Details for: PI 539332, Citrus ×limon (L.) Osbeck, 'Foothill'

There are currently four accessions of 'Foothill' lemon in various permutations: PI 539320, PI 539332, RCRC 4254, and RCRC 4255.

The history of this cultivar is somewhat confusing. 'Foothill' lemon is apparently a selection of 'Villafranca'. According to Hodgson (1967), p 566, 'Villafranca' has characteristics intermediate between 'Lisbon' and 'Eureka' lemons: "Fruit indistinguishable from Eureka, but seasonal distribution of crop more like Lisbon, mainly in winter. Tree similar to Lisbon, but more open and uprgith in growth habit, less thorny, and not as densely foliated." Hodgson (1967) further states "...certain clones with characterstics intermediate between Eureka and Lisbon have been propagated as selections of [Villafranca]. Almost certainly several of those currently of importance in California, notably the...Corona Foothill Eureka...are in reality Villafranca selections." The fact that 'Foothill' is intermediate between 'Eureka' and 'Lisbon' probably explains the fact that PI 539320 was referred to as a Eureka and PI 539332 was referred to as as Lisbon. It is probably better to refer to these selections simply as 'Foothill'.

'Foothill' was promising in a desert lemon trial, particulary with regard to yield (Kahn et al, 2015). Budwood for the trial was obtained from Young's Nursery, Thermal, CA. Due to the fact that 'Foothill' as VI 232 was not available from CCPP, budwood was obtained by CCPP from Lyn Citrus Seed, Arvin, CA (formerly part of Willits and Newcomb Citrus Nursery) in order to establish an active VI for the certification program. Due to perceived uncertainty as to the identity of the Lyn source with the Young's source, budwood was taken directly from the desert lemon trial for incorporation into the VI program.

'Foothill' is described thusly by Kahn et al (2015): "Corona Foothills [sic] fruit were onblong in shape with excellent exterior fruit quality, average juice content, high seed count, high peel thickness and average peel smoothness. Corona Foothills [sic] fruit had good size, were relatively early in maturity and had the best first harvest yield and next-to-best total yield and returns with excellent cumulative yiled." (R. R. Krueger, 2020-09-27)

Additional information and nice pictures from the UC Riverside Citrus Variety Collection.