Hardy Citrus Atlas

Savory cooking

Halves of a small green-skinned citrus fruit showing seeds

Shekwasha Mandarin

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Shekwasha mandarin (Citrus depressa) is a traditional citrus of the Okinawa archipelago, grown for centuries in subtropical Japanese coastal villages for its characteristic aromatic acidity. Its tree hardiness reaches 12°F (−11°C), making it suitable for in-ground growing in USDA zone 8a to 8b. The tree reaches up to 13 ft (4 m) according to Vessière, with a rounded habit, evergreen foliage, and fragrant white flowers. Its round, flattened fruit, bright green (harvested green) or yellow-orange (at full ripeness), small at 1 to 2 in (3 to 5 cm) and thin-skinned, ripens in fall and concentrates a very sour, fragrant juice with unique notes blending lime, wild mandarin, and yuzu. Essential in Okinawan cooking (fish, sauces, refreshing juice). Many seeds. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata, plant against a south-facing wall.

A garden citrus tree bearing orange fruit

Shangsa Mandarin

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Shangsa mandarin, sometimes spelled Changsha (Citrus reticulata ‘Changsha’), is one of the hardiest mandarins in the world, withstanding down to 7°F (−14°C) on the tree depending on the selection. Native to the Hunan region of central China (the city of Changsha gave it its name), it served as the genetic base for many modern hardy hybrids developed in the 20th century (notably Citrandarin US-852 and the 899K Voss mandarin). The vigorous tree reaches 10 to 13 ft (3 to 4 m) with an upright habit and evergreen foliage. Its bright orange, small fruit, 2 to 3 oz (60 to 80 g), with skin that is easy to peel, ripens from November to December and offers juicy flesh with a sweet taste punctuated by delicate floral notes. A few seeds per fruit, more hardy than aromatic. Excellent in fresh juice and cooked. Grafted onto Poncirus trifoliata, it is classified in USDA zone 8a by Biggio and Londeix; growing it in 7b remains an attempt at the limit in a very sheltered situation, notably described by Woodlanders in the United States.

A garden citrus tree bearing large pale yellow fruit

Shenguyen Ichanglemon

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Shenguyen Ichanglemon (Citrus wilsonii ‘Shenguyen’) is a Chinese selection of the Ichanglemon, a hybrid between the Ichang papeda and a primitive lemon, originating in the Shenguyen region in the mountains of southwestern China. Its tree hardiness reaches 10°F (−12°C), making it suitable for in-ground growing in USDA zone 8a. The vigorous tree reaches 10 to 16 ft (3 to 5 m) with an upright, thorny habit, evergreen foliage with large winged petioles, and fragrant white spring flowers. Its yellow, round, bumpy fruit, medium to large at 7 to 12 oz (200 to 350 g), with thick, rough skin, ripens in winter and offers a very fragrant, aromatic sour juice evoking a wild lemon with grapefruit notes. Used in traditional Asian cooking and in confectionery. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata.

Green citrus fruit hanging among glossy leaves

Taichang Hybrid

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Taichang hybrid (Citrus sp.) is a rare Chinese hybrid originating in Sichuan Province, selected in an experimental collection to combine hardiness and flavor quality. Its tree hardiness reaches 10°F (−12°C), making it suitable for in-ground growing in USDA zone 8a. The tree reaches 6 to 13 ft (2 to 4 m) with an upright, semi-thorny habit, aromatic evergreen foliage, and fragrant white flowers. Its yellow-orange fruit, medium-sized and thin-skinned, ripens in winter and offers a sweet-sour aromatic juice with complex notes blending Asian citrus and floral accents. A little-known variety for collectors of rare Asian citrus. The precise botanical classification remains to be confirmed because it is a hybrid whose exact parents have not been identified with certainty. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata, south-facing wall, well-drained soil.

