Conestoga 010 Citrange

Conestoga 010 is a seedling selection of C-35 citrange from “kumin”’s cold-hardiness trial in southeastern Pennsylvania. The breeder calls the series F2 progeny but states that the seed lot’s pollen parent was not confirmed. Its displayed 50% sweet orange and 50% Poncirus ancestry is a parent-based estimate, not a genetic measurement of this selection.^{⁠[10]⁠[11]}

The original trial began with more than 20,000 seedlings in 2018; 69 survivors were retained after the first winter. Conestoga 010 is deciduous, with small leaves, and has grown satisfactorily on its own roots in the breeder’s collection. It flowered in 2022 without setting fruit, followed by fruit set in 2023. Protected tunnel plants and outdoor grafts did not mature at the same time.^{⁠[12]⁠[13]⁠[14]⁠[3]⁠[8]⁠[15]}

Conestoga 010 was among the better-performing selections after the windy 2°F (−16.7°C) event of winter 2022–2023. After January 2025 reached −8°F (−22.2°C), the breeder reported very minor injury to its latest growth. Separate observations of snow-line injury concerned seedlings of 010 rather than verified copies of the clone. These reports do not establish a universal survival temperature.^{⁠[16]⁠[1]⁠[2]}

The breeder describes 010 as productive and suitable for diluted, sweetened drinks, with a slight sweetness alongside marked acidity. In October 2025 it placed second to 026 in an informal tasting of fruit at different stages of ripeness. The Mulberries’ separate tasting found low sweetness, very sour juice, relatively low bitterness and a piney aftertaste. Fruit ripens after 006 in the breeder’s collection.^{⁠[17]⁠[9]⁠[4]⁠[5]}

Breeding reports describe mixed seedling forms in 2023–2024 but characterize the Conestogas as highly nucellar in 2026; no counted or genetically tested zygotic rate is available. The breeder has used 010 pollen on 5 Star citrumelo and plans further pollen-parent use. Recorded fruit set is not confirmation of hybrid offspring. Tetraploidy has been suspected for 010, but the supplied laboratory report tests 011, not 010.^{⁠[18]⁠[7]⁠[3]⁠[19]⁠[20]⁠[21]⁠[22]}