Do you have a green thumb? Maybe you’re interested in growing something that will blossom in your yard. The spring gardening season is a good time for planting a citrus tree in your yard.
Such trees used to be a common site around Florida homes. But citrus canker and greening have diminished residents’ ability to enjoy these iconic trees and the fruit they produce.
Despite the challenges, people from Florida and across the country contact citrus nurseries this time of year, seeking to purchase trees for their yards and/or homes. It’s a passion, say nursery owners and UF/IFAS citrus breeders.
READ: Slightly Sweeter News For Florida Citrus: Production Estimates Edge Up, But Challenges Remain
Nate Jameson, co-owner of Brite Leaf Citrus Nursery in Lake Panasoffkee (Sumter County), said Sugar Belle® and Gator Bites™ are among the most requested varieties in Florida now. Meyer Lemon and Key Lime remain popular around the country.
Customers who buy from the Jamesons are savvy.
“Most of them understand about citrus greening,” Jameson said. “We have people request UF/IFAS rootstocks (the part of the citrus tree that grows below ground). They still want a tree that ensures they get the most out of their purchase.”
Some of their customers are foodies, and they get many calls for finger limes, especially ‘UF RedLime’ and ‘UF SunLime.’
“You have a group of people that are interested in new things,” Jameson said. “The hot topic is finger limes. They’re being used in restaurants and cruise lines – as a garnish, in salads. People go out and eat and, all of a sudden, they want a finger lime tree.”
READ: Carrying On A Family Tradition: UF/IFAS CALS Grad Inspires The Next Generation Of Citrus Growers
None of this surprises Fred Gmitter, a professor of breeding and genetics at the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center. Among his many cultivars, Gmitter developed Sugar Belle® in 2008. It’s a mandarin that can be grown in your yard.
“It’s important for our nurseries to keep the businesses going,” said Gmitter, who has been breeding citrus for more than 40 years. “Nurseries like Brite Leaf are selling all over the country. There are a lot of people who would like to grow a little citrus in their yards. People in Tennessee and Idaho are buying this citrus. They want to plant unusual trees. They’re hobbyists.”
Gmitter and fellow UF/IFAS citrus breeder Jude Grosser develop citrus trees largely to help keep Florida’s citrus industry going. Gmitter and Grosser provide rootstocks to growers interested in new varieties as well as nurseries so that anyone can grow and enjoy citrus from their home-grown trees.
UF/IFAS offers numerous tips for successfully planting and maintaining residential citrus trees.
Those tips are helping Gainesville resident Jane Ellis, who tends to a tangerine tree in her backyard.
Ellis grew up in northern Brevard County, surrounded by orange groves, so she always enjoyed the smell of the orange blossoms. The woman who owned the groves was a family friend.
READ: Florida’s Citrus Industry Faces Further Decline As Production Forecast Drops Again
“We called her the ‘orange fairy’ because we regularly opened our back door to find a bushel of oranges on the steps,” Ellis said. “She planted several trees in our yard as well.”
Ellis later moved to Gainesville, where she now works for UF.
“I always thought of Gainesville as being too far north for citrus, but 15 years ago, I bought a house with a large lemon tree in the backyard,” she said. “It was a prolific producer, and I was again very busy processing citrus. I gave a lot away. One year, I picked over 600 lemons.”
Eventually the tree succumbed to citrus greening and had to be removed. She’s replacing the lemon tree with a new tangerine tree, which she just planted.
She heard about a UF/IFAS class teaching how to grow citrus at home and jumped at the opportunity.
“Right now, I only have the tangerine tree, but I would like to have another lemon and a lime of some sort,” Ellis said. “This is my first time starting to grow a citrus tree, but I plan on doing everything I can to protect it from greening and freezes. I plan on following all the advice from UF/IFAS on growing backyard citrus.”
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
