OT: What citrus are a TX 9a-ish hardy, if any

[NBTX11]

Question for any one in the know about citrus. What Citrus would be hardy in South Central TX San Antonio area, usually a 9a ish climate, normally bottoming out in the range of about 23-27F (-5C to -3C) annually, although can infrequently get colder. See a handful of frosts/freezes every winter. I saw some oranges and grapefruits plants for sale at HOme Depot today (don't ask me which kind, forgot) and almost picked some up. The label said hardy from 20F to 30F. Is there a hardier kind of orange that can be grown here. Also what kind of edible bananas can be grown. Don't say Musa Basjoo, I have heard the fruits are not edible on that one. Any and all opinions welcome.

[buffy]

Question for any one in the know about citrus. What Citrus would be hardy in South Central TX San Antonio area, usually a 9a ish climate, normally bottoming out in the range of about 23-27F (-5C to -3C) annually, although can infrequently get colder. See a handful of frosts/freezes every winter. I saw some oranges and grapefruits plants for sale at HOme Depot today (don't ask me which kind, forgot) and almost picked some up. The label said hardy from 20F to 30F. Is there a hardier kind of orange that can be grown here. Also what kind of edible bananas can be grown. Don't say Musa Basjoo, I have heard the fruits are not edible on that one. Any and all opinions welcome.

Wrong forum, but.....

Satsuma Mandarin Oranges. Cultivars: Owari, Seto & Kimbrough are cold tolerant to Zone 8A/8B. I live in Northeast Texas (Longview). I have lots of ripe fruit on mine right now. Plant them in raised plantars. They hate wet feet. Give them plenty of sun. You can plant them right now or in the Spring after the last frost. Don't plant during the winter or summer. Have at it.

Bananas: Try any of the dessert ones you want. You will likely never get fruit due to the freezing. If your mat of bananas gets large enough, you may have enough dead leaves to protect you pseudostems over the winter. Get on another forum and read up.

[NBTX11]

Thanks Buffy, if they are hardy in your area they are definitely hardy here.

[edbrown_III]

I have grown the satsuma tangerine and grapefruits here in Jax. I lost all the trees in 83 when we have 11F . Replanted in 1985--- worse freeze but I learned if you cover the graft with sand or cut a bucket and fill with sand to insulated. the tree wil come back. We had severe freezes all through the 80s -- I still have the trees they are huge and producing.

The banking or sleeving with a bucket will permit the tree to come back. You may lose a lseason but the tree will have the large root system in take.

Ed

[Laaz]

Most mandarins, Navel orange, pink grapefruit grown from seed, Sanbokan lemon, Meyer lemon, Hamlin orange, all of the kumquats. The things that won't do well are limes and true lemons.

For bananas, try Ice cream. Great tasting fruit and cold hardy.

Edited November 9, 2008 by Laaz

[NBTX11]

Thanks for the response guys. Sounds like the satsuma mandarin oranges are the way to go.

[redbeard917]

I've just gotten into cold-hardy citrus as well. I will probably protect my small Kimbrough satsuma and Meyer lemon because this will be their first winter in the ground. A website I refer to often is http://www.justfruitsandexotics.com/. They are located in an area that is probably colder than yours (zone 8) and they have hardiness info on the site. I very rarely see citrus growing in this area of N. Florida (much less common than figs or loquats for example) so I don't know from experience what does well.

[NBTX11]

Redbeard, thanks. That is a great site for cold hardy citrus.

[_Keith]

Citrus are tougher than given credit for, especially Meyer Lemon and Satsuma. The older the tougher. If you really catch a weird bad freeze, just protect the up about a foot about the graft. They will grow right back. I even have a Lisbon Lime that has proved very tough. Last year at 26.2 it showed literally no damage.

[NBTX11]

Then why do we hear people in FL crying every time it gets down to 32F that the orange crop is going to be damaged, if they are so hardy.

Edited November 12, 2008 by syersj

[Laaz]

A frost will kill the flower buds. The developed fruit itself should be hardy to about 27-28 F before it is damaged.

[Mark_NoVA]

Here is a great and inexpensive ($12 + $2 shipping) book, Hardy Citrus for the Southeast, published by the Southeast Palm Society, with excellent advice for your situation. I have a copy and liked it enough to buy another one as a Christmas present.

[hulagalnz9]

have you thought about Asian Pear? aka.nashi pear, Pyrus pyrifolia, They are so good and pretty tough.

:-)

[_Keith]

Here is a great and inexpensive ($12 + $2 shipping) book, Hardy Citrus for the Southeast, published by the Southeast Palm Society, with excellent advice for your situation. I have a copy and liked it enough to buy another one as a Christmas present.

I have that book as well. It is worth the investment, particularly for those folks in zones 8 and lower.

[steve 9atx]

Jim

I've got kumquats and sadism in the ground and Meyer's lemon, Rio red grapefruit, tangerine,

and Mexican lime in pots. The lime is the only one I bother to put in the garage for a freeze.

There are lots of hybrids like lemonquat that is much like a Meyer lemon - there are a few in

my neighborhood that are trees. Try Fanick's Nursery in your area, they're bound to have

a ton of stuff you can put in the ground in SATX.

As an aside, now that I have fired my vato yardmen that treated my house like a FARM

(harvesting avocado leaves for cooking, bunches of bananas, decimating my rosemary, etc.)

I actually have fruit, herbs, etc. from my own plants to eat!

Steve

[steve 9atx]

How did I get "Sadism" for "Satsuma". I must need more sleep............

Steve

[Tad]

so thats what that room with the big padlocked door off the kitchen was for? hey get your freak on I wont judge!