Sure, many immature citrus cultivars will produce some pretty wicked thorns on juvenile growth. It is a protective mechanism to discourage foraging animals from eating tender new growth. My Yosemite Gold mandarin had some pretty significant thorns and still does. Of course, providing us photos of your tree, especially the trunk where you see the graft line would help us from just guessing.

Patty S.

Thanks Patty,

I have read conflicting things on the internet, concerning thorns. There seems to be very little information on my Arctic Frost Satsuma and almost no photos. I thought that someone might have some knowledge and experience.

Mainly, it appears to be grafted, but the entire plant has thorns. I have seen posts that indicate the grafted portion shouldn't have thorns.

I was hoping that maybe someone knew specifically about these plants. I will post pictures ASAP.

Thanks

Yosemite Gold mandarin isn't supposed to have thorns, either. BUT, ALL young citrus can sport thorns, Jason, especially if grown on their own roots, which Arctic and Orange Frost are. So, chances are excellent this is what you have :-) I wouldn't fret over this, but if for some reason, you feel compelled to continue researching this, I would contact the San Antonio Botanical Garden and ask. Ying Doon Moy was the plant breeder, and the garden should be able to give you first-hand knowledge of their own cultivar. And, contact the place you purchased the tree from, and ask who the propagator is, and contact them to see if your tree is on own roots or is grafted. Photos of the trunk close up can tell us if your tree is grafted.

Patty S.

I bought it at wal Mart. I don't think they would bee much help :-) that's why i want to make sure that i have the correct plant. I'm in TN So i haven't sent much citrus. So the arctic frost typically isn't grafted? Maybe the plant just grows a little different than I'm used to. I'm trying to uplOad a photo now. Thanks

One more

So this odd looking shoot in the second photo isn't a graft?

Arctic Frost and its sister variety Orange Frost are hybrids between the Satsuma orange and a different, very cold hardy deciduous citrus tree from the Himalayas. It gets the thorns from the cold hardy parent, and there is no reason to expect it to outgrow its thorniness. God bless.

Marcus

2 year old post. But thanks for the info

I have a couple each of both the Arctic Frost and Orange Frost Changshou/Satsuma crosses growing here and they have good quality fruit. They are rooted cuttings rather than grafted plants, and since I do not know how resistant the roots would be to root rot out here in brown clay, I have them planted above the clay in good/porous/organic/fertile soil mix. The thorns can easily be clipped off with a hand pruner if you wish. I personally don't trust them to be as cold hardy as advertised until they get bigger/thicker. The peeling smell is different from satsumas (but nice), and the fruit taste is different from satsumas (but nice). They are winners.

copingwithclay, any difference between the two?

I have the exact same question. I have a 7 year old tree in the ground with huge thorns but I have not gotten any fruit yet and now I am wondering if I have the right tree. Note these trees are usually quite expensive and I a have never seen one for less than $60.00.