Hey Toni!
Oh yeah! You mean like Boy George?
Google Ulgi fruit. Yep it is a citrus. A hybrid between a tangelo and a grapefruit. Some call that a tangelolo. I almost bought a tree from Thompsons Nursery but S.W.M.M.H.P.(she who makes my hobbies possible) exercised veto powers. They don't come true to seed.

Scott, LMAO...
Does Thompson's have a pic of the fruit??? I'm not sure it's an Ugly fruit. But let's say it is, and I sow the seed/s...what will happen? Toni

I don't know. But if it looks Ugly, at least you won't be disappointed.

Toni - It looks similar to a Satsuma, Ponkan or even at Etrog. And it tastes pretty good too. The "Ugli" is a trademarked name for this tangelo. It's also called "uniq" or "unique". I've included a link to the official ugli website.

Here is a link that might be useful: Official Ugli Website

Sounds like a gourd. Is it hard or soft?

AAE, I think that's it..but it's green..darn..so does that mean the seeds are infertile?
Patty, no not a gourd..T

Hey Toni, scroll and read the whole thing- the bottom of the page says they come in orange and green skinned types. they say theyre not shipped till ripe so theyll always taste good. I guess if its got orange flesh, its good enough to plant.

So, what are you going to call your dehybridizing project? F1gly?

Since the description was that the fruit looked brain-like and woven, I have to think it was not citrus. Try osage orange (which, despite its name, is not citrus; it's mulberry family and is Maclura pomifera). A google search for images of Maclura should answer that question.

If you do look up 'Ugli' fruit, note the spelling.

Oh.. It wasn't a citrus fruit? If that's the case, I would have to agree with Malcom in that they could have been Osage Orange Fruit, or Horse Apples (as we call them in their native NE Texas). You may also hear the trees referred to as Bois D'arc.

Horse Apples and Osage Orange? Never heard of either..
Well, can I sow the seed to see what I end up with? I don't want to try and waste time...and pellets, which I'm running out of. And they won't be availabe till spring.

AAE, it resembled the Ugli fruit..so now I'm baffled.

MM, don't know why I spelled it ugly on this thread. I'll have do do a google w/correct spelling..

Let's say this is a Horse Apple..do I sow as I would seed from an apple? by putting in the fridge for a time?
Thanks...Toni

Toni - Do you really want a Horse Apple Tree?

Here is a link that might be useful: Osage Orange Information & Links

AAE, that's it!!! Ok another question..When I went to the site, than clicked on www.hedgeapple.com, up came the pic w/a duplicate of my frit..
There is a picture of the fruit with leaves growing..How in the world did they accomplish this?
So, will this fruit eventually sprout leaves, or do I open it up and sow from the 200 seeds, as the sites states, and sow seeds? Or is the fruit a seed?
Keeps away bugs..good, I'll grow several to keep my favorite, spiders away..lol..Toni

Toni,
The fruit won't grow. The seeds in it should, though, if it is ripe. When you open it, it will be full of very sticky, fibrous stuff, with the seeds among them. It's nasty to work with; kind of like playing in very sticky bubble gum.

It should be hardy in your area. The trees are interesting looking. Some types have big thorns on the trunk; others do not.

MM, thanks very much..I was thinking of attempting to grow this plant in a pot..If I had more outdoor space I would try growing outside, but I don't want to add another tree, otherwise it'll block sun from my houseplants..
Do you think it'll work as a potted plant?

To the person who emailed me regarding seeds, please resend. I thought the message would be in this thread and deleted it, Toni

Toni- my bet is NO WAY! in the "wild", these things are pretty big. I dont think they could be pot-grown.

and they wont keep all insects away. I dont know what insects they DO keep away, but spiders are mostly good guys! i know, I dont nececarily LIKE them like my worms, but theyre not bad. :-)

Meh. there are many more interesting, useful trees, IMHO.

ANYTHING can grow in a pot!!! Don't forget, when we order our trees they COME in POTS.
Toni, the site said that when you cut them open, you will find a mass of sticky seeds (as Dr. Manners said too).The whole fruit is not a seed! Any seed can be started in a pot & grown in a pot. I like that they make an interesting hedge as MM says. I wouldn't mind starting a couple to grow myself!
Patty
Patty

Toni, the Osage Orage would be hardy for you. It is weedy around here. It will grow anywhere in any soil. We call it Hedgeapple because it was once used for hedgerows. Kids love to throw the fruits. The wood is very rot-resistant and EXTREMELY hard. You'll sharpen a lot of chainsaw blades clearing this tree from your woodlands. I think that the seeds will need stratification.

Dirr says: "not worth recommending for the residential landscape; has potential for rugged, polluted areas..." Get yourself a nice hornbeam instead.

If you grow it in a pot, realize that, being a temperate tree:
1. It wants to grow to be a tree
2. It expects a winter, with lots of chilling units

So if you keep it in a heated house through the winter, it may die.

Toni & Patty - Everyone has their own taste in landscape plants. But the Osage Orange is better left to the back forty, along with Sweet Gum and Witch Hazel. If you want plants to keep insects away, pot up some marigolds.

