Citrus Trifoliata aka "Flying Dragon" - Hardy Orange Bush/Tree or Trifoliate Oranges
You will receive (15 - FIFTEEN!!!), 2024 Year 1 Seedlings ****AND I TYPICALLY THROW IN EXTRAS!!!****
Size: 4" to 6" (Varies in size)
Shipping:
These seedlings will be freshly removed from their soil and shipped in a sealed plastic bag with 2 Moist paper towels to keep them fresh during their travel to you.
SPECIAL NOTE:
This version/mutation of the "Flying Dragon" has VERY LARGE, and VERY STRAIGHT thorns. I've never seen another like the 4 Bushes/Trees that I have. They are very ornamental, and produce a mature orange fruit crop between Mid-September to the End of October (will likely vary depending on the temperate zone in which they are planted).
THE BACK STORY: While fishing the Eno River (Piedmont Region, NC), this bush really caught my eye as it remained evergreen during the winter. I grabbed a few of those fruits and decided to plant them in my yard. All of these oranges come from 4 Very Mature Citrus bushes that have been producing fruit for the past 10 years. They have also survived some very cold winters where the temperature fell into the Low-Teens.
***If you'd like to purchase more of these seedlings from me, please reach out and shoot me a message. I am open to shipping them in bulk, while extending a very good price for them.***
Other Common Name(s):
- Poncirus Trifoliata
- Contorted Flying Dragon
- Hardy Orange
- Trifoliate Orange
Description 'FlyingDragon' is one of the most cold-hardy cultivars of orange trees. This tree's parent plant is native to China and is in the Rutaceae (citrus)family.
This shrub can grow 8 to 15' feet tall (rarely 20 feet), and 16-20 feet wide. This dense shrub has crooked that corkscrew upward with branches covered in large downward curved spines. It blooms in spring with citrus-scented flowers that produce fuzzy fruits that are very sour.
The "FlyingDragon" can grow in sun to part shade in average well-drained soils. The fruits will reseed so this plant is often grown in a container to prevent this.
***It can be used to form an impenetrable hedge (natural barb wire), and adds winter interest.***
The very sour fruits can be eaten raw but can be used to make jams, jellies, or a sweet marmalade. They are high in vitamin C and antioxidants. Citrustrifoliata is considered invasive in AL, GA, and SC. Please consider planting native plants.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Nosignificant problems. Attributes:
Genus: Citrus Species: Trifoliata
Family: Rutaceae Life Cycle: Woody Country Or Region Of Origin: Asia Edibility: Very sourbut can be cooked to make juice, jams, jellies or marmalade.
DIMENSIONS:
Height: 6-16' Feet
Width: 6-10' Feet
Whole Plant Traits: Plant Type: Shrub Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics: Deciduous Habit/Form: Dense Irregular Multi-stemmed Growth Rate: Medium Texture: Coarse Appendage: Spines Cultural Conditions: Light: Full sun(6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) PartialShade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours) Soil Texture: Clay HighOrganic Matter Loam(Silt) Sand Soil Drainage: GoodDrainage Moist Available Space To Plant: 6-feet-12feet 12-24 feet NC Region: Mountains Piedmont USDA Plant Hardiness Zone: 5a, 5b,6b, 6a, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
Fruit Color: Gold/Yellow Green
Orange Fruit Value To Gardener: Showy Display/Harvest Time: Fall Fruit Length: 1-3 inches Fruit Width: 1-3 inches
Fruit Description: Fuzzygolf ball-sized fruits are green maturing to yellow-orange Flowers: Flower Color: White Flower Inflorescence: Solitary Flower Value To Gardener: Fragrant Showy Flower Bloom Time: Spring Flower Shape: Star Flower Petals: 6petals/rays Flower Size: 1-3 inches Flower Description: 1-2 inchflowers are white with a yellow stigma and anthers. They have 4-7petals, growsingly and appear in April- May Leaves: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics: Deciduous Leaf Color: Green Leaf Feel: Glossy Leaf Type: Compound(Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately) Leaf Arrangement: Alternate Leaf Shape: Linear Ovate Leaf Margin: Serrate Hairs Present: No Leaf Description: Shinygreen leaves are ovate in shape. They are compound leaves with 3 leaflets thathave serrate margins. Bark: Bark Color: LightBrown Stem: Stem Color: Green Stem Is Aromatic: No Stem Form: Zig Zags Stem Surface: Smooth(glabrous) Stem Description: Twigs areglabrous the first year then turn striate. Branches are crooked with many largedownturned spines Landscape: Landscape Location: Container NaturalizedArea Landscape Theme: WinterGarden Design Feature: Barrier Hedge Problems: Spines/Thorns