Mandarin orange tree in Huntsville? (for sale, house, cost)

[DvlsAdvc8]

I noticed Lowes has Mandarin orange trees for sale here in Huntsville. Can a Mandarin Orange tree actually survive here?

The Lowes tag lists Cold hardiness to 32 deg F., and it gets a lot colder than that here. Why on earth would they sell them here if they'll just die? -especially considering Lowes has a 1 year garantee on their trees.

Anyone have or seen one of these trees here?

[MadHaus]

We're a bit south of you, but have similar temps. I bought two citrus trees, a tangerine and a dwarf orange, from our Lowe's and neither one is able to handle below freezing temperatures. The first year we kept them indoors, in a sun room, and experienced a mini-explosion of gnat-like bugs when spring arrived. I moved them outdoors (thank goodness for a sturdy handtruck) and sprayed them well with a food-safe pesticide. Last winter I moved them into my garage, after giving them a dousing with the spray, and they spent about two months by a garage window. They've grown about 4 - 4 1/2 ft. each and seem to be thriving so far. The blossoms are very pretty, but I can't get too excited about the fruit. It's been somewhat smaller than average and seems to have more seeds than the norm. Still, I'd love to try growing a Key lime and a Ponderosa lemon, too. I had good luck growing Meyer lemons in a planter, but haven't tried Ponderosa lemons indoors yet.

[HB2HSV]

I have a dwarf lime tree & a kaffier lime (used for thai cooking) that I put in planters. I moved them indoor in the winter and they did well last winter. The lime tree is producing lots of limes. When my wife wants to cook thai food, she just go & pinch a few kaffier lime leaves and some italian basil leaves from the back porch.

So put the mandarin orange tree in a planter if you want to make sure they survive in the winter here.

[DvlsAdvc8]

Thanks all.

HB, the trees don't eventually outgrow the planters? One would think the thing would be... not so easily moved, eventually.

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by DvlsAdvc8

HB, the trees don't eventually outgrow the planters? One would think the thing would be... not so easily moved, eventually.

Not if the tree is a 'dwarf' variety. Also, planters can be big these days. For my dwarf lime tree, I put in a 3 feet wide X 2 1/2 feet tall plastic planter from Lowes (make sure you drill holes at bottom for drainage), then I put in on rollers so it is easy to move around. Right now, it has 30+ little limes growing and it is only 3 1/2 feet tall. This fall, I'll prune the side branches so it doesn't get too wide. In winter time, I put it near south-facing window. It actually bloomed this February indoors.

[DvlsAdvc8]

Nice!

These mandarin trees I was looking at get 10-20 ft tall though.

[Threestep2]

Talk to the folks at Petals from the Past. They specialize amongst others in fruit tree varieties for our climate.

[skinem]

I don't know if it would survive, not having fooled with mandarin orange trees.

But I do know that some plants may survive outside of their zones, but not do as they would in their normal climate.

For example, I've grown a magnolia tree in NE Washington where temps get considerably colder. It never got very big nor did it ever flower. I've also grown tobacco---it,too, never got very big.

I'd be surprised if Lowes would sell something that wouldn't survive---not a good business model. Not saying it couldn't happen, but I'd be surprised.

[Threestep2]

Originally Posted by skinem

I don't know if it would survive, not having fooled with mandarin orange trees.

But I do know that some plants may survive outside of their zones, but not do as they would in their normal climate.

For example, I've grown a magnolia tree in NE Washington where temps get considerably colder. It never got very big nor did it ever flower. I've also grown tobacco---it,too, never got very big.

I'd be surprised if Lowes would sell something that wouldn't survive---not a good business model. Not saying it couldn't happen, but I'd be surprised.

Big distributers have their assigned merchandise. It says AL so every store in AL gets it:>(
Scary what WalMart sells in the fruit tree/berry department in AL.
Stick with local nurseries; it may cost a nickel more; you may be better off.

[friday13]

I have had three 1-1.5ft citrus tree in planters They grew out of seeds I just buried in the flower pot 4-5 years ago. Don't even know (remember) what they are (could be lemon, lime, orange or tangerine, or maybe grapefruit ). The growth is stagnant indoors in wintertime, and I take them outside on the covered porch (facing east) in warmer temps (April-October), when they grow faster (3-4 in). I don't expect to make lemonade off them, but make for nice green house plants.