What kind of tree is it? A citrus tree has self seeded in the garden. Is there any way to determine what kind?

Question

Lemon? Orange? Grapefruit? Lime? Other?
I mean apart from waiting years to see what fruit it will yield.

I'm in Australia so it isn't squirrels. I have a grapefruit tree in our yard but any windfall (or ground fall as someone has called it) is picked up and thrown in the bin and is several meters form the garden. Kids eat fruit in the yard - oranges and mandarins mainly.
Yes, I know about grafting trees. However there has to be original trees - from seeds. And consider the Granny Smith apple - a self seeded apple, mutation of the crab apple now used world wide for cookind

Answer 1

Crush a leaf from your seedling and smell it. Lemon and Lime leaves will smell like lemon or lime. Oranges and Grapefruit do not have distinctive odors. Eventually, as the seedling matures, Grapefruit develop very large "wings" on the petioles. All citrus have winged petioles, that is the petiole, or stem of the leaf, has lobes, like an extra leaf. The size of the wings varies by variety, but also from leaf to leaf on the tree. Oranges and mandarins tend to have smaller wings. These are the only physically distinguishing characteristics of citrus varieties, until you see the fruit.
Researchers have developed DNA tests to distinguish the ancestries of seedlings, but these are not readily available.

Answer 2

THANK YOU, Peckerwud. Finally someone with some sense.
Gotta graft seedlings to get the cultivar you want.

The seed probably got there from a bird or squirrel--the squirrels love to eat the ground fall down here in Florida. Or it could have been a raccoon that brought it.

Here's an interesting example concerning lemons and limes:
Question:L
I purchased a house almost 3 years ago. In my backyard, I thought I had a lime tree/bush. People think I'm crazy, but during the fall months it produces oblong large LEMONS. During the spring & summer it produces large ROUND limes. It has thorns, green & a few yellow leaves. What do I have? And how do I know when it is time to pick the lemons &/or limes?

Answer
Hi Angela....lol...sry I'm laughing,but what you have is a medley citrus tree, its both! and they mature at different times; they graft several varieties on the same tree so you can enjoy different fruits. The lemons will turn yellow when they are ready, they limes are different you just have to trust your judgment. Nick

Answer 3

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Answer 4

by SELF SEEDED one would think that a fruit fell from an established tree and a seed from that fruit sprouted and grew.
WHAT TYPE OF TREE WAS IT????????? besides,most citrus trees are grafted trees and the seeds from them may make a tree but usually will not bear fruit.

Answer 5

HI,
You had answered to one of my economics questions which has a graph. How can I sent you the graph to give me a clear answer, You mentioned you need more information on it. Really really appreciate your help.

here's my id: [e-mail].

Thanks!

Answer 6

maybe if you had some kind of picture we could help you out a little more.