Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

nafex - [NAFEX] High Trifoliate Grafting

nafex@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Dr. Ethan Natelson" <natelson@pipeline.com>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [NAFEX] High Trifoliate Grafting
  • Date: Fri, 09 May 2003 19:57:43 -0400

Dear Phil,

I believe Lon is correct about high trifoliate grafts. This was a
major claim of the late Dr. Stuart Naugle, who studied citrus and figs in
the Houston area for many years. The theory is that trifoliata is cold hard
because it is able to go dormant, while classical citrus does not. The high
grafting is alleged to push the scion toward a semi-dormant stage and thus
increase its cold hardiness. You are correct in that this theory has never
been proven by large trials. Of course, if its gets cold enough and stays
cold long enough, very few mainstream citrus plants would survive. One of
our premier citrus grafters in the Gulf Coast area, Bonnie Childers, had a
magnificant citrus grove in Port Neches, Texas, for many years. Some of the
trees were at least 20 feet tall with trunks a foot in diameter and had
survived many chills. However, one year it really got cold here - around
15-17 degrees, and stayed that way for a week or two. Most everything he
had was totally killed.

Regards, Ethan






  • [NAFEX] High Trifoliate Grafting, Dr. Ethan Natelson, 05/09/2003

Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page