Wood apple

Limonia acidissima

Tree9×8 mzone 9–11full shade

Will it grow where I live?

Wood apple is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 9): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. The summer heat it needs to ripen is out of reach outdoors in Central Europe – greenhouse or conservatory.

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Winter hardiness by USDA zone, summer warmth by heat sum – the same values the app and the plant finder use.

Profile

Family: Rutaceae
Habit: Tree
Height: 9 m
Spread: 8 m
Growth: medium
Lifespan: 80 years
First yield: after 15 years
Hardiness: zone 9–11
Shade tolerance: full shade
Soil: Sand, Silt, Loam, Clay
Soil moisture: semi-dry – very moist
pH: 5.5 – 7.5

Uses

Medicinal3 of 10

Frequently asked questions

Wood apple: how big does it get?

Wood apple (Limonia acidissima) grows as a Tree and reaches roughly 9 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 8 m. Growth is medium.

Wood apple: what site does it need?

Wood apple tolerates full shade. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Loam, Clay. Soil moisture should be in the range semi-dry – very moist. The pH may lie between 5.5 and 7.5.

Wood apple: is it hardy?

Wood apple is listed as hardy in zone 9–11 and survives normal winters outdoors there.

Wood apple: will it grow in Central Europe?

Wood apple: is it poisonous?

No toxicity is recorded for Wood apple. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone — only on a confident identification.

Wood apple: what is it used for?

Rated on a scale up to 10: Medicinal 3/10.

Community experience

No first-hand reports for this plant yet.

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