HomePlant catalogue and selection

Citrus

Rutaceae

(south-east Asia)

Demands
Sun, shade to light shade, protected, cold house,yearly trimming of shoots possible, cut back hard in late summer or spring when under glass, water little when at rest.
Natural habitat
Fresh to moist, loamy, moderately nutritious, well drained, neutral to slightly acidic.
Note
When planting, make sure that citrus plants are not subjected to root competition from other plants. When growth is strong, pruning is possible, but then flowers and fruits are usually suppressed. To slow growth, use less fertiliser.
Hardiness
Zone 9

Overview of varieties of Citrus

Species Habit Flowers Fruit Leaves
C. japonica
(= C. fortunella)

Kumquat 		Densely branched large shrub, up to 4 m tall white, fragrant oval, yellow-orange, 4 cm long, edible lanceolate, up to 3 cm long, light green
C. limonum

Lemon 		Large shrub or small tree, 5-7 m tall, many twigs, thorny white, fragrant, red or crimson buds, up to 5 cm large, spring/summer oval, yellow, 15 cm long, edible slender, ovoid, finely toothed, light green, up to 10 cm long
C. reticulata
(=C. nobilis)

Mandarin 		Large shrub or small tree, very thorny white, 14-18 flowers in clusters orange, round, small to medium-size, 6-8 cm, edible small, lanceolate, 3-4 cm long, light green
C. sinsensis

Orange 		Large shrub or small tree, 10-13 m tall white, fragrant, up to 4 cm, alone or in racemes, spring orange, sweet, up to 10 cm, round fruit, edible oval to elliptical, dark green, up to 15 cm