Pic #2 up closer. Its taller then the kumquat???

Pic #3 the stem on the right it where the thorney plant is growing from. On the same stalk the kumkaut is growing??? What is it and should I cut it off?

Mannskee, cut it off, it's root stock. You can see that it's growing below the graft. Gil

Cut it off. Stealing growing energy from the fruiting graft

Trifoliate orange 'Flying Dragon' (Poncirus trifoliata var. monstrosa) rootstock. As recommended by the two previous forum members, cut it off. It is leafless this time of year, because it is one of the very few citrus cultivars that are deciduous.

Patty S.

Here is a link that might be useful: Citrus Pages: Trifoliate Orange 'Flying Dragon'

Correction: This is standard trifolia rootstock, not the dwarfing 'Flying Dragon' (no curved thorns). I thought I had seen curved thorns, but one of the very knowledgeable folks over on the Citrus Grower's Forum who is also on this forum pointed this out to me. In any event, it's rootstock and needs to be cut off. :-)

Patty S.

You could always wait and harvest the delicious oranges that branch will make next fall ;-)

Just kidding, that branch will make interesting looking "oranges" that are exceptionally foul tasting fruit. Truly vile stuff.

If you wanted an interesting project, that might or might not work out, you could try "bark grafting" another variety of citrus onto that rootstock sucker. It is pretty easy to do, a rather interesting project, and all it requires is some tape, rubber bands, a sharp knife & a stick of "scion wood" of a variety you'd like to add to the tree. Not a real risk, since the sucker needs removing anyway. I attached a link to a very good youtube video of the process done by Tom Spellman of Dave Wilson Nursery. If you watch the video, make sure to look at the links to follow-up videos showing the trees progress months later. The tree used in the video is a nectarine, but the process for citrus is identical and pretty easy. If you want to try it, check around your neighborhood for someone that has a citrus tree of a variety you'd like and ask to snip off a pencil diameter branch. Best time to gather scion wood is late Jan ~ early Feb. Store scionwood in the refrigerator sealed in a ziplock bag till used. Best time to bark graft is right before the tree will break domancy, probably early March in your area.

Have fun if you try it. Even as a total newbie, you have at least a 50% chance of succeeding and if you don't, no harm.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fruit Tree Grafting