Rosso lemon variety

The Rosso variety appeared in the apartments of citrus growers of the former USSR relatively recently, but its popularity is growing rapidly. This is facilitated by its unusual appearance and the fact that it has long earned an excellent reputation abroad. In his biography, too, not everything is simple. But let's sort it out in order!

History of origin

Experts confidently classify this variety as an old, traditional Italian variety. It belongs to the so-called "Feminello group", consisting of several varieties, differing mainly in terms of ripening.

Historical literature contains memories of this plant from the Rosso region (hence the name). It seems that the Italians knew him already in the middle of the 17th century. But the first officially registered participation of the variety in the fair of fruit crops was noted in 1865.

Strictly speaking, from the point of view of biology, this is not a lemon at all, but a hybrid of a lemon with a citron. In some reference books it can even be found under the name "Citrus limonimedica Pigmentata"; that is, in them it is seen as a citron, not a lemon. In the future, when describing the plant, we will see how many citron properties it retained.

Description of the crown

The crown is large, spreading, although under the conditions of a tub culture it is possible to keep its shape in an acceptable size, usually from 1.5 to 2 meters in height. Therefore, the tree needs careful formation, especially in the first years of life.

Leaves are tough, dark green in color, relatively small (about 10 cm long), with a characteristic pointed tip. The leaf blade growing in the shade is always larger, which, however, is typical for all citrus fruits.

Attention! This plant does not like a sharp change in conditions of detention. For example, when Rosso is transferred from a cold loggia to a warm room, the branches shed a significant part of the foliage. Subsequently, with proper care, new leaves grow back quickly.

Flowering nature

The citron nature of the plant is well traced in it. The buds are of a deep purple color, the flowers themselves are very large, single, bright white, with a strong odor. The petals are large, widely spaced. A remontant variety, capable of blooming throughout the year, but still the peak of flowering occurs in early spring. During flowering, the tree becomes highly decorative!

Fruits and their properties

The main difference between the fruits of this variety and other lemons is their characteristic color. It is reflected even in the name - Red. The fact is that the color of the peel of Rosso is orange, often even reddish. The intensity of the red color is directly related to the light level. The more light hit the ripening fruit, the redder it will end up.

Interesting! It has been noticed that the fruits can turn red if they are picked and placed in the refrigerator.

The color of the flesh of this lemon is slightly orange. In combination with the red skin, this makes the sliced ​​fruit slices very decorative, able to decorate any dish on the table.

Other features of the fruit:

- The surface is rough, bumpy, citron.
- The rind is thick, tough, but still thinner than that of citrons.
- The shape is elongated, sometimes slightly pear-like, with a blunt nipple at the tip.
- The sizes are small, usually from 100 to 160 grams.
- The pulp is sweetish, juicy, there are no seeds in it, or there are very small quantities. This fruit is considered one of the tastiest among lemons.
- The peel has a pleasant, strong aroma. When dried, it is often used to flavor teas and other beverages.

Let's sum up

It is now clear why Rosso is becoming so popular. This plant successfully combines an unusual appearance, high decorativeness, nutritional value.According to the conditions of detention, he also does not make high demands. Perhaps, difficulties can arise only in two positions - good lighting and constant work on the formation of the crown are needed.