Bitter Oranges (Citrus aurantium) are native to southern Vietnam. They grow as compact, well-branched, medium-sized thorny shrubs or trees with glossy, dark green leaves. Grafted on 1.8- 2.5 m high stems, they are popular trees for alleys in Mediterranean countries. In our country, they are traditional container and winter garden plants with numerous qualities. On the one hand, there are the leaves with their high content of essential oil that is used commercially (food, cosmetics). Also, it produces intensely fragrant white flowers of medium size (2-3 cm). Their essential oil is also known as neroli oil. At first sight, the fruits rather look like tangerines than oranges: they are flat-round with a medium-thick peel that is richly textured to 'wrinkled'. The grated peel is used as a spice and well known as candied orange peel. The fruit pulp is the basic ingredient for the famous ‘marmalade’. The fruits are left on the tree even when they are fully ripe, increasing the ornamental value of this tree. Bitter Oranges tolerate more shade than other citrus plants without reducing flower or fruit quantity. They have a robust root system making them very easy to care for and one of the most common grafting rootstocks for container citrus.

Quality: intensely fragrant & numerous flowers; fragrant & glossy & evergreen leaves; versatile & decorative fruits hanging on the tree for a long time; compact growth

Use: in pots from April outside on balcony, terrace and in the garden - during winter in a winter quarter or conservatory; all year round in a heated conservatory or bright room