What's wrong with this citrus label?

8 years ago

I've been coming across them when glancing at the citrus section at HD - Milpitas CA. There were many. Another Rio Red...bleh... Another Rio Red...meh... Wait a minute. What?! The fresh bark is kinda burnt purplish-brown on green. Interesting. Kinda cool looking actually. Upon closer inspection and digging at the rootstock label, that ain't Rio Red. It's New Zealand lemonade on C35. It even has a few baby lemons on them.

Before, I just ignored the trees because I already have Rio Red. I've seen a few more at other HD locations too. Again, same Rio Red mislabeled sticker. Same trees from HG Vacaville (?Hines Growers?). All in 5-gallon pot. Purplish-dark brown bark over green. So for two days, I brown-bagged my lunch and save the lunch money. Another citrus tree for me and no place to hide it. lol. lol.

The one I picked is exactly 4 feet from soil line to tip. There were nicer ones with multiple branching and thicker canopy than the one I bought below. I know a month ago, there were a lot more NZL. You can line them all up, compare, and cherry pick. I just didn't know they were NZL back then. Anyway, I tend to seek out the one with a taller, straighter trunk or a somewhat central leader, something I can form into a tree later. I don't like low branching or bushy type (à la 4WG citrus at HD)

Do NZL leaves normally stand up like that?

Featured Answer

poncirusguy6b452xx

8 years ago

NZL is better. Too bad it is not on flying dragon or US942 (sunkist x Flying dragon) Seville if you are Tristeza free.

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Comments (8)

Dee
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Lucky you paying attention to the labels. I would have taken them at face value. Now I will be scrutinizing every tree I am interested in top to bottom before purchasing. The price is fantastic as I pay $35 for a tree at big box store. Can you imagine all those people who purchased a Rio Red and what they will be feeling when learning they have a lemon tree? Some really angry people for sure. Who are you hiding the tree from? Your spouse? lol. I had to go look at my entry level NZL tree and noticed the younger leaves are smaller like yours do stand up. I only have 3 branches on my tree and found 1 really big mature one at the base of the trunk and it had flattened out. I guess due to gravity. I am guessing that with time your leaves will get larger and level out.
uncle molewacker z9b Danville CA (E.SF Bay)
8 years ago
Yes, that is a New Zealand Lemonade on C35 from Hines Growers. I grabbed one a few weeks ago from Walmart in Napa. I always check for the propagators tag .... always.
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kvetchlambkin (nyc 7b)
8 years ago
Wow amazing find! Imagine if it was properly labeled...all the good looking, healthier trees would've been long gone. In a way it's great for being able to pick the best of the bunch as well as getting an amazing lemon variety. I'm jelly!
Laura LaRosa (7b)
8 years ago
Great find! What incompetence in labeling!
pip313
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
No one mentioned the real way to know if it’s a nzl, does it have black branches?

Obviously you do. But that’s the “test”.
poncirusguy6b452xx
8 years ago
Pip Where are these "black branches" I have 2 NZL trees and I don't know what to look for
pip313
8 years ago
Just abnormally dark sections of branches. You have them, I’m sure if it. You got real nzl. Unless fwg sent me the wrong plants. But I’m 99% I got the right ones.