Trifoliate orange

Trifoliate orange
Trifoliate Orange
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Subfamily: Aurantioideae
Tribe: Citreae
Genus: Poncirus (disputed)
Raf.
Species: P. trifoliata
Binomial name
Poncirus trifoliata
(L.) Raf.

Trifoliate Orange (Poncirus trifoliata, syn. Citrus trifoliata) is a member of the family Rutaceae, closely related to Citrus, and sometimes included in that genus, being sufficiently closely related to allow it to be used as a rootstock for Citrus. It differs from Citrus in having deciduous, compound leaves, and pubescent (downy) fruit. It is native to northern China and Korea, and is also known as the Chinese Bitter Orange.[1]

The plant is fairly hardy (USDA zone 5) and will tolerate moderate frost and snow, making a large shrub or small tree 4-8 m tall. Because of the relative hardiness of Poncirus, citrus grafted onto it are usually hardier than when grown on their own roots.

Poncirus is recognisable by the large 3-5 cm thorns on the shoots, and its deciduous leaves with three (or rarely, five) leaflets, typically with the middle leaflet 3-5 cm long, and the two side leaflets 2-3 cm long. The flowers are white, with pink stamens, 3-5 cm in diameter, larger than those of true citrus but otherwise closely resembling them, except that the scent is much less pronounced than with true citrus. As with true citrus, the leaves give off a spicy smell when crushed.

The fruits are green, ripening to yellow, and 3-4 cm in diameter, resembling a small orange, but with a finely downy surface. They are very bitter, are not edible fresh, but can be made into marmalade, and when dried and powdered, they can be used as a condiment.

The cultivar "Flying Dragon" is dwarfed in size and has highly twisted, contorted stems. It makes an excellent barrier hedge due to its density and thorns; such a hedge had been grown for over 50 years at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Hardy Orange or Trifoliate Orange - Plant of the Week". Arhomeandgarden.org. 2007-02-09. http://www.arhomeandgarden.org/plantoftheweek/articles/hardy_orange_2-9-07.htm. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • trifoliate orange — noun small fast growing spiny deciduous Chinese orange tree bearing sweetly scented flowers and decorative but inedible fruit: used as a stock in grafting and for hedges • Syn: ↑trifoliata, ↑wild orange, ↑Poncirus trifoliata • Hypernyms: ↑tree •… …   Useful english dictionary

  • trifoliate orange — trilapis ponciras statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Rūtinių šeimos dekoratyvinis, vaistinis nuodingas augalas (Poncirus trifoliata), paplitęs Rytų Azijoje. atitikmenys: lot. Poncirus trifoliata angl. hardy orange; heardy orange; Japanese… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • trifoliate-orange — trilapis ponciras statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Rūtinių šeimos dekoratyvinis, vaistinis nuodingas augalas (Poncirus trifoliata), paplitęs Rytų Azijoje. atitikmenys: lot. Poncirus trifoliata angl. hardy orange; heardy orange; Japanese… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • trifoliate orange — ponciras statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Rūtinių (Rutaceae) šeimos augalų gentis (Poncirus). atitikmenys: lot. Poncirus angl. trifoliate orange vok. Bitterorange rus. понцирус lenk. poncyria …   Dekoratyvinių augalų vardynas

  • trifoliate orange — noun Date: circa 1900 a thorny Chinese tree (Poncirus trifoliata) of the rue family related to the citruses that has trifoliolate leaves and a sour yellow fruit resembling a small orange and that is grown for ornament or hedges or used as a… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • trifoliate orange — a spiny, Chinese orange tree, Poncirus trifoliata, used as a stock in grafting and for hedges. * * * …   Universalium

  • trifoliate orange — /traɪˌfoʊliət ˈɒrɪndʒ/ (say truy.fohleeuht orinj) noun a small, thorny tree, Poncirus trifoliata, native to China, widely cultivated as an ornamental and for hedges and used as a stock for other citrus fruits. Also, trifoliata …  

  • Orange (fruit) — Orange Orange blossoms and oranges on tree …   Wikipedia

  • orange — /awr inj, or /, n. 1. a globose, reddish yellow, bitter or sweet, edible citrus fruit. 2. any white flowered, evergreen citrus trees of the genus Citrus, bearing this fruit, as C. aurantium (bitter orange, Seville orange, or sour orange) and C.… …   Universalium

  • orange — /ˈɒrɪndʒ / (say orinj) noun 1. a globose reddish yellow edible citrus fruit of which there are two principal kinds, the bitter and sweet, the latter comprising the most important of the citrus fruits. 2. any of the white flowered evergreen… …  

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