Sharp, stubborn, and sour, Sharp, hardy orange isn’t every gardener’s favorite plant, but it can prove useful and an interesting landscaping addition. We love Poncirus trifoliata, which is also known as “bitter orange” and “trifoliate orange,” with its many names stemming from its frost tolerance, sour taste, and leaf arrangement. We especially love the sight of our contorted, thorny citrus tree when it gets 16 inches of snow dropped on it in winter, taking on the bizarre appearance of a wild-looking snow cone. This demonstrates how tough this plant is and why it’s the hardiest species of orange in the world.
Hardy orange is native to central and northern China and the Korean Peninsula, where it’s been cultivated since ancient times for medicinal uses and as a food flavoring. In the United States, hardy orange
