By Alitfirefly
United Kingdom 
Hi.
In spring I planted a number of orange and tangerine pips. I'd understood that this is a very chancy exercise, so I planted quite a lot, and unfortunately I didn't follow the book's advice to keep the two species separate. Something seems to have gone right, as I now have 15 healthy-looking little seedlings with four or five leaves graduating to their first grown-up pots. Obviously I'm delighted and I hope they'll thrive but 15 citrus trees is more than I have houseroom for so I'd like to rehome some of them. Thing is, the oranges came from Tesco but the tangerines were a gift, and I REALLY want to be sure to keep at least one tangerine. So - is there any way at all of telling them apart while they're still young?
1 Jul, 2015
Answers
Unfortunately, you will need to wait for fruit before you know - and that will probably be around ten years, and only then if conditions are right.
1 Jul, 2015
have you got enough friends that understand your dilemma ? maybe you could explain when rehoming them . I know with tropical fish if you want a pair ie male and female keeping 3 gives you a really high chance of getting both . if you had a similer amount of both id keep 4 trees and take it from there .
1 Jul, 2015
A probability game, I guess :). Complicated by the fact that a) I can't exactly remember how many there were of each and b) the 15 seedlings don't necessarily correspond to 15 pips, since about 5 produced twins, now separated and also lost in the mix... And yes, I know I should have tracked those, and that they're the most likely to fruit true, but I'm more bothered about keeping a tangerine than about the almost non-existent chance of getting edible fruit from a citrus tree on Merseyside!
1 Jul, 2015
well id just wait a while and scrutinise the leaves and everything even with a magnifying glass and pick out 4 that seam right .
2 Jul, 2015
Leaves of oranges and tangerines look the same NP
2 Jul, 2015
I understand that but just maybe as slightly different cultivars they just mite grow differently as they mature . its just a thought .
2 Jul, 2015
Nope even when they are fully grown as Bamboo says the only way you'll know the difference is when they fruit.
2 Jul, 2015
ok fare enough then choosing 4 is the best idea then .
2 Jul, 2015
Not that I am aware of particularly when they are small.
1 Jul, 2015