Ponderosa lemon tree grow and care – tree of the genus citrus, is hybrid between Lemon and Citron. Ponderosa lemon tree perennial evergreen plant, grow for edible fruits, can be used also as ornamental plant and can grow as dwarf tree or bonsai, can grow in tropical, subtropical or mediterranean climate and growing in hardiness zone 9+.
Leaves color green in elliptic shape and the tree has thorns, flowers are white with purple with yellow stamen,
Ponderosa lemon tree edible fruit
Fruit round and the size ~4-7 cm’ and color is yellow, it can be sweet / sour or something in between. The inner fruit divided by segments, the segment cover with soft thin layer, it containing the pulp (little cones covered with a thinner layer).
Peal color is yellow, the peel with edible uses but sometimes little bitter also used as flavor and fragrant
Ponderosa lemon tree for sale – Seeds or Plants to Buy
How to grow Ponderosa lemon tree tree – growing and care:
Well-drained soil, better loamy soil, moist soil in the fruits season and better to put mulch
How to care:
Design for easy to pick the fruits (when there are thorns it’s important but not all cultivars have thorns), add to the soil, organic matter, humus and fertilizer, in location with hot summer sun that the main trunk is expose to the sun better to better to whitewash (lime paint)
What is the best way to start growing:
Plant / Seed / Cutting / Air layering
Is it necessary to graft or use vegetative reproduction??
Yes, necessary to ensure the existent of the fruits and quality of the fruits and better to graft more than one cultivar or more than on citrus.
Cutting need to use for the base of the tree for: disease-free, base that fit for different soils, resistance for drought, base that won’t resist for grafting.
Difficulties/Problems with growing:
Thorns
Planting season:
Spring to summer in hardiness zone 9-10a, spring or autumn hardiness zone 10b-11a, possible also in summer and winter the main problem it’s hot and cold days that might cause future problem and even kill the plant, hardiness zone 11b+ planted all year
Pests and diseases:
Citrus leaf miner, aphids, citrus foot rot, ant, citrus gummosis
Pruning season:
All the year
How to prune:
Dead branch, cross branch, too much growth density
Size of the plant?
3-7 m, 10-21 feet
Growth speed in optimal condition:
Medium growing to slow growing
Water requirement:
Average amount of water, usually the plant need more water in the fruits season, but usually it’s when there are rains and if raining season delay need to increase the amount of water that the fruits won’t be dry and won’t explode.
Light conditions in optimal condition for growing:
Full Sun and possible to grow in half shade in the right care but will produce less fruits
Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant?
No, but possible to grow next to window with sun that possible, grow it as dwarf tree and will take more time to get fruits
Growing also possible in pots, planter, flowerpot, containers:
Yes, when grow in container need to make or take dwarf tree or bonsai, even bonsai can bear fruits, need to use potting soil or mix of peat soil with perlite, drainage and holes in the pot important, don’t let the water stand in the bottom of the pot, need ever few years to switch the soil of the pot and better to start with pot that will be 20% bigger than the roots ball and every time to change it with new soil, no point that the soil will stay in the pot for no reason just lose the viability
Blooming information
When does flowers bloom?
Spring / Summer / Autumn
General information about the flower
Flowers are white with yellow stamen
Thinning / Deadheading of the blossom:
The first years should thinning the flowers
Pollination is done by:
Bees
Edible fruits
When does it yield – harvesting season:
All year
Fruits pests or diseases:
Citrus stubborn disease, citrus black spot, Alternaria
What can be done with big quantities of Ponderosa lemon tree fruits?
Eat, juice, the rind used fragrant, fruit leather, sugary rind
Work requirements on the fruit:
Pick up (sometimes cut branches that grow into the fruit)
How long does it take to bear fruit?
3-4
Ripening of fruit
Possible to pick up the fruit before and let them ripening them in the house (or even to use them)
How to grow Ponderosa lemon tree from seeds
Sowing requirement:
Moist soil, well-drained soil, 20-27C temperature and better in sunny location
Saving and care seeds until sowing:
Dry, dark location in room temperature
Sowing season:
Spring to early summer (possible also summer to autumn)
How to plant:
Planting in soil that keep moist, cover the seed lightly
Planting spacing:
Better in separate pots, direct on the place 3*4m (10*13 feet), for transplant 5*5 cm (2*2 inches)
Depth of Sowing:
2cm (1inches)
Conditions for seeds germinate:
Keep the soil and don’t let it dry, rich soil and sunny location
Watering requires for Seeds:
Average amount of water
Germination time:
2-4 weeks, but can take longer
Condition of seedling:
If there is Citrus leaf miner in one of the trees in the area, better to put it in greenhouse or indoor to protect the tree, young tree very sensitive to citrus leaf miners, better to cover the soil with mulch.
Scientific name:
Citrus × Ponderosai
Aleternative names: Limon ponderosa, Citron ponderosa
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Edible Parts |
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Culinary uses |
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Climate |
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Harvest Season |
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Ornamental parts |
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Plant growing speed |
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Plant life-form |
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Plant Uses |
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Planting Season |
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Plants sun exposure |
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Watering plants |
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