Sour orange
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6
5Will it grow where I live?
Sour orange is only hardy to zone 8, so outdoors year-round it needs the mildest spots in Central Europe – wine-growing regions, the Rhine valley, coasts, Lake Constance, Ticino – or a container overwintered under cover. Most of the British Isles and the Pacific coast of North America qualify. The summer heat it needs to ripen is out of reach outdoors in Central Europe – greenhouse or conservatory.
Or check it for your location right here:
Profile
- Family
- Rutaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Height
- 9 m
- Spread
- 6 m
- Growth
- slow
- Lifespan
- 100 years
- First yield
- after 4 years
- Hardiness
- zone 8–11
- Shade tolerance
- full sun
- Soil
- Sand, Silt
- Soil moisture
- dry – moist
- pH
- 5.5 – 7.5
- Synonyms
- Bitter orange, نارنج
Flowering & harvest
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowering | ||||||||||||
| Fruit harvest |
Uses
Growing
Sonniger, frostfreier Standort mit durchlässigem, leicht saurem Boden; in kühleren Klimaten im Kübel überwintern. Regelmäßig wässern und düngen, Früchte für Marmelade.
Frequently asked questions
Sour orange: how big does it get?
Sour orange (Citrus x aurantium) grows as a Tree and reaches roughly 9 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 6 m. Growth is slow.
Sour orange: what site does it need?
Sour orange tolerates full sun. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt. Soil moisture should be in the range dry – moist. The pH may lie between 5.5 and 7.5.
Sour orange: is it hardy?
Sour orange is listed as hardy in zone 8–11 and survives normal winters outdoors there.
Sour orange: will it grow in Central Europe?
Sour orange is only hardy to zone 8, so outdoors year-round it needs the mildest spots in Central Europe – wine-growing regions, the Rhine valley, coasts, Lake Constance, Ticino – or a container overwintered under cover. Most of the British Isles and the Pacific coast of North America qualify. The summer heat it needs to ripen is out of reach outdoors in Central Europe – greenhouse or conservatory.
Sour orange: when does it flower?
In a temperate northern-hemisphere climate it flowers from April to June.
Sour orange: when is it harvested?
In a temperate northern-hemisphere climate the fruit ripens from November to March.
Sour orange: is it poisonous?
No toxicity is recorded for Sour orange. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone — only on a confident identification.
Sour orange: what is it used for?
Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 7/10, Medicinal 6/10, Other uses 5/10.
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