Well, that is how the variegated Eureka came to be... just a color variation, and a weaker cultivar than the original; so I would expect that an even weaker sport is what you have.

Yes, it's common for this cultivar.

Josh

This post was edited by greenman28 on Sun, Nov 2, 14 at 13:12

John, you are right, what was I thinking....that's such a fragile tree to start with, do I really want to pick the weakest part and try to do something with it. No. OK, sorry. :P

Very common for any variegated plant, Serge, to send up a limb that is devoid of any chlorophyll. This happens to one of my variegated bougainvillaeas all the time. I would remove the branch, to support better leaf growth from leaves that have some chlorophyll (green). I'll watch the branch for a while on my bougainvillaea, but eventually I'll prune it out, to encourage better growth.

Patty S.

Patty there are a bunch of flowers at the end...should I see if I get a lemon or two or just whack it? The thing is...the lemon will probably be so so anyway!

The only fruit that I have on my tree right now, is actually a fruit that set from the pure yellow branch I posted above. The fruit itself started out pure yellow, as well, no variegation.

Josh

Well, the fruit needs the work of the last 4 or 5 leaves on the terminal bud to provide energy to develop fruit. In order to convert water and nutrients into sugar, the energy needed to do that is provided by the chloroblasts. Since there are no chloroblasts in any of those leaves, I doubt you'll get any fruit production. But, it's an interesting botany lesson, if you and Josh would like to leave your branch be, and see what happens :-) You might get stunted fruit, no fruit, or all yellow fruit.

Patty S.

Patty,
I have a stunted (small, slow-growing) all-yellow lemon on that branch. I'm only leaving it because it's the only fruit on the tree. I was sure that it would be the fruit to fail....

Josh