Garn, I know, I know, spiders devour plant bugs, but to be honest, I'd rather do the chore myself..LOL..I am terrified of these ugly, thick-bodied creatures. They can live outdoors, and munch away on my garden plants.
According to the site AAE shared, many people state this plant keeps crickets, roaches, spiders, and even mice away..Whether or not it's fact or fiction, I can't say..Some people swear by it.

Patty, I agree..

MM, we must remember, citrus also are grown in pots, and they're meant to be set in the ground..yet we grow them in our warm, stuffy homes..Also, this is just an experiment. Living in Il, if the seed germinate, and live, they can only grow as large as the pot/sun/temps permits.
People grow Bonsai in small containers..many are outdoor trees, some very very old..Maple/Oaks are good examples.
Since I have the seed, I thought I'd give it a try. It was a freebie, and what do I have to lose? But thanks, anyway..I sense you take growing seriously.

AAE,yes, Marigolds keep bugs at bay, too, and they sell dwarf varieties..I have grown them in winter, but you know what happened? They suddenly got a case of spidermites LOL> I had the French, dwarf type. Toni

Toni - That is a good point about the bonsai trees. However, if you've ever known a bonsai enthusiast, then you know that it is more of a religion than it is a hobby. It's an every day thing. And with dozens of plants like you have, keeping a bonsai version of the Hedge Apple would be a real chore. Furthermore, the fruit are somewhat large. I don't know how feasible it would be to have a bonsai of this variety.

About the Marigolds and insects, you've made another good point. I suppose pests are a part of gardening. Don't count on horseapples to reduce the pest population. A lot of people may believe it works. But there are also a lot of people that believe Elvis is still alive. Keep that in mind before you go planting a monstrous tree.

Toni,
It's certainly worth a try, but the comparison to citrus in pots is not valid. Citrus, being subtropical or tropical plants, have no need of winter chilling. Most temperate deciduous trees (including, I assume, Maclura), have an absolute requirement for a certain amount of chilling to bring them out of winter dormancy, without which they, at the very least, become very unhealthy, and in most cases, they die. Now, if you have an unheated garage or basement where you could put the pot in winter, fine -- that should do the trick. But in a short-sleeve-comfortable living room, I'd not expect survival past the first year.

Certainly, one never, ever sees Maclura pomifera in central Florida, and the only reason I know of is the same reason we also don't see white oak, red oak, sugar maple, etc. -- we don't get enough winter chilling.

MM, and I envy your sunny, warm, climate..LOL..
Yes, as a matter of fact I've an unheated garage this fruit, if it lives, can be overwintered. Thanks for the thought..one thing, will it need much sun?
There are two windows in the garage, facing west, but considering our cloudy seasons, it won't be getting much light..What's your opinion? Thanks, Toni

Toni, I don't think I'd store it in extreme darkness, but near a window should be fine. It will have dropped all its leaves anyway, so photosynthesis is not an issue. Alternatively, you could leave it outside by "planting" it, pot and all. What you would not want to do is leave the potted plant outside, above-ground for the winter, because then all of the roots would freeze,and that would likely not be a good thing.

MM, you are so funny...We are really jumping the gun. I don't know if this fruit will root to begin with..LOL..
I'd like to experiment with it, and whatever happens, happens..

STressbaby, you mention stratification..did you mean removing outer layer of seed, or arranging in layers? If layers, why is that? Toni

Stratification is a process for breaking dormancy in a seed, generally by a cold treatment. The link below suggests both 48 hours soak AND 2 months of stratification for Osage Orange...I've seen 48 hour soak alone and 1 month of stratification alone as well, it doesn't look like Osage orange is too picky. The stratification could be done by putting the seeds in the fridge.

Also note that the plant is dioecious. Male plants won't bear fruit.

Here is a link that might be useful: Osage orange seed treatment

Stress, thanks for clarifying your response..
Yes, I read the seeds need a cooling period..I will place in the fridge.
I'm hoping my seeds are female..LOL..
The site AAE posted explained about males unable to bear fruit. What it didn't mention was if some seed in a solo fruit were male and others female.

Again, to the person who emailed me about seed, please write back..I accidently deleted the letter..Toni

Toni -- You can say that again.. LOL

I have read that the Ugli fruit originated in Jamaica and was found growing wild. It is not clearly understood what the parentage is. There seemingly has been an observation of the fruit and a conclusion drawn that it is derived from a pommelo and a tangerine. I think it is an interesting variety of a citrus tree to have.

Rainwater, I have to chuckle when I see posts from 2005 and earlier, suddenly brought up to date..lol..
Thanks..I didn't sow the seed..I have NO idea how grafting is done, so that fruit was ripe, and decided to germinate, all I'd have s a mess..a bushy, thorny plant. Nor did I find a grafted tree for sale, (not any in my budget anyway) so passed it up..
How I'd love living in Jamaica where Uglifruit grow wild, instead of cold, dark, arid Illinois, where you have to watch over plants night and day..
Thanks for checking it out though..It's interesting. Toni