General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Tree
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Water Preferences: Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 6a -23.3 °C (-10 °F) to -20.6 °C (-5 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 11
Plant Height: 8-15 feet
Plant Spread: 8-10 feet
Leaves: Deciduous
Fragrant
Other: Three lobed leaves emerge yellowish-green, mature to glossy dark green in summer and fade to yellow in autumn.
Fruit: Showy
Edible to birds
Other: Small, acidic berry with bitter, lemony flavor and numerous seeds. Can be used to make marmalade. Let sit a few weeks after picking before juicing.
Fruiting Time: Late summer or early fall
Fall
Flowers: Showy
Fragrant
Other: 4-7, thin, papery petals
Flower Color: White
Bloom Size: 1"-2"
Flower Time: Late winter or early spring
Spring
Underground structures: Taproot
Uses: Windbreak or Hedge
Provides winter interest
Flowering Tree
Medicinal Herb
Will Naturalize
Edible Parts: Fruit
Eating Methods: Raw
Cooked
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Butterflies
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Rabbit Resistant
Humidity tolerant
Drought tolerant
Propagation: Seeds: Self fertile
Provide darkness
Days to germinate: 3-8 weeks
Sow in situ
Start indoors
Other info: keep seed moist before germinating
Pollinators: Various insects
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil
With thorns/spines/prickles/teeth

Image
Common names
  • Trifoliate orange
  • Hardy Orange
  • Japanese Hardy Orange
  • Bitter Orange
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Citrus trifoliata
  • Synonym: Poncirus trifoliata

Photo Gallery
Location: My garden in N E Pa. 
Date: 2018-10-03
Location: Savannah, Georgia (neighbor's garden)
Date: 2013-12-29
Location: My garden in N E Pa. 
Date: 2018-05-04
Location: My garden in N E Pa. 
Date: 2018-04-01
Location: Botanical Garden of Utrecht
Date: 2018-10-10

credit: Michael Saalfeld
Location: South Jordan, Utah, United States
Date: 2019-03-10
Location: Newby Hall garden, Ripon, Yorkshire UK
Date: 2022-05-15
Location: Hidden Hills CA
Date: 2013-04-24
Location: Newby Hall, Yorkshire UK
Date: 2018-09-01
Photo by skopjecollection
Location: Newby Hall garden, Ripon, Yorkshire UK
Date: 2022-05-15
Location: Newby Hall garden, Ripon, Yorkshire UK
Date: 2022-05-15
Location: Newby Hall garden, Ripon, Yorkshire UK
Date: 2022-05-15

Photo by Kurt Stüber
Location: Botanical Garden of Utrecht
Date: 2018-10-10
Location: Hidden Hills CA zone 10b
Date: 2013-06-11
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2015-05-22
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2010-05-08

Date: 2007-12-01
Credit Alexey Sergeev
Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2018-04-11
Hardy Orange 007
Location: Brunswick, GA
Date: 2021-09-17
Unknown tree growing with our Key Lime tree
Location: Burroughs Park. Harris County, Texas
Date: 2015-08-20
There are quite a few of these growing along the trails at this p
Location: All pictures taken in/on my gardens/greenhouse/property
Date: 2018-07-07
Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2018-03-10
Hardy Orange Blossom 015
Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2018-03-10
Hardy Orange Blossom 016
Photo by skopjecollection
Comments:
  • Posted by OldGardener (So Cal - Zone 10b) on Apr 24, 2013 11:17 AM concerning plant:
    Drought tolerant once established. Often used to form a "living barbed-wire fence." Good choice for livestock containment, privacy boundary due to the wicked thorns.
Plant Events from our members
MrsBinWY On December 15, 2017 Seeds sown
From janinilulu. Seeds had been refrigerated 30+ days. 4 out of 5 seeds rotted in shipping. Disinfected remaining seed w/H2O2 half an hour or so & sowed at warm room temp. Checked ~10 days later and found this seed had rotted, too.
» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant
Thread Title Last Reply Replies
Absolutely beautiful by ediblelandscapingsc Sep 2, 2018 12:42 AM 1
Seeds by ediblelandscapingsc Sep 12, 2019 10:11 AM 2
id by Gardener2493 Sep 17, 2021 9:37 PM 0

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