long life ornamental orange fruit - over 1 year old

Can anyone throw light as to why my ornamental orange tree still has one remaining orange fruit after 1 year plus!!!!

I have a small ornamental orange plant living in a South facing conservatory - it is not oversized - about 15" high. Since end September 2004, that same one small orange has remained fixed in place on its stem and seems reluctant to leave me. It went through its first winter of 2004 fine - through to the Spring 2005 and into Summer and only started to dry out well after its first birthday. It is now 28 Jan 2006 and although it is withered now, it still hangs firmly attached to its branch. During the last Summer I did not have many more tiny oranges, only a few, though it blossomed and fruited slightly. I have now also had two other smaller oranges hanging since end Summer last year. I bought it three years ago.

I am totally bewildered as I always thought fruits were a short lived thing and have never heard of such a long fruit life.

Any comments would be welcome. Thanks.

[ 28. January 2006, 11:54 PM: Message edited by: coll ]

 

Hi coll, I hope you like the forum. I think you've done well to keep your orange plant alive and thriving for three years. I have no idea why this fruit is hanging on!

 

The fruits of citrus can take a year to fully develop, so some do have fruits on for over a year

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0101/citrus_cultivation.asp