Is my citrus recovering?

Many of us experienced freeze damage on our citrus trees last winter, and over the summer there may have been new growth coming from the dead stems.  But is the new growth going to produce the fruit that you want?  In many cases, it probably won’t.

Here is an example of regrowth below the graft. This tree will not produce desirable fruit. The green growth is below the bulb where the scion was grafted into the root. 

Practically all citrus trees are cultivars which are grafted onto a common root stock.  The scion (tree part) is grafted onto a hardy root base, so that the tree produces the desired fruit but has a sturdier base.  

If your tree is growing back below the graft, which can usually be seen at the base of the tree, then it means that the root stock  is growing back and not the desired fruit.  Usually the root is from a type of tree with non edible fruit.  

Trifolate leaf growing from root stock. This will not produce edible fruit.

Another clue is if the new leaves are trifoliate in shape, i.e.  they have three leaves off of the stem base. None of the edible fruit trees have leaves that are shaped like this. 

For more information, ask The Citrus Guy

2 Responses

  1. Very interesting and, makes sense.

    I bought a Myers Lemon Dwarf a couple of years ago and it is doing well. bears 4 lemons this ear and the tree has a lot of new green branches.
    Question:
    I gut some new branches and propagated them. If the new propagated plants show three leafes does this mean that they will NOT be the same fruit as the mother tree?
    Your answer will be ver much appreciated.

  2. Very interesting and, makes sense.

    I bought a Myers Lemon Dwarf a couple of years ago and it is doing well. bears 4 lemons this ear and the tree has a lot of new green branches.
    Question:
    I gut some new branches and propagated them. If the new propagated plants show three leafes does this mean that they will NOT be the same fruit as the mother tree?
    Your answer will be ver much appreciated.