Florida isn’t the only Southeastern state with a climate suited for growing citrus.
Parts of Georgia, including Augusta, are capable of sustaining citrus trees.
“We have some that are 15-feet tall and survived our coldest temperatures in 2014 of 13 degrees,” said Joseph Le Vert, a teacher at Aquinas High School, who has planted multiple varieties of citrus trees around the Catholic school campus on Highland Avenue.
The Southeastern Citrus Expo is scheduled for Nov. 19-20 at the school and will feature a variety of speakers, tours of the 16-acre school campus and the opportunity to buy plants.
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When it comes to cold-hardy citrus, some are strictly ornamental while others are great to eat right off the tree, and some are better if they are prepared in marmalades or baked goods.
The trifoliate orange, for example, is pretty to look at, but it’s not good for much else except maybe to build a hedge to keep out invaders or maybe to throw. You definitely don’t want to eat it. It tastes like an orange blended with “turpentine or toilet bowl cleaner,” according to Le Vert.
The Yuzu works as a zest or to accent flavors in Japanese or Korean cooking. Some countries add it to beer. Le Vert doesn’t advise it, however. He said he ruined a perfectly good beer by adding one once.
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The Yuzuquat has a “good, clean sour flavor,” and can be used to squeeze over seafood or for a homemade limoncello.
Those are just a few of the varieties that tend to do well in the area. Florida citrus would not fare well here, he said, plus plants cannot be shipped out of Florida because of disease.
The citrus expo features a dinner at the school at 6 p.m. Nov. 19. The cost is $15 per person and registration is required. The deadline for the dinner is Nov. 8.
No registration is required for Nov. 20 unless someone wants to reserve lunch at 12:15 p.m.
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The Nov. 20 agenda includes speakers and school tours from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Topics include “Best Dooryard Citrus” with Mark Crawford; “Texas Citrus Growing” with John Panzarella; and “Commercial Citrus” by Lindy Savelle. Tom McClendon will lead school tours.
A citrus tasting will be at 1 p.m.; followed by a panel discussion at 1:30 p.m. and a raffle at 2:15 p.m.
Saturday’s events are $30 including lunch or $20 without lunch.
For more information, email Le Vert at jlevert@aquinashigh.org.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
