Plants ordered today will be shipped in Mid April 2023.
Orange, Bitter (Poncirus trifoliata), potted tree, organic
$16.00 – $41.00
Family: Citrus (Rutaceae)
Hardy to Zones 6-9.
(Bitter Orange, Hardy Orange, Trifoliate Orange, Japanese Orange) Thorny deciduous shrub growing to 9 feet tall, native to E. Asia, China and Korea. The plants grows well in full sun to part shade, preferring loose, sandy soils of medium moisture and tolerant of both acidic and alkaline pH. This is the most cold-hardy of all the: fruit-bearing citrus trees. The fruits ripen very late in the year, and our first harvest generally occurs around Halloween. Dried peel of bitter orange is an ingredient in many herbal teas and makes a consummate after-dinner aperitif. Traditional use of dried bitter orange peel or cooked bitter orange fruit (TCM, TWM): Aromatic carminative, used as an ingredient in digestive bitters. The tree is extraordinarily thorny and makes an ornamental and very effective barrier hedge. The plant is also used as rootstock for grafting oranges, lemons and limes, conferring cold and disease resistance. Unless spacing closely for a hedge, space trees 15 feet apart.
Potted tree, certified organically grown
Question
Tristan –
How does your bitter orange flavor compare to lemon or lime juice? I love lemon/lime water but I am after an ancient, alkaline orange that actually heals you and removes mucus so hopefully I can enjoy bitter orange water.
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Richo Cech –
hi tristan, the bitter orange is used in 2 ways, neither of which is as a fresh juice. The fruit (or even just the peel) is cut up and dried and used in tea or tincture as an aromatic carminative–usually in bitter formulas. Otherwise, it is cooked, which does make it more edible. r
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Question
April Amarante (verified owner) –
How old are these trees
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Richo Cech –
Hi April,
2 years.
Richo
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Terry –
Do I need more than one for fruit set?
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Richo Cech –
Poncirus is self-fertile. r
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Question
Bonnie Hertlein-Swetman –
Is this the bitter orange whose flowers are used to make the essential oil Neroli?
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Richo Cech –
Hello Bonnie, If my memory serves me neroli is distilled from Citrus aurantium, not Poncirus trifoliata, so the answer to your question would be no. Richo
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Question
Tim Child (verified owner) –
I have been considering adding calcium to the ground around this type of tree during bloom time to see if it would make the fruit more sweeter or just bitter-sweet. Is there any harm in doing that?
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Admin Richo Cech –
there is no harm
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Question
Tim Child (verified owner) –
Is there any more information that you can give as far as growth, fruiting, and harvest goes?
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Admin Richo Cech –
They make a rather short tree/bush, fruit summer to early winter, and harvest is standard method for citrus fruits but watch out for the thorns.
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trina –
I have made amazing bitters from them!
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Ruth –
Do you need two of these for pollination to produce fruit?
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Richo Cech –
Poncirus trifoliata is self-fertile but all trees do better when they can partner up for cross-pollination. I planted 3 on my land and get voluminous fruiting. I recommend planting in 3’s. r
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Abbh –
Is the skin very thick
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Richo Cech –
yes, it is the peel that is the part used in herbal medicine
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Teresa –
Hello. Do you ship to Canada?
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Richo Cech –
hi teresa, good day to ya! I’m sorry, we do not ship plants to Canada. You can check Richter’s Herbs, they are a solidly good supplier. r
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