Propagating dwarf lemon trees
 

I collected the seeds from my dwarf lemon tree. But I am
wondering..... I know if you grow an orange tree from seeds, it won't
produce much, and so they are grafted. Is this the case with my lemon
tree? The seeds will come up but will not get much fruit production?

Propagating dwarf lemon trees
 

On 12/6/2009 6:03 AM, geronimo wrote:
I collected the seeds from my dwarf lemon tree. But I am
wondering..... I know if you grow an orange tree from seeds, it won't
produce much, and so they are grafted. Is this the case with my lemon
tree? The seeds will come up but will not get much fruit production?

With dwarf citrus, it's more than what kind of fruit will form on a tree
grown from seed. Viable seeds will result in a full-sized tree, not a
dwarf.

To obtain a dwarf citrus, a desirable variety is grafted onto a
marginally compatible rootstock. An partially compatible root stock
results in a semi-dwarf. An almost incompatible root stock results in a
true dwarf. These results are because the root stock inhibits growth of
the scion (the part grafted) to varying degrees.

The lack of full compatibility in the graft means that dwarf and
semi-dwarf citrus do not live as long as full-size (standard) citrus.
In a large pot, 25-30 years can be expected. Standard citrus can be
productive for decades longer.

By the way, grafting for standard citrus ensures that a desirable
variety results. Citrus from seeds might not be true to the parent's
variety. This is not an issue of fruit quantity but fruit quality.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

Propagating dwarf lemon trees
 

In article ,
"David E. Ross" wrote:

On 12/6/2009 6:03 AM, geronimo wrote:
I collected the seeds from my dwarf lemon tree. But I am
wondering..... I know if you grow an orange tree from seeds, it won't
produce much, and so they are grafted. Is this the case with my lemon
tree? The seeds will come up but will not get much fruit production?

With dwarf citrus, it's more than what kind of fruit will form on a tree
grown from seed. Viable seeds will result in a full-sized tree, not a
dwarf.

To obtain a dwarf citrus, a desirable variety is grafted onto a
marginally compatible rootstock. An partially compatible root stock
results in a semi-dwarf. An almost incompatible root stock results in a
true dwarf. These results are because the root stock inhibits growth of
the scion (the part grafted) to varying degrees.

The lack of full compatibility in the graft means that dwarf and
semi-dwarf citrus do not live as long as full-size (standard) citrus.
In a large pot, 25-30 years can be expected. Standard citrus can be
productive for decades longer.

By the way, grafting for standard citrus ensures that a desirable
variety results. Citrus from seeds might not be true to the parent's
variety. This is not an issue of fruit quantity but fruit quality.

And my little 3' tall Meyer Lemon has over two dozen lemons on it this
year (its' third year).
--
³When you give food to the poor, they call you a saint. When you ask why the poor have no food, they call you a communist.²
-Archbishop Helder Camara

http://tinyurl.com/o63ruj
http://countercurrents.org/roberts020709.htm

Propagating dwarf lemon trees
 

On 12/6/2009 6:24 PM, Wildbilly wrote:
In article ,
"David E. Ross" wrote:

On 12/6/2009 6:03 AM, geronimo wrote:
I collected the seeds from my dwarf lemon tree. But I am
wondering..... I know if you grow an orange tree from seeds, it won't
produce much, and so they are grafted. Is this the case with my lemon
tree? The seeds will come up but will not get much fruit production?
With dwarf citrus, it's more than what kind of fruit will form on a tree
grown from seed. Viable seeds will result in a full-sized tree, not a
dwarf.

To obtain a dwarf citrus, a desirable variety is grafted onto a
marginally compatible rootstock. An partially compatible root stock
results in a semi-dwarf. An almost incompatible root stock results in a
true dwarf. These results are because the root stock inhibits growth of
the scion (the part grafted) to varying degrees.

The lack of full compatibility in the graft means that dwarf and
semi-dwarf citrus do not live as long as full-size (standard) citrus.
In a large pot, 25-30 years can be expected. Standard citrus can be
productive for decades longer.

By the way, grafting for standard citrus ensures that a desirable
variety results. Citrus from seeds might not be true to the parent's
variety. This is not an issue of fruit quantity but fruit quality.

And my little 3' tall Meyer Lemon has over two dozen lemons on it this
year (its' third year).

I've already picked about 6 Eureka lemons from my dwarf. There are over
a dozen showing various amounts of yellow. And there are uncounted
little green lemons. Although we've already had frost, the tree is in
bloom. From the top of its pot to the topmost shoot, it's less than 4
feet.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

Propagating dwarf lemon trees
 

So if some of the seeds come up, they will just be standard lemon
trees, and the fruit might be just fine?

I bought my dwarf lemon only 1 1/2 yrs ago, and I just picked about
ten good fruit off of it. THe aroma coming from it when in bloom is
really great, too!

Propagating dwarf lemon trees
 

On 12/7/2009 11:21 AM, geronimo wrote:
So if some of the seeds come up, they will just be standard lemon
trees, and the fruit might be just fine?

I bought my dwarf lemon only 1 1/2 yrs ago, and I just picked about
ten good fruit off of it. THe aroma coming from it when in bloom is
really great, too!

Citrus is apomictic. This is a characteristic -- rare among flowering
plants -- that results in seeds that are viable (will sprout and produce
new plants) even if the flowers were never pollinated, not even
self-pollinated. However, pollination is indeed possible and is more
likely to produce viable seeds.

A plant from an apomictic seed will be true to its parent. A plant from
a pollinated seed -- even from a self-pollinated flower -- might be a
new hybrid or a reversion to an ancestral form. Hybrids and ancestral
forms be better or worse than the parent plant.

There is no way to tell -- without expensive genetic testing -- to
determine whether a citrus seed is apomictic or pollinated.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

Propagating dwarf lemon trees
 

David E. Ross wrote:
On 12/7/2009 11:21 AM, geronimo wrote:
So if some of the seeds come up, they will just be standard lemon
trees, and the fruit might be just fine?

I bought my dwarf lemon only 1 1/2 yrs ago, and I just picked about
ten good fruit off of it. THe aroma coming from it when in bloom is
really great, too!

Citrus is apomictic. This is a characteristic -- rare among flowering
plants -- that results in seeds that are viable (will sprout and produce
new plants) even if the flowers were never pollinated, not even
self-pollinated. However, pollination is indeed possible and is more
likely to produce viable seeds.

A plant from an apomictic seed will be true to its parent. A plant from
a pollinated seed -- even from a self-pollinated flower -- might be a
new hybrid or a reversion to an ancestral form. Hybrids and ancestral
forms be better or worse than the parent plant.

There is no way to tell -- without expensive genetic testing -- to
determine whether a citrus seed is apomictic or pollinated.



You can plant lots of seeds and only keep the ones that sprout 2
shoots. Half resulting the seedlings will be genetic clones of the
mother plant. (I wonder if you can tell when of the 2 shoots is the
clone while they are still attached to the seed)

Bob