DNA methylation typically silences genes, but in citrus, a surprising reversal occurs. Researchers found that CHH methylation--a type of DNA methylation usually associated with gene repression--is actually linked to higher gene expression in citrus hybrids. By analyzing a cross between mandarin (Citrus reticulata) and finger lime (Citrus australasica), the team discovered that this methylation pattern, guided by small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), accumulates at the promoters of highly active genes. This association holds across multiple citrus species and tissues, challenging long held assumptions about how plants regulate their genomes.