Seville Orange Citrus x aurantium
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- SI-trus aw-RAN-tee-um
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Sour orange is an evergreen tree in the Rutaceae family that grows up to 30 feet tall in a tropical, sub-tropical habitat. The fruit is inedible as it is very bitter but is essential in making marmalades and liquors such as Triple Sec. It is native to southeastern Asia and has been carried and cultivated throughout the tropical regions of the world. Its name comes from the Latin noun aurantium, meaning "of orange." It has smooth, brown bark with thorns. In cooler zones it can be grown in a container that can be overwintered indoors.
Plant sour orange in full sun, with moist but not overly wet soil. Water regularly, allowing the soil time to dry out between watering. It does well in medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils with a pH of 5 - 8 but it can grow in very alkaline soils also. Care should be taken in its location as it is moderately frost-tender but can survive short freezes. It must get early morning sunlight during the growing season, which is in late winter and early spring, so new, tender branches don't freeze. The tree propagates readily from seed.
The sour orange became more widely grown as a rootstock for other citrus varieties than for its fruit because of its disease resistance and greater hardiness. But the tree still provides many medicinal benefits and commercial uses for the fruit, flowers, and peel.
Plant outside for year-round enjoyment in the proper hardiness zone or put in a planter for movement inside when the weather turns cold. Sour orange dislikes root disturbance so it should be placed in its permanent location outside when young. If growing them in pots, great care must be taken when moving them to larger containers.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Anthracnose is sometimes seen. Overwatering may cause fungal infections or root rot and the tree to decline in fruit production.
The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common citrus insect and related pests.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Citrus
- Family:
- Rutaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The juice, peel, and essential oil (Neroli) in flowers have all been used in skin care products because of its antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Sour orange is also used in perfume and hair care products to provide a fragrance of citrus.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeastern Asia
- Distribution:
- Tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world, including Fiji, Samoa, Guam, middle east, India, Africa, Italy, Spain, England, the Caribbean, Bermuda, the Americas, Florida
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Fragrance
- Edibility:
- Fruit is very bitter and sour. The rind is boiled down with sugar to make marmalade.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 5 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 16 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Houseplant
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
- Appendage:
- Thorns
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is round, with an aromatic, thick peel, rough-surfaced, fragrant, becoming bright reddish-orange on maturity. The pulp is very sour and bitter.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Large white fragrant flowers about 1 1/2 inches wide singly or in small clusters with 5 white petals that look like a star surrounding a tuft of up to 24 yellow stamens.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenulate
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Evergreen leaves are very fragrant, usually ovate, 2 1/2 to 5 1/2 inches long and 1 1/2 to 4 inches wide, minutely toothed, dark green in color above, pale beneath.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Smooth, brown bark with thorns from 1 in to 3 1/8 in long.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- New year's growth is green in color.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Shade Tree
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Dry Soil
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
- Spines/Thorns