Hardy Citrus Atlas

Savory cooking

White citrus blossoms on leafy branches near a greenhouse

Trifeola Monofolie

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The Trifeola Monofolie (Poncirus trifoliata × Citrus × tangelo ‘Minneola’) is a remarkable hybrid between Poncirus trifoliata and the Minneola tangelo, created to combine the maximum hardiness of Poncirus with the flavor quality of the tangelo. Its hardiness reaches 9°F (−13°C) on the tree, making it suitable for planting in the ground as far as USDA zone 7b. The tree grows about 10 ft (3 m) tall with an upright, semi-thorny habit, semi-evergreen foliage with the leaflets characteristic of Poncirus, sometimes single-leaflet, hence the name, and white spring flowers. Its medium-sized fruits, with a thick, bitter skin unfit for eating out of hand, ripen in November and give a tart, very fragrant juice that can replace lime or lemon in cooking. A niche variety for collectors of hardy hybrids. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata, plant against a south wall, in well-drained soil.

An elongated rough orange citrus fruit on a branch

Karna Khatta Lime

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The Karna Khatta lime (Citrus karna) is an old Indian citrus of unknown parentage, almost certainly a natural hybrid, widely used in India as a rootstock. Its hardiness reaches 10°F (−12°C) on the tree, making it suitable for planting in the ground in USDA zone 8a. The tree grows 8 to 10 ft (2.5 to 3 m) tall with an upright, thorny habit, aromatic evergreen foliage and fragrant white flowers. Its medium-sized fruits (2.8 to 4.6 oz, or 80 to 130 g), golden yellow to deep orange with a moderately thick rind, ripen in winter; the dull orange flesh is acidic, with a faint aroma of sour orange. Excellent in Indian cooking (chutney, achar, dhal), in marinades and as juice. Many seeds. A niche variety for collectors of Asian citrus. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata, south-facing wall.

An unevenly colored yellow-orange citrus fruit hanging on a branch

Striatta ‘Bizzaria’ Bitter Orange

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The Striatta Bitter Orange, also called Bizzaria di Firenze (Citrus aurantium ‘Striata’), is a famous botanical chimera discovered in the 17th century in a Medici garden in Florence. On a single tree it produces variegated fruits (striped orange, yellow, and green) that combine the characteristics of the bitter orange and the citron in varying proportions. Its hardiness reaches 14°F (−10°C) on the tree, with a USDA zone 8a climate benchmark kept in this entry, indicative and to be confirmed for the cultivated material. The tree can reach 10 to 13 ft (3 to 4 m) in the ground with an irregular, thorny habit, foliage sometimes itself variegated green and cream, and very fragrant white blossom in spring. Its exceptional striped fruits, medium-sized, with bumpy skin, ripen in winter. More ornamental than edible, but their candied peel and fragrant juice are prized by collectors. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata, plant against a south wall. A historic collector’s piece.

A pile of small round green citrus fruit

Beto Sudachi

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The Beto Sudachi (Citrus sudachi ‘Beto’) is a Japanese selection of sudachi, a traditional citrus of Tokushima Prefecture. Its hardiness reaches 10°F (−12°C) on the tree, making it suitable for in-ground growing in USDA zones 7b and 8a, among the hardiest of the edible Japanese citrus. The tree reaches 6.5 to 10 ft (2 to 3 m) with a rounded habit, aromatic evergreen foliage, and fragrant white blossom. Its flat-round fruits, bright green (harvested green) or golden yellow (at full maturity), small (1.5 to 2 in, or 4 to 5 cm), with thin skin, ripen in September and October and hold a very sour juice, fragrant with lime and yuzu notes, without bitterness. Indispensable in Japanese cooking (fish, soba, sauces, seasoning). A few seeds. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata, plant against a south wall, in well-drained soil.

A large pale yellow citrus fruit on a leafy branch

Honghe Papeda

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The Honghe Papeda (Citrus × honghe), a hybrid between the Ichang papeda and an edible citrus, is a Chinese selection from Yunnan Province, where it grows at mid-elevation. Its hardiness reaches 10°F (−12°C) on the tree, making it suitable for in-ground growing in USDA zones 7b and 8a. The vigorous tree reaches 16 to 20 ft (5 to 6 m) for the material described by Pépinière du Bosc, with an upright, thorny habit, evergreen foliage with the large winged petiole characteristic of papedas, and fragrant white spring blossom. Its yellow-green, very large fruits (1.3 to 2.2 lb, or 600 g to 1 kg, according to Pépinière du Bosc), with bumpy skin, ripen from December to March according to Pépinière du Bosc and hold a slightly tart, aromatic juice, described as balanced and pleasant in the mouth by Pépinière du Bosc. Used mainly in traditional Chinese cooking and by collectors of old citrus. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata for maximum hardiness.

