Poncirus trifoliata - live plant (hardy orange)

• A live, rooted plant
• Hardy ornamental shrub
• Packaging suited to live plants

Poncirus trifoliata belongs to the Rutaceae, like the other citrus, but differs from them in two spectacular ways. It is deciduous: it loses its leaves in winter, something no lemon tree does. And its leaves are trifoliate, made up of three leaflets, hence its name.

In winter, stripped of its foliage, it reveals an astonishing silhouette of bright green shoots bristling with enormous, straight, needle-sharp thorns that can exceed 5 cm.

In spring, it is covered in highly fragrant white flowers, before the leaves appear. In autumn, it bears small yellow fruits, downy like peaches, full of pips and very bitter: unfit for eating fresh, they do however lend a remarkable flavour to a marmalade or a liqueur.

It makes an impenetrable defensive hedge, dense and armed, while remaining very ornamental in spring. It is also the historic rootstock for citrus in cold regions: it is thanks to it that lemon trees can be grown further north than their natural hardiness would allow.

Ordinary, fairly free-draining soil, sun or partial shade. It prefers neutral to acid soils and sometimes turns yellow on very chalky ground.

No winter protection is needed. Prune in late winter if you grow it as a hedge, wearing sturdy gloves: the thorns are formidable.

Is it really hardy?
Yes, down to -20 °C. It is the only citrus that can be planted in open ground in eastern France without protection.

Are the fruits edible?
Not raw: they are very bitter and full of pips. They do, however, lend themselves well to marmalade, syrup or flavouring.

Why does it lose its leaves?
Because it is deciduous, unlike other citrus. This is normal, and it is in fact what explains its resistance to cold.

Is it suitable for a hedge?
Perfectly. Dense and very thorny, it forms an effective barrier, with fragrant flowers as a bonus.

Also worth exploring: our rare plants and our edible plants.