Small pale yellow citrus fruit among narrow leaves

Coachella Eremolemon

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Origin: Originating in California, it is a fascinating natural intergeneric hybrid between an Eremorange (itself a hybrid of the Australian […]

Four green and yellow citrus fruit on a kitchen board

Dragon Lime

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Dragon Lime (Poncirus trifoliata hybrid) is a modern hybrid between Poncirus trifoliata and an edible citrus, selected to combine the maximum hardiness of Poncirus with improved flavor. Its tree hardiness reaches 7°F (−14°C), among the hardiest citrus in the world, with a USDA zone 8a climate reference retained in this entry, indicative and to be confirmed for this selection. The tree reaches 6 to 10 ft (2 to 3 m) with an upright, heavily thorny habit inherited from the Poncirus parent, deciduous trifoliate foliage, and abundant white spring flowers. Its small yellow-orange fruit, with thin skin, ripens in fall and offers a sour, fragrant juice, with a moderate residual bitterness more tolerable than that of pure Poncirus. Used in blended juice, in marinades, or in marmalade. Very ornamental, especially decorative at spring bloom. Graft onto pure Poncirus trifoliata to stabilize vigor.

A young leafy citrus plant in a pot beside a wall

Clementine × Yuzu 333

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Clementine × Yuzu 333 (Citrus clementina × junos) is a modern hybrid of the Mediterranean clementine and the Japanese yuzu, a numbered selection (333) from a breeding program aimed at combining clementine sweetness with yuzu hardiness. Its tree hardiness reaches 10°F (−12°C), higher than that of the classic clementine, and Biggio and Londeix rank it among the citrus to plant in USDA zone 8b. The tree reaches 6 to 13 ft (2 to 4 m) with a rounded habit, evergreen foliage, and fragrant white flowers. Its orange-yellow fruit, medium-sized and easy to peel, ripens in winter and offers juicy flesh with a flavor balanced between clementine sweetness and the fragrant acidity of yuzu, with a few original floral notes. A few seeds. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata, plant against a south-facing wall, in well-drained soil.

Whole and halved yellow citrus fruit on a pale background

Dioscuria Lemon

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Origin: Dioscuria is a lemon cultivar offered by French specialist nurseries, which describe it as an original lemon halfway between […]

Whole and halved orange citrus fruit in a bowl on a garden table

Glen Citrange

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Glen citrange (Citrus sinensis × Poncirus) is one of the historic citranges of the American USDA program, a hybrid of sweet orange and Poncirus trifoliata. Its tree hardiness reaches 10°F (−12°C), making it suitable for in-ground growing in USDA zone 8a. The vigorous tree reaches 10 to 16 ft (3 to 5 m) with an upright, semi-thorny habit, semi-evergreen trifoliate foliage inherited from Poncirus, and white spring flowers. Its yellow-orange fruit, medium-sized at 3.5 to 7 oz (100 to 200 g) and thick-skinned, ripens in winter and yields a markedly sour juice with a sweet-orange fragrance, acceptable for juice, marmalade, or as a cocktail base. A few seeds. Glen belongs to the lineage of citranges used both as a supplementary citrus and as a rootstock in regions with continental winters. Graft onto pure Poncirus trifoliata.

A dark green citrus fruit on a wooden table

Oishi Sudachi

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Oishi sudachi (Citrus sudachi ‘Oishi’) is a hardy Japanese selection of sudachi, a traditional citrus of Tokushima Prefecture grown for more than a thousand years. 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 edible Japanese citrus. The tree reaches 7 to 13 ft (2 to 4 m) with a rounded habit, aromatic evergreen foliage, and fragrant white flowers. Its flattened-round fruit, bright green (harvested green) or golden yellow (at full ripeness), small, 1.6 to 2 in (4 to 5 cm), with thin skin, are harvested from October to January according to the Vessières catalog, green or at the start of yellowing, and concentrate a very sour, fragrant juice with notes of lime and yuzu, without bitterness. Essential in Japanese cooking (fish, mushrooms, soba, sauces). A few seeds. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata, plant against a south wall.

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