Fructification
The trees proposed on this site were selected for the quality of their fruits, all consumable and tasty fresh (except the Yuzu, to be cooked).
Grafting on vigorous varieties allows harvesting from 2 to 3 years after planting
Citrus trees are covered with an abundance of flowers, often very fragrant.
Not every flower will bear fruit, as this would exhaust the tree. Only a portion will develop, usually no more than 5 to 10%. As with all fruit trees, late frosts can damage the bloom and reduce the harvest.
At the end of the flowering, it is the initial phase where the small green fruits are formed.
The tree must be properly watered and fed during this period.
Nitrogen (N), Potassium (K) but also complementary minerals such as Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mg) are necessary. Manure, manure pellets, ashes or coffee grounds all contain these elements (see Fertilization)
Some citrus species initially cover themselves with many small fruits, but then purge themselves of the excess. Don't worry if you find immature fruit falling to the ground, this is normal behavior.
Citrus fruits ripen during the fall and winter. They take their yellow or orange color because of the cold.
For many varieties the fruits can remain on the branch for a long time. They are already ripe early in the season but will continue to evolve. In general, citrus fruits lose acidity and gain sugar the longer they remain on the tree.
Particularly aromatic fruits, such as Yuzu and Sudachi, are appreciated by cooks while still green, mainly for their spicy zest.
Fruiting characteristics of citrus varieties
The fruits have less resistance to cold than the tree itself, in case of intense frost (below -5 degrees C) they will be vulnerable.
However, for many varieties the harvest is before the first frost, such as the Satsuma mandarin and Navelina orange trees.
Choose early ripening citrus if frost is common in your area in early winter.
Fruit with a thick albedo (the white part under the peel) and larger, such as pummelos, will have better resistance than small, thin-skinned fruit, such as kumquats.
Some fruits, such as yuzu, sudachi or ichang lemon, are best harvested green when they concentrate more aroma (before the harvest period indicated in the table below).
During the harvest period, watch the weather forecast and if a severe cold spell is predicted (below -5 degrees C), pick most of the fruit before it suffers. We recommend that you always leave a few on the tree to check their resistance.
Consult the table below to choose a tree that suits your local conditions, also from the point of view of fruit harvesting.
The first years of fruiting
If your tree produces a lot of fruit in the first year after it is planted in the ground, it may become exhausted. In this case it is better to drop the fruits before they grow. The tree will direct its energy towards growth.
It takes three years for the tree to build up a complete root system. The fruits of an immature tree have not yet acquired their authentic flavor. Give it time to settle in and express its full potential.
