Wahoo! H_ll Froze Over

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

Four years ago, I made a Key Lime Pie using fresh Key Limes. I juiced the lime noticed some of the seeds looked sprouted so I placed them in a damp paper towel, slid the mess into a Ziploc bag and promptly forgot about them. 3 or 4 weeks later I rediscovered the now completely sprouted and growing seeds. I stuck each seed in a pot with little hope of any surviving. They were just too big.

Well, three of the seeds grew into little Key Lime trees. I gifted two and kept one. I then read up on seed started citrus and discovered the likelihood of a seed started, container grown Key Lime tree producing fruit had about the same odds as h_ll freezing over. Didn't matter to me that much as the little tree keep growing and growing. I live in the NE so the tree went out in the spring and came in the house in the fall. I re-potted it a few times, gave it a few haircuts and swore at it every time it stabbed me with its thorns.

Fast forward to today, the little seed grew into a tree 4' tall and just about as wide. Today lo and behold, what to my wondering eyes should appear but little white flower! So I guess h_ll has frozen over and the wind chill of -10 outside confirms it.

I have no delusions about the little flower turning into a Key Lime as there are no other buds in sight. But just in case...I arranged a little tryst between a Meyer Lemon blossom's pollen and that solitary, lonely Key Lime blossom. There is always hope that love will spring eternal.

Happy Holidays!

Featured Answer

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

7 years ago

Cross pollination is absolutely not needed for citrus but the individual blossoms benefit from some assistance in moving pollen from the anthers to the stigmatic surface of the same plant, same flower. In outdoor conditions, wind and insects do a good job of insuring the transfer but citrus houseplants need help, perhaps by using a tiny soft brush or swab.

However, knowledgeable growers will probably remove that first flower in order that the young plant can concentrate all of its energy resources into building a stronger, bigger tree body.

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Comments (12)

redneckgirlgreenthumb
7 years ago
The Key lime I have is from seed. I get a bumper crop of limes almost every year. It took it about four years from seed to fruit. Like yours it goes out, in the spring and in, in the winter. I no longer bring it in the house, as I now have a greenhouse, but I do get limes almost every year.
moosemac thanked redneckgirlgreenthumb
sunshine (zone 6a, Ontario,Canada)
7 years ago
Congratulations on your first bloom, well done!
moosemac thanked sunshine (zone 6a, Ontario,Canada)
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Flo Mangan
7 years ago
You tell a great story! Ain’t nature amazing. Keep us posted after the lime and lemon “affair"! Lol
moosemac thanked Flo Mangan
citrange2
7 years ago
Your arranged tryst was unnecessary! Citrus do not usually need to be pollinated to set fruit.

Sometimes first flowers on seedlings are incomplete and sterile, but if you can see a tiny round fruit within the flower then it can grow on to mature without pollination.
moosemac thanked citrange2
calamondindave
7 years ago
Great! Thanks for posting about your seed grown tree blooming. Gives me hope waiting for mine to bloom.

Congrats!
moosemac thanked calamondindave
poncirusguy6b452xx
7 years ago
Congratulation on your tree I too have seed grown trees. I have 1 in ground Fukushu and 4 potted Meiwa kumquat trees. I started out with. My fukushu is also 4 years old and about 2.5 feet by 4.5 feet tall. My Meiwa trees are 11 months old and much smaller as would be expected feet a slowish type growing tree. It has been very rewarding growing from seed. I have done my peaches and sour cherries from seed with good results.

Steve
moosemac thanked poncirusguy6b452xx
Embothrium
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
>It has been very rewarding growing from seed. I have done my peaches and sour cherries from seed with good results<

You are including fruit quality in this assessment? Because loss of desired fruit characters is the main problem with growing orchard fruits from seed. With many seedlings being a move back toward the often smaller, less sweet, succulent or otherwise appealing fruits of parental species. Even in the first generation.
moosemac thanked Embothrium
poncirusguy6b452xx
7 years ago
Peaches, nectarines and sour cherries reproduce close to true. All others are worthless.

Steve
moosemac thanked poncirusguy6b452xx
myermike_1micha
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Citrange2, very nice and congrats!! Exciting

Rhizo , I know you will see this.

I have written to you 2x in the past 3 months, responded to your e-mail., and have not heard back from you. Hopefully things are well for you both)
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
7 years ago
I have grown citrus from seed and they bloomed and produced fruit almost year round. As with many seed grown fruits, they weren’t particularly palatable.
moosemac thanked NHBabs z4b-5a NH
Laura LaRosa (7b)
7 years ago
Congratulations!!!! I hope it grows you a nice lime!