Details for: RRUT 443, Citrus ×limon (L.) Osbeck, 'Bearss'

"Bearss lemon, the commercial lemon variety of Florida, was all but eliminated during the freezes of the 1980s. Trees are very vigorous, thorny and prone to continuous vegetative regrowth requiring frequent pruning to control tree size. Trees are also very sensitive to cold and scab fungus disease. The fruit, while still green, is picked for size and later harvested for processing and peel oil recovery." (Tucker et al, 1998, p 49)

"Sicily The cultivar planted under this name in Florida since 1953 is apparently not the Sicilian type at all. It somewhat resembles the type of Lisbon known in California as "Short-thorned Lisbon." The Sicily that was imported from that Island by Gen. Sanford in 1875 has apparently disappeared from Florida culture. Sicily was found about 1952 as an old seedling tree in the Bearss grove near Lutz, Florida. The parent tree is believed to have been planted about 1892. A selection was made and planted extensively near Babson Park in 1953 by the Libby Corporation. This grove was sold in the late 1960s and is no longer in production, although it supplied budwood for the company's later plantings in Palm Beach County. This cultivar is now referred to as the "Bearss lemon." Large plantings were made in Martin, Palm Beach, and Hendry counties in the mid- and late 1960s, all of which have been eliminated by freezes in the 1980s." (Jackson and Davies, 1999, pp 105-106)

Bearss (Sicilian) The Bearss or Sicilian variety, a recent selection (1952) from an old tree at Bearss Grove, near Lutz, Florida, is harvested between July and December from trees which are very vigorous, thorny and very sensitive to cold.

"The fruit is susceptible to peel injury when harvested early in the season and rapidly breaks down internally following freezing weather. It typically has up to six seeds per fruit.

"Few lemons are produced in Florida where extra large size and keeping quality present problems. However, Bearss is the only variety recommended for the climatic conditions there, and where much of the crop is harvested for its rind oil as well as for its juice." (Saunt, 2000, p 111)

"Origin: seedling near Lutz, Florida 1952 (Sicily). Description: similar to Lisbon, vigorous, less thorny than normal, 1 - 6 seeds, scab susceptiible, most widely planted in Florida, peel oil 14.12 + lbs/ton. Season: July - December, summer bearing." (Information from donor, 04/22/2009)

This accession was acquired in order to have a lemon accession adapted for semi-tropical climates such as those found in Florida. Most other lemons in the Repository holdings are adapted for sub-tropical (California) or Mediterranean climates. As stated in the citations, most of the lemon production in Florida was destroyed by the freezes of the 1980s, and lemons are not highly planted in Florida currently. Annual Reports from the Florida Bureau of Budwood Registration demonstrate that few lemons are currently propagated in Florida and propagation of Bearss has to some extent been replaced by specialty lemons. Howver, this accession should still be of interest to those needing a lemon with the specific climatic adaptations noted. (RR Krueger, 06/16/2009)