Orogold sour orange hybrid

Citrus aurantium L.

CRC 693

PI 539237

Photos by David Karp, CVC,  2/11/2008. Photo rights.

Source: Received as seed from source in Oroville, CA, 1915.

Parentage/origins: Parents unknown.

Rootstocks of accession: Carrizo citrange, C-35 citrange

Season of ripeness at Riverside: January to March

Notes and observations:

RGL: Fruit on parent tree is oblong to pear shaped, highly colored, thin, heavy, juicy but with distasteful odor and flavor, like onion. Owner of parent tree will not permit buds to be cut. Fruit is only an oddity. Name given by Dr. H.J. Webber in 1915.

3/23/1987, WPB: May be a sour orange hybrid

2/8/1988, EMN: Fruit appears to be a fairly typical sour or possibly bittersweet orange; is definitely NOT a sweet orange. Has thick rind and many seeds. Foliage is not typical of sour orange- cupped leaves and narrow winged petioles. Probably is a sour orange hybrid and should be placed with these.

4/5/1988, EMN: Not terribly sour this year; maybe is a sweet or sweet hybrid after all. Will check again later in season.About like a bittersweet in tartness of flavor. Let's go with WPB earlier note "May be a sour orange hybrid" and put this accession with the sour orange hybrids.

2/11/2008, TS & DK: Looks like a navel orange, thick rind; but seedy; sweeter than a typical sour orange; like a sweet orange with bitterness, and odd flavor. 

Availability: Not commercially available in California.

USDA Germplasm Resources Information Network page for Orogold sour orange hybrid