Plant Details

Poncirus trifoliata

Trifoliate orange

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Common names

28 names · 19 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Chinese bitter orange[2]
  • Hardy orange[1][2]
  • Japanese bitter orange[2]
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • Trifoliate orange[2]
Other languages (18)
Dutch
  • Wilde citroen[2]
French
  • Citronnier épineux[2]
  • Oranger trifolié
Arabic
  • برتقال ثلاثي الوريقات[2]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Croatian
  • Japanska gorka naranča[2]
  • Sibirski limun[2]
Czech
  • citronečník trojlistý[2]
Danish
  • trebladet dværgcitron[2]
German
  • Dreiblättrige Bitterorange[2]
Italian
Japanese
  • カラタチ[2]
Korean
  • 탱자나무[2]
Polish
  • Poncyria trójlistkowa[2]
Portuguese
  • Trifoliata[2]
Russian
  • Понцирус трёхлисточковый[2]
  • Трифолиата[2]
Slovak
  • citrónovník trojlístkový[2]
Swedish
  • citrontörne[2]
Turkish
  • Üçyaprak Portakalı[2]
Sources & name notes (2)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Citrus trifoliata L. ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Hardy orange (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 173225; taxon VMMG.
[2] Citrus trifoliata — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • trifoliate orange — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • Citronnier épineux — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • 탱자나무 — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • hardy orange — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • Japanese bitter orange — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • Chinese bitter orange — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • Ponciro — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • citronečník trojlistý — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • カラタチ — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • 枳 — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • Sibirski limun — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • Japanska gorka naranča — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • 枸橘 — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • Dreiblättrige Bitterorange — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • 枳 — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • 枸橘 — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • Трифолиата — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • Понцирус трёхлисточковый — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • Poncyria trójlistkowa — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • trebladet dværgcitron — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • citrontörne — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • برتقال ثلاثي الوريقات — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • Trifoliata — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • 枸桔 — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • citrónovník trojlístkový — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • Wilde citroen — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.
  • Üçyaprak Portakalı — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 200071; Citrus trifoliata.

General information

Scientific name: Poncirus trifoliata
Accepted name (Kew): Citrus trifoliata View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited taxonomic treatment. Botanical references may use alternative names.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Rutaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Poncirus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Trifoliate orange
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Shrub
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 2.44–6.1 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Spread: 1.83–4.57 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Growth rate: Fast
Sources [3]
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [3]
Growth habit: Dense, Oval

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acid (<6.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Full sun
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
Fruit, Leaves, Condiment
Edibility rating:
(3)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Hedge, Rootstock, Fragrant

Description

Fruit - cooked. It has a bitter and sour taste but can be used to make marmalade. The fruit is also used to prepare a drink. Freshly picked fruit contains little juice, but after 2 weeks of storage, the yield can be about 20% juice, which is rich in vitamin C. Yields of up to 14 kilograms of fruit per plant have been achieved in America. The fruit is 2-3 cm wide, with the majority of the mass consisting of the skin. The skin of the fruit can be used as a flavoring. Young leaves - cooked.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/10
Harvest ends: 30/11

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: WCVP version 16, wcvp_names.csv: Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf., name ID 2541782, row 654849; Citrus trifoliata L., name ID 2724403, row 1350763
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 654847; name ID 2541763; Poncirus Raf.. Family column.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Poncirus trifoliata

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 2622470, ID 77VZZ: Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf. (synonym). Accepted target: Citrus trifoliata L., ID VMMG, line 5298802.

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Citrus trifoliata — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadGrowth rateFoliageGrowth habitLightSoil moistureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .