my soil may be changing

There are a number of factors to consider when pursuing cold hardy Citrus selections:

1. A plant that will not only survive, but actually thrive in cold Winter soil locations. I have several hundred plants that survived our unusually mild Winter, but haven't really been able to capitalize on the opportunity by failing to grow vigorously.

2. Being able to fully ripen the fruit before freezing weather sets in. Having the fruit succumb to freezes each year is somewhat pointless.

3. Acid selections may be more practical as they can ripen with less heat.

4. Selections should avoid the"fig" cycle, that is surviving with Winter damage, then making vigorous late season growth again prone to freeze damage.