Are you talking about a SANBOKAN 'lemon?' What can you tell me about this type of citrus? I think I've read it's not a real lemon, but maybe a sour orange or an unknown hybrid.

I have corrected my spelling and yup, Sanbokan is suppoused to be kinda like a sweet lemon or sour orange. I like the look of the fruit but never had a chance to try. I'm just happy that this one is a good grower :) And of course looking forward to some fruits in two or three years. Anybody out here that has a fruiting Sanbokan tree?

I believe the correct spelling is SAMBOKAN, Citrus sulcata; but of course it is a Japanese character, so the English adaptation will never be completely correct. Beijing is an example of that; we used to say Peking; now Beijing; but it really is neither. Oooops; just checked my Citrus Industry reference; and it lists it as Sanbo, or Sanbokan; my spelling was given to me by a Japanese master gardener; so, personally I will probably stick with Sambokan. I don't grow it, never will; but I do appreciate its contribution to Ponzu.

I used to have a Sambokan lemon tree, some years ago. It is OK as an unusual species, but not much of a lemon. The fruit had a thick peel much like a pummelo. I eventually just got rid of it. .

Silica did you not like the taste? Or why did you get rid of it?

Susanne, the tree was OK, but there are a lot of better lemons. I just did not want to take the time to take care of it.

Good to know, Silica :)) so I don't end up buying it in the future.

Sunshine I also heard that this is a very tasty fruit. Obviously it takes some time until the fruits are good. Taste between grapefruit and sweet lemon.

Susanne, i like how you have tied your tree. I have a few grom harris i will have to tie this way. Thanks for your great idea!

Lauren I want the tree to move in the wind without being toppled. Had this with some of my other trees. I'm glad if it helped you :)

Very very nice looking Sanbokan. If it were mine I would have rubbed any new growth from 8 inches below the crown and worked my way down . It's really a personal choice . Great looking tree Susanne.

Brian

Brian I was thinking about it and might do that. This tree really wants to push out everywhere from the very bottom (rootstock three new shots) to the top. Thinking maybe let them grow a bit and then take of and practice grafting. definately keep the stem clean to create a nice tree form.

Susanne it did. I have already tryed three different ways of loosely staking that i felt werent loose enough. The trunks are a little spendly. What you have done is perfect. I notice you have a few trees from harris. Are some of yours also not on dwarfing rootstock? Does this worry you?

Keep all growth. your tree is in bad need of foliage. When trees need foliage they send out growth along the trunk.

Steve

Lauren no not worried especially if they are growing well,.

Steve how long should I keep the side branches on the stem?

The tree will let them die when it no longer needs them. If they are not in your way then leave the be. My Fukushu Kumquat has branches that have bent down to touch the dirt. When the leaves are used up the tree will drop them and then drop the limbs 2.

Steve

Susanne, I agree with Steve.

I sometimes worry that mine will get too big to grow in pots but then i remind myself i live in NC and with the seasons here and root pruning years down the road i should be fine. I have several trees on non dwarfing rootstock because i couldent find them on it.

Because "I'm not ordering any more trees" generally means exactly the opposite, I ordered one of these the other day. It was listed as "Sweet Sambo Lemon" but I see that that is basically synonymous with Sanbokan (aka Sanbo, Sambo - in Japanese they often pronounce an N before a B as if it were an M, and transliterate it as such). I like unique varieties and am super interested in sweet lemons. Some people say they love this fruit, others seem to think it's not worth growing--I've got a few bucks to see if I'm the former. :)