Italian citron

Citrus medica L.

CRC 3530
PI 539428

Source

Received as budwood from John Carpenter, USDA Date & Citrus Station, Indio, CA, 1966.

Parentage/origins

Parents unknown. From the US Hort. Station (Hiawassie Farm), Orlando, FL.

Rootstocks of accession

Yuma Ponderosa lemon

Season of ripeness at Riverside

November to January

Notes and observations

11/11/1988, EMN: Fruit is very similar to Diamante, CRC 3523, but rind is less thick, being about 1/3 of fruit cross sectional radius whereas our Diamante rind comprises about 1/2 the fruit radius.

11/7/2006, DK: The tree bears a heavy crop of relatively large fruits, which are markedly elongated; some have a tapered apex. It has nice juice and rind.

Description from The Citrus Industry Vol. 1 (1967)

"Fruit large, long-oval to ellipsoid; basal cavity furrowed and surrounded by low collar; apex broadly nippled; and seedy. Color lemon-yellow at maturity. Rind very thick and fleshy; surface smooth and sometimes indistinctly lobed or ribbed. Flesh crisp; lacking in juice, but acid, like lemon.

Tree small, open and spreading, medium-thorny with some large, stout spines; buds, flowers, and new growth purple-tinted.

Presumably of local though unknown origin, Diamante is the principal variety of Italy and according to Casella (1928) is considered to be the best. It was introduced into the United States in 1898. Italian and Sicilian are California introductions that are similar to Diamante."