According to Karp (2001): "A few miles from [Jerry] Dimitman's property, in a wild, gorgeous canyon along the Santa Margarita River, an American Airlines pilot named Norm Jones grows 24 acres of a myesterious late-season hybrid called Temecula Sweet. It has garnered increasing attention and sales in recent years, but until lately, scarcely anyone -- including Jones -- knew its true identity. On a broiling afternoon last August, Jones showed Dimitman his private paradise. Across the river, eagles soared over a hillside overgrown with manzanita and sumac, where, says Jones, mountain lions prowl. It was the end of Temecula Sweet's season, so when Jones picked and shared one, it was puffy and low in acidity -- but still amazingly sweet and flavorful. "Dimitman rubbed the rind. 'It's exceptional for so late in the season,' he said. 'It seems to have Ponkan in it.' But what else, he wondered? One man knew: C.T. Lin, a Taiwan-born architect and developer, Jones' partner and his neighbor in Dana Point. Later that afternoon, at a restaurant in that city, he divulged the details.
"In the 1970s Lin owned a large greenhouse in Montana, where he tried growing Ponkans from seed. The fruit wasn't that great, but he crossed it with satsuma and, out of 80 seedlings, he selected one magnificent specimen. He later planted it on a property he bought in Temecula, and called it 'Temecula Sweet.'
"Over the next season, starting in March, Lin and Jones hope to harvest more than 200,000 pounds of the fruit. 'I'd like to think this is my gift to American children,' says Lin..."
Note that this accession was donated only for observation and demonstation purposes. It is not available for distribution (see IPR section). 'Temecula Sweet' is distributed by RAD Produce. (RR Krueger, 12/01/2009)