Citrus 942

In a grove lined with memory and sunlight, there occasionally arises a fruit that defies both its lineage and its expectations. Such is the case with the fruit borne on US‑942—a trifoliate hybrid that, despite its parentage, casts off the bitter yoke of its ancestry to offer something altogether refined.

My friend Herschel Walker of Madison Citrus provides the following description: when ripe, the skin of the US‑942 is thick and soft—reminiscent of a mandarin, easy to peel, but protective of the treasure within. Its flesh bursts with juice that is rich and complex, bearing flavors that dance between the sweet citrus of calamondin and the tart brightness of kumquat, yet without the puckering sharpness one might expect.

Bright orange both inside and out, the fruit matures to a size not much larger than a ping pong ball, offering few seeds and little to no trace of the bitter trifoliate aftertaste that haunts lesser hybrids. It is, in Herschel’s words—and I would not challenge him on this—“one of the best-tasting trifoliate hybrids there is.”

And so it is: a fruit of resilience and refinement, quietly excellent, and unmistakably Southern in its contradiction—both humble and magnificent.

🌞 Sun Requirements:

• Full sun (6–8+ hours of direct sunlight daily)

🌾 Soil Requirements:

• Well-drained, moderately fertile soil
• Tolerates a wide range of soil types, including calcareous soils
• pH: 5.5–7.5

💧 Watering Needs:

• Moderate to regular watering during establishment
• Once established, relatively drought-tolerant
• Avoid waterlogged conditions

🌱 Growth Characteristics & Benefits:

• High vigor and excellent compatibility with many scions (Valencia, Navel, and Mandarins)
• Induces early bearing and high productivity
• Resistant to Phytophthora, nematodes, and tristeza virus
• Slightly smaller canopy than other vigorous rootstocks like Carrizo

✂️ Pruning & Maintenance:

• Not typically grown for its own top growth
• If grown as a rootstock plant, prune suckers and unwanted shoots
• Maintain clear graft union if used in propagation