Citrus medica
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Citrus medica L. |
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Divisio: Magnoliophyta Subdivisio: Magnoliophytina Classis: Rosopsida Subclassis: Rosidae Superordo: Rutanae Ordo: Rutales Subordo: Rutineae |
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Citrus medica, commonly known as Citron, is a shrub with intensely fragrant flowers and fruits.
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[edit] Naming
Citrus medica was described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus. The name is considered as validly published.
[edit] Taxonomy
The Citron is a species in the genus Citrus which contains 157 species and belongs to the family of the Rutaceae (Rue Family).
[edit] Characteristics
[edit] Growth
The shrubs or small trees grow to a height of approximately five meters. The branches are purplish when young and have up to four centimeters long spines.
[edit] Leaves
Citrus medica is an evergreen plant with simple, middle-green to dark green leaves. The leaves are arranged opposite one another and have short stalks. The leaves are elliptic to ovate elliptic with serrate margins. The apex is rounded or obtuse, rarely mucronate. The leaf buds are purplish.
[edit] Flowers and Fruit
The white flowers are five-petaled and heavily scented. They appear all over the year but the main bloom time is in early summer. The flowers are arranged in axillary racemes, rarely solitary. The flower buds are purplish when young.
Botanically speaking the fruits are berries but since they have a structure different than normal berries they are called hesperidium. They are elliptic to almost round and may weigh up to two kilos. The coarse surface is pale yellow ripening yellowish green to golden yellow. The thick albedo is white to pale yellow and not easily separated from the peel. The flesh is colourless to almost transparent and has an acidic to slightly sweet taste. It is divided into 10 to 15 segment with numerous small seeds. The peel as well as the flesh exude an intense floral scent.
[edit] Distribution
Citrus medica is native to India and is naturalized in Florida.
[edit] Cultivation
The Citron prefers a sunny site and can withstand temperatures onlys to 0º C. The warmer the site the bigger the fruits. It grows best in sandy, loamy soil that is moderately moist to moist and well drained.
[edit] Uses
The shrubs can be planted in pots and either put outside after the last frosts or kept in an conservatory all year round.
Citrus medica is used medicinally.
[edit] Maintenance and Propagation
Citron should be lightly cut back every year in spring to promote compact growth.
If the temperatures drop the shrub shed their foliage but will readily build new leaves in spring. Still, they should best be kept in light conditions with temperatures around 5°C in winter. Also they should only be watered very sparingly in winter since they will shed their foliage if the soil is too wet.
The plant can be propagated either by seed, cuttings or grafting. Specimens grown from seed will carry their first fruits after three to eight years. Plants propagated from cuttings may sometimes flower in the first year. Grafted specimens need around three years to produce the first fruits.
[edit] Varities and Cultivars
- 'Corsica', especially sweet flesh
- 'Etrog', oblong yellow fruits
- 'Diamante', diamont-shaped yellow fruits
- 'Digitata', also called Buddha's Hand, with finger-like segments
- 'Isola de Brissago', oblong fruits, purplish when young
- 'Maxima', especially large fruits
'Digitata' (Buddha's Hand)
'Digitata' (Buddha's Hand)
[edit] Literature
- Walter Erhardt, Erich Götz, Nils Bödeker, Siegmund Seybold: Der große Zander. Eugen Ulmer KG, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-8001-5406-7. (Ger.)
- Christoper Brickell (Editor-in-chief): RHS A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Third edition. Dorling Kindersley, London 2003, ISBN 0-7513-3738-2.
- Citrus medica in the Flora of China
[edit] Non-commercial Links
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