Hardy Citrus Atlas

8b

A citrus plant in a blue pot beside a garden fence and label

Meiwa Kumquat

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Meiwa kumquat (Citrus crassifolia ‘Meiwa’) is a natural hybrid between the Marumi and the Nagami, regarded as the sweetest kumquat and the most pleasant to eat raw. The hardiness reference retained for the tree is 10°F (−12°C); whether it can be grown in the ground depends on the plant and the microclimate. Native to Japan, where it is very popular, the compact shrub reaches 6 to 10 ft (2 to 3 m), with a dense, rounded habit and evergreen foliage. Its dark orange, oval-round fruit, larger than that of the Marumi or Nagami, has a sweet skin and a pulp with more moderate acidity than other kumquats. Excellent eaten whole like a natural candy, in salads, or candied. Fragrant summer flowering. Choosing Poncirus trifoliata does not remove the need to protect young plants and fruit from frost. Prefers a south-facing wall and well-drained soil.

A citrus plant bearing orange fruit in a terracotta pot

Fukushu Kumquat

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Fukushu kumquat (Citrus obovata ‘Fukushu’), also called Changshou kumquat, is a Japanese variety that produces larger, sweeter fruit than classic kumquats. The hardiness reference retained for the tree is 14°F (−10°C), to be read with the conditions given in this entry. The compact shrub reaches 6 to 8 ft (2 to 2.5 m), with a rounded habit and glossy evergreen foliage. Its light orange, obovate fruit, 1.5 to 2 in (4 to 5 cm) long, has a thin, mild, fragrant skin and a pulp that recalls a mandarin more than the traditional kumquat. A flavor balanced between sweetness and acidity, excellent eaten whole or as juice. Abundant, fragrant spring flowering and a very ornamental habit. Choose a rootstock suited to the soil and climate, without attributing a fixed hardiness gain to it. Plant against a south-facing wall; well-drained soil is essential.

Small green citrus fruit among pale green leaves

Centennial Variegated Kumquat

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Origin: Centennial Variegated Kumquat is a mutation discovered in the United States, more precisely in Florida, from the famous Nagami […]

Small pale yellow citrus fruit among narrow leaves

Coachella Eremolemon

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Origin: Originating in California, it is a fascinating natural intergeneric hybrid between an Eremorange (itself a hybrid of the Australian […]

A young leafy citrus plant in a pot beside a wall

Clementine × Yuzu 333

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Clementine × Yuzu 333 (Citrus clementina × junos) is a modern hybrid of the Mediterranean clementine and the Japanese yuzu, a numbered selection (333) from a breeding program aimed at combining clementine sweetness with yuzu hardiness. Its tree hardiness reaches 10°F (−12°C), higher than that of the classic clementine, and Biggio and Londeix rank it among the citrus to plant in USDA zone 8b. The tree reaches 6 to 13 ft (2 to 4 m) with a rounded habit, evergreen foliage, and fragrant white flowers. Its orange-yellow fruit, medium-sized and easy to peel, ripens in winter and offers juicy flesh with a flavor balanced between clementine sweetness and the fragrant acidity of yuzu, with a few original floral notes. A few seeds. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata, plant against a south-facing wall, in well-drained soil.

A rough-skinned orange citrus fruit and a cut half on a table

Yuko Lemon

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Yuko lemon (Citrus yuko) is a rare Japanese citrus, sometimes called yellow yuzu, native to Japan where it has been grown for several centuries in coastal regions. Its hardiness reaches 14°F (−10°C) on the tree, with a USDA 8b climate benchmark used in this entry, indicative and to be confirmed for the material grown. The tree reaches 7 to 13 ft (2 to 4 m) with an upright habit, aromatic evergreen foliage, and fragrant white flowers. Its golden-yellow fruit, round to slightly flattened, with bumpy, thick skin, ripen in fall and concentrate a very fragrant sour juice evoking yuzu and lemon, with unique floral and resinous notes. Widely used in traditional Japanese cooking, in juice, zest, ponzu vinegar, and in niche pastry. A few seeds. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata for hardiness, plant against a south wall. A rare collector’s citrus, little distributed in French garden centers.

An orange citrus fruit hanging from a branch in a garden

Citradia 139

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Citradia 139 (Citrus x citradia) is a rare citrus × Poncirus hybrid, a numbered reference selection from a hardiness breeding program intended to produce edible fruit in regions with continental winters. Its hardiness reaches 9°F (−13°C) on the tree, among the hardiest citrus in the inventory, making it suitable for in-ground growing in USDA zone 8b. The tree can reach 16 to 20 ft (5 to 6 m) in the ground with an upright, semi-thorny habit, semi-evergreen foliage, and white spring flowers. Its yellow-orange, medium-sized fruit, with thick skin, are harvested from October-November according to the Vessière catalog and offer a tart aromatic juice with a more marked residual bitterness than standard citrus, inherited from the Poncirus parent, suitable for marmalade, blended juice, or marinade. Niche variety for collectors. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata, plant against a south-southwest-facing wall, in well-drained soil.

A hand holding half a pink-fleshed citrus fruit beside a tree

Cara Cara Orange

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Cara Cara orange (Citrus sinensis ‘Cara Cara’) is a natural mutation of Washington Navel discovered in Venezuela in 1976, famous for its pink-red flesh due to the presence of lycopene. Its hardiness reaches 14°F (−10°C) on the tree, slightly higher than that of Washington Navel, making it suitable for in-ground growing in USDA zone 8b. The vigorous tree reaches 10 to 16 ft (3 to 5 m) with a rounded habit, evergreen foliage, and fragrant white flowers. Its bright orange, medium to large fruit, easy to peel and seedless, ripen mainly from December to February, with possible holding on the tree until May, and have intense pink to red flesh, sweet and low in acidity, with notes of strawberry and rose. Excellent fresh, as juice (spectacular color), in salads, or as sorbet. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata for hardiness. Plant against a south-facing wall, in well-drained soil, with winter mulch.

A hand supporting a large pale yellow citrus fruit on a tree

Duncan Grapefruit

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Duncan grapefruit (Citrus × paradisi ‘Duncan’) is one of the oldest grapefruit varieties grown in Florida, a spontaneous hybrid between pummelo and sweet orange identified in the 19th century. Its hardiness reaches 14°F (−10°C) on the tree, classed among the citrus to plant in USDA zone 8b by Biggio and Londeix; G. Roques’s proposal applies to established specimens protected in their first years. The vigorous tree reaches 13 to 20 ft (4 to 6 m) with an imposing rounded habit, glossy evergreen foliage, and fragrant white flowers. Its very large yellow fruit, weighing 10.6 to 17.6 oz (300 to 500 g), with thick skin, contain juicy white-pink flesh with a characteristic taste combining sweetness, frank bitterness, and acidity, with many seeds. Excellent at breakfast, as juice, or in confectionery (candied peel). Reference variety for aromatic quality among grapefruits. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata, plant against a south wall, in well-drained soil.

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