Weslaco, Texas
I recently had the privilege to tour the Texas A&M Citrus Center in Weslaco, Texas with John Watson, the head of the budwood certification program. John helps maintain a huge citrus orchard of many many cultivars, grown to provide virus-free budwood to commercial and private growers. He says the main focus of the Texas citrus industry is Rio Red and Ruby Star grapefruit, because the Rio Grande valley produces the best tasting grapefruit in the country. After trying some right of the tree, I have to agree. He said the other main cultivar grown in Texas is the Marrs early orange, which is a sweet juice orange you often see in red mesh bags at the grocery store.
John generously spent an hour or so with me touring the orchard and allowing me to sample several kinds of oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, and pummelos.
John generously spent an hour or so with me touring the orchard and allowing me to sample several kinds of oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, and pummelos.
New Research Facility
Marrs Early Orange
Rows upon rows of citrus trees.
Kaffir Lime
Variegated Cara Cara Pink Navel
Buddha's Hand Citron
Sarawak Pummelos
Mother Trees. These trees are the source for all virus-free budwood in Texas.
Trifoliate Rootstocks
Sour Orange Rootstocks
T-Bud
Forced Bud
Nursery Grafted Trees
Nursery Grafted Trees
