Howdy all,

I have some orange, lemon trees and pomegranate grown from seed, they are in a conservatory in the UK, and are outside in summer, they are about 8 years old but some say they don’t flower until about ten years.

They are all very big and healthy; however will they flower, as some people say you need the male and female plant for them to flower ??? Is there a male a female ???

I also have a few African trees that are doing well.

Wayne

There is no such thing and a male and female citrus tree. The flowers of citrus are complete flowers, a citrus flower contains both male (pollen) and female parts (stigma). Seedling orange trees normally mature and flower in 8-10 years when grown outdoors in the ground in a warm climate such as California or Florida. However when grown as a container tree that spends 6 months a year indoors, and growing in a cool location like the UK, the time until the tree reaches maturity will be longer. Seedling lemons grown out doors in a warm location require approximately 5-6 year to bloom and fruit. Pomegranates grow easily from seed, unfortunately pomegranates do not grow true from seed. The fruit produced by a seedling pomegranate tree is always inferior to the fruit of the mother tree from which the seed came from. . NOTE: if you ever wish to obtain fruit from your citrus trees do not prune the trees. Pruning reduces the node count, and therefore greatly lengthens the time until the tree reaches maturity.

There is no such thing and a male and female citrus tree. The flowers of citrus are complete flowers, a citrus flower contains both male (pollen) and female parts (stigma). Seedling orange trees normally mature and flower in 8-10 years when grown outdoors in the ground in a warm climate such as California or Florida. However when grown as a container tree that spends 6 months a year indoors, and growing in a cool location like the UK, the time until the tree reaches maturity will be longer. Seedling lemons grown out doors in a warm location require approximately 5-6 year to bloom and fruit. Pomegranates grow easily from seed, unfortunately pomegranates do not grow true from seed. The fruit produced by a seedling pomegranate tree is always inferior to the fruit of the mother tree from which the seed came from. . NOTE: if you ever wish to obtain fruit from your citrus trees do not prune the trees. Pruning reduces the node count, and therefore greatly lengthens the time until the tree reaches maturity.

Hi there Riesling,

Thx for the reply. I had a feeling there was not a male and female citrus tree, as how could they survive in the wild like this.

So 8-10 years in a warm climate, mine are about ??? Well 8 years I said, but they, both lemon and orange could be from 8-12, and are in my conservatory most of the year, so at least they are getting plenty of light, and out in the summer months.

The orange and lemon trees are so big I had to prune, they went up to the top of the conservatory, but will let them grow wild again for as long as I can, as would love to see them follower.

The pomegranates are also grown from seed and grow easy and are quite hardy, they have been leafless for a while but they now are just getting there leafs back, they are lovely leafs light green and reddish.

I also have a few date palms grown from seed, the Christmas date, and one other date seed which I brought back from holidays, this now is getting quite high.

Also have a few African trees which I bought for a good price on EBay, they are growing fine.

Wayne

Wayne, if you continue to prune your seedling citrus trees, the trees will never bloom nor fruit. A citrus tree will produce fruit only after the tree becomes mature. In order for citrus to reach maturity, the tree must grow until it produces the required node count. A node is where a leaf is attached to the tree. When a citrus seed germinates and produces it first leaf that is node number one. Soon the tree grows a little higher and produces it second leaf, which is node number two. As time passes the tree grows higher and higher producing nodes 3, 4, 5, 6 and on and on. As the years go by, the tree continues to increase in height until one day the required node number is reached and the tree begins to flower and set fruit. The problem with pruning the tree back is that by cutting, you are greatly reducing the tree's node count, and the tree has to start growing once again at the lower node number. Therefore, by continually pruning the tree back, it cannot reach the required amount of nodes to become a mature tree, and therefore will never fruit. This is why it is much better to purchase a grafted tree, which is a mature tree from the very beginning.