Three rough orange citrus fruit on a garden table

899K Voss Mandarin

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The 899K Voss Mandarin (Citrus reticulata ‘Changsha’ × Poncirus trifoliata) is a remarkable hybrid created by the German breeder Bernhard Voss, crossing the ultra-hardy Changsha mandarin with Poncirus trifoliata to produce a mandarin viable in the continental European climate. Its hardiness reaches 9°F (−13°C) on the tree, among the hardiest mandarins in the world, making it suitable for in-ground growing up to USDA zone 7b. The tree reaches 6.5 to 10 ft (2 to 3 m) with an upright, semi-thorny habit, semi-evergreen foliage, and fragrant white blossom in spring. Its orange, small-to-medium fruits (3 to 4 oz, or 80 to 120 g), with easy-to-peel skin, are used in cooking from November and December, then reach maturity for fresh eating from February, with tart, fragrant flesh and a slight residual bitterness from the Poncirus. A reference variety in German hardy breeding programs. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata.

Yellow citrus fruit hanging from garden branches

Taiwanica Lemon

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The Taiwanica Lemon (Citrus taiwanica), also called Nansho-daidai, is the only true lemon to reach an exceptional hardiness of 5°F (−15°C) on the tree, which makes it suitable for in-ground growing up to USDA zone 7b. Native to the mountains of Taiwan, it was introduced to Japan, where it naturalized in cold regions. The vigorous tree reaches 10 to 13 ft (3 to 4 m) in cultivation according to catalogs, and up to 16 ft (5 m) according to the Bosc catalog, with an upright, thorny habit, aromatic evergreen foliage, and very fragrant white blossom in spring. Its green fruits turning yellow at full maturity, medium-sized, with thick, bumpy skin, ripen in winter with a very sour, fragrant juice suggesting a natural cross between lemon and bitter orange. Tolerates snow on the tree without damage. Excellent for juice, marinades, marmalade, and Asian cooking. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata, plant against a south-southwest wall.

Rough yellow citrus fruit hanging on leafy branches

Tada Nishiki Yuzu

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The Tada Nishiki Yuzu (Citrus junos ‘Tada Nishiki’) is a historic Japanese yuzu selection with particularly bumpy, aromatic skin, traditionally grown in Kochi Prefecture. Its hardiness reaches 5°F (−15°C) on the tree, making it suitable for in-ground growing in USDA zones 7b and 8a. The tree reaches 10 to 13 ft (3 to 4 m) with a rounded, spreading habit, aromatic evergreen foliage, and very fragrant white blossom. Its golden yellow, round-bumpy fruits (2 to 3 in, or 5 to 7 cm), with thick skin rich in essential oils, ripen in October and November and concentrate a more intense yuzu fragrance than the classic variety, with higher productivity. The very sour juice is exceptional in zest, juice, ponzu vinegar, and niche pastry. Must be grafted onto Poncirus trifoliata to maximize hardiness. Plant against a south-facing wall, in well-drained soil, with generous winter mulch.

Three reddish-orange citrus fruit on a kitchen board

Dobashi Beni Satsuma Mandarin

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The Dobashi Beni Satsuma Mandarin (Citrus unshiu ‘Dobashi Beni’) is a Japanese satsuma selection with an intense red outer color, especially decorative and early. Its hardiness reaches 10°F (−12°C) on the tree, making it suitable for in-ground growing in USDA zone 8a. The tree reaches 6.5 to 10 ft (2 to 3 m) with a spreading, weeping habit, evergreen foliage, and fragrant white blossom in spring. Its deep red-orange, medium-sized fruits (3.5 to 5.5 oz, or 100 to 150 g) are seedless, with thin, very easy-to-peel skin, and ripen from October to December in Riverside according to UCR, with juicy, sweet, low-acid flesh identical in taste quality to the classic Owari. Highly ornamental thanks to its distinctive color. Excellent for fresh eating, juice, and sorbet. Ideal for landscape gardens where the beauty of the fruit matters as much as production. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata, plant against a south-facing wall.

Yellow citrus fruit hanging beside a patio

Yuzuquat

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Yuzuquat (Citrus junos × Fortunella ‘Nameiwa’) is an exceptional hybrid between the Japanese yuzu and the Nameiwa kumquat, created to combine the yuzu aroma with the edible skin of the kumquat. The hardiness reference retained for the tree is 10°F (−12°C), subject to acclimation; it does not guarantee in-ground growing. The compact tree reaches 7 to 10 ft (2 to 3 m) with a rounded habit, evergreen foliage, and fragrant white flowers. Its small golden-orange fruit, 1.2 to 2 in (3 to 5 cm) with thin, soft skin, have a harvest reference of August to November retained in this entry, to be adjusted to the climate, and offer a unique taste combining the aromatic acidity of the yuzu and the sweet skin of the kumquat, to be eaten whole like kumquats. Excellent candied, in liqueur, in marmalade, and fresh for enthusiasts. A niche variety, very ornamental thanks to its abundant fruiting. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata, plant against a south-facing wall.

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