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Cold-hardy Changsha mandarin, and hybrid, growing far north in PNW

last month
last modified: last month

Here's a picture of my "Changsha mandarin".

It's a variety originally found growing in the wild in China that is not uncommonly grown in the U.S. Southeast (and Texas) as a cold hardy citrus.



It is growing outside in Olympia, WA. So quite a bit north. I do not cover it, but the mid section of the plant is surrounded and engulfed by a bush, which probably helps give it some protection. It's also on the south facing side of the house, in a more protected area.

It hasn't fruited yet but I have tasted the fruits on someone else's tree two hours south. It tastes like a poor quality Clementine mandarin and is full of seeds, with a somewhat cannabis-like aroma in the peel. It's definitely edible (though not really great). It seems to keep its leaves during the winter. The little tree is 5 feet tall.

Regular citrus varieties are not going to be able to survive through the winter outside this far north. (not even kumquat or Satsuma mandarin) So this is almost more of an "ornamental", to be able to say that you are growing citrus.



Here's a tiny seedling that was grown from a seed that came from a hybrid between Changsha mandarin and the very cold hardy Poncirus trifoliata.

It's been outside several years, and is in a mostly shaded spot. The growth is very slow, it's only a few inches high. It can easily take the cold here, but just will not really grow, it seems like.

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