Lamai de gradina, rezistenti la ger - Citrus trifoliata (Poncirus Trifoliata)

Poncirus Trifoliata, named popularly Siberian Lemon, Garden Lemon, Trifoliate Lemon, Chinese Lemon, Trifoliate Orange, Bitter Orange - is a shrub endemic to China and Korea, belonging to the citrus family and can be planted directly in the garden.

Poncirus Trifoliata withstands temperatures down to -25°C without protection, does not require special substrate for citrus, and has very good resistance to diseases and pests, being naturally considered "pest free".

Currently, there are large specimens in the Bucharest Botanical Garden park (as well as in other botanical gardens in Europe), where people can pick the fruits of this shrub (which reaches quite large sizes) every autumn. 

"Siberian lemon" is an unusual presence in a garden - it is a thorny shrub with irregularly growing branches covered with thorns. It shows relatively fast growth and a very high adaptability.

The fruit is the size of a lime and is very different from "ordinary" citrus fruits, being covered with fuzz like a peach, especially when green. The peel and juice can be used for many preparations (just like lemons), including lemonades, salads, cakes, marmalades, teas, etc. The juice is considered ideal for marmalades. The taste is between lemon and orange, slightly bitter but very sour. Most people consider that the fruit cannot be eaten raw, without processing.

Recommendations: Young plants should be protected during the first 2 years of life, or grown indoors until the stems lignify/thicken, then acclimatized outdoors in the warm season. 

Height including pot: 25-35 cm
Pot diameter: 12 cm

In the cold season, the plants are in vegetative rest and are sold without leaves.