Not a grapefruit!

Here is a plant I have been fondly tending in atray of supposed grapefruit andKumquat seedlings, started in spring:

Until recently it looked very much like the others but now 3 have grown large and this one has developed the lobed leaves at the top which alerted me to the problem! It also has a clinging tendril right at the top.
The leaves are dark green [darker than they look in pic], very glossy and are quite hard, they snap if bent rather than folding, The lobed leaves have pointed edges rather than round as appears in the picture, and so far have 3 lobes. the immature leaves are pointed ovals up to 4" long and are alternate. My first thought was a passion flower but it doesnt look like any of the passion flower cuttings I've taken, and to my knowledge no flowers in the greenhouse.
Anyone got any good ideas?

 

can't see the photo, Liz? - No there it is - coming in very slowly!!! It hasn't all arrived yet - after 3 minutes!! But based on what I CAN see, it looks a bit like one of the vines..., and yes, dEFINITELY not a grapefruit!!

 

Now I can see the picture properly, I don't think it's anything like a vine!! Haven't a clue Liz, but I'll start searching.....

 

could it be ipomoea lobata?
http://www.b-and-t-world-seeds.com/images/34004.jpg

http://images.google.com/images?q=ipomoea+lobata&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images

 

At a guess Passiflora edulis or very similar.

 

http://www.easyfruit.co.uk/passiflora/updates/index.html
- leaves maybe a bit glossier than Liz's??

 

I do have the actual "eating" fruit vine, just called Maracuja here and mine looks like that Dendro has put up, not what Liz has.

Perhaps we agree again, Dendro? :D

 

maybe...... :rolleyes:

 

If you can work out a difference between Liz's pic and the plants on dendys link, then you must have better eyesight than me.
Reminds me, must get my eyes tested, not had it done for ages. :D

 

Aha! I must admit to having reused compost from various seed trays, one of which contained passion fruit seeds which didn't germinate! I found this picture os a seedling, you can see why I thought it was a citrus fruit:


And this picture of an established plant looks just like the mature leaves:

Thanks everyone! I hope I do have some grapefruit though. There are some tiny ones which I assumed were Kumquat [I upset the tray before they germinated].

 

Hi Liz: Citrus usually have a spatulate base (more or less exagerated) to the leaves.

GC: Pink Grapefruit All still going strong as is a 4 year old Orange tree.

I planted up some Kumquat seeds today

 

Hi Frogesque, I was inspired by your grapefruit, but haven't had the same success!
Yesterday I took a bit of leaf from all the seedlings, scrunched it up and smelt it. 3 spindly ones smelt distinctly citrus-y. Your method sounds much easier, thanks!
I am very cheesed off and will start a new batch [though at the moment there aren't any kumquats in the shops here].
Perhaps I can donate the Passion fruit plants to the village fete next spring. :(
Let me know how yours get on!

 

Hi Liz!

Yep the leaves really do have that citronella smell to them when bruised

The Kumquat seeds were from some that that I bought last year and had forgoten about. The fruits had become mummified and leathery but I managed to extract three seeds that looked green and healthy so I'm trying them.

 

Hello, frogesque! I was interested to read your posted link to the Pink Grapefruit last week.

A couple of months ago I bought a Ruby Grapefruit tree. It is 85cm tall and of course I have it in the ground. I am looking forward to seeing my first flower!

I love grapefruit juice and prefer it to orange (although tomato is my favourite). It's almost impossible to find grapefruit juice so I was delighted when went to our Dutch nursery and asked about grapefruit trees and he had just got them in that morning! He then said he had one red one if I was interested .... say no more!

T'other half has had a lime tree for three years now. It was bought about a metre tall. He had three limes the second year but nothing, not even flowers this past year so he's keeping his fingers crossed for this coming Spring. It has a problem with curled, unattractive new leaves but some info I found on the net said this was caused by underwatering (especially if it is on the south and west side of the tree?) and was not harmful.

Since you seem keen on fruit trees, any tips or hints you may have would not go astray!