Satsuma Mandarin orange advice needed

[NBTX11]

Hey guys, need advice on my satsuma trees. I have 2 trees in ground that are about maybe 3 ft tall at most. Last year I got 10-15 oranges off each tree. Well, we just had the coldest winter in over 20 years. Got down to at least 16F, possibly colder They completely defoliated. I thought they were dead, all the branches appear brown, with no life in them. Anyway, I went out there today to look at them, and guess what! They are growing new growth from the base of the trunks. Kind of like suckers shooting out of the base of the tree. Question, will these suckers grow into a new tree. They are growing right from the base of tree about an inch or two off the ground. All of the branches appear dead, the only live tissue is in the lower trunk where these new shoots are growing. I am just wondering if these shoots will actually grow into a new tree. Thanks for any and all advice.

[Don]

I'm not an expert but if the shoots are above the graft that's good if below the graft not good. I would waite awhile to see if leaves start budding. Satsumas get more cold hardy with age so if it lives it can only get better,good luck.

Don

[Zeeth]

Sounds like they are coming out of the rootstock. I'll bet that it was grafted onto trifoliate orange, which is a zone 5, so it survived fine and is putting growth out. Let the leaves develop a little and tell us what they look like. If they look like this, then they are definitely the rootstock

[Steve the palmreader]

Young citrus trees should be banked with mulch or dirt about 1 ft. high in the winter to protect the graft union. this works well in colder climates in cold years to save even larger trees

[NBTX11]

Here are pictures of what I am talking about.

Here is how it looked last year (all of these branches are dead now)

Is this tree a goner.

[Zeeth]

Yep, that's certainly the rootstock, you will notice how the leaves grow in a cluster of 3, a contrast of the single leaved scion. It's likely a trifoliate or a citrumelo.

If you want, you can let them grow for a bit so the tree still gets a little energy, and if the mandarin scion doesn't grow back, you can always graft another one onto it. If buds appear higher up on the tree that have the single leaf of the mandarin, gut off the 3 leaved branches and let the tree grow.

[NBTX11]

Thanks, Keith. I don't see any growth above the grafts at this time, so I think the tree is dead. Oh, well, guess I will have to replace them. I thought these things were supposed to be hardy to 15F. Guess not.