Plants will ship late May to early June 🙂
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
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Colin J –
How realistic would it be to expect this to survive zone 5? Is there anything I could do to improve my odds?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Colin, Thanks for staying in touch, As you know these are the most cold-hardy of the true citrus, and will do well in a place of full sun with loose, sandy soil. If you provide that, the likelihood of survival in a z 5 is increased. Growing them in an unheated greenhouse (they have a short growth habit) in a z 5 is tantamount to having them outside in a z 6 and will be very likely successful. richo
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Jane –
Can I plant it outside during winter. I’m in Michigan zone 6
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Richo Cech –
hi jane, in a cold zone 6 it would make sense to plant bitter orange in the spring so that it has time to get established before frost. then, it will overwinter ok. at this point if you want to get a tree you can pot it to a gallon and overwinter in a cold greenhouse. Richo
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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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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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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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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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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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