Citrus Growers Forum

cristofre · Posted: Mon 31 Oct, 2011 10:56 am

I was driving through my hometown this weekend (Clayton Ga) when I spotted these little yellow fruit on a tree on a corner downtown.

I've passed right by this tree hundreds of times and never saw it. I couldn't believe it, it was at least 10 feet tall and right on main street.

Having been curious about these poncirus/citrus trifoliata fruit for years, I jumped out of my car and ran over and grabbed some fruit off the ground.

32 seeds in one little fruit.

Yep...bitter all right.

MarcV · Posted: Mon 31 Oct, 2011 1:59 pm

Looks tasty! Laughing

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Laaz · Posted: Mon 31 Oct, 2011 2:16 pm

I'm surprised you didn't puke... Laughing

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cristofre · Posted: Mon 31 Oct, 2011 2:46 pm

Laaz wrote:

I'm surprised you didn't puke... Laughing

It reminded me of the flavor of grapefruit more than anything- sour and bitter. The smell is flowery, citrusy, musky, and resiny.

I probably would puke if I ate a few of them right out of the half-shell, but I would use the juice as a lemon substitute in a pinch possibly.

I imagine the taste varies somewhat depending on where it is growing and its conditions.

Laaz · Posted: Mon 31 Oct, 2011 2:51 pm

The worst part is getting the pulp off your fingers, it's almost like glue when it dries.

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Sludge · Posted: Mon 31 Oct, 2011 6:30 pm

You got some on your nose.

Darkman · Posted: Mon 31 Oct, 2011 8:23 pm

cristofre wrote:

32 seeds in one little fruit.

There was room for pulp??????????????

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GT · Posted: Tue 01 Nov, 2011 12:17 am

rubbing alcohol takes care of that glue. Laughing

Cristofre,

nice catch!

ericb · Posted: Tue 01 Nov, 2011 1:00 pm

cristofre wrote:

Laaz wrote:

I'm surprised you didn't puke... Laughing

I probably would puke if I ate a few of them right out of the half-shell, but I would use the juice as a lemon substitute in a pinch possibly.

How much juice could you have gotten out of one of them

cristofre · Posted: Tue 01 Nov, 2011 1:23 pm

ericb wrote:

How much juice could you have gotten out of one of them

I guess it depended on how ripe/aged they were. The fresher, harder ones , maybe a teaspoon of juice.
The ones that had fallen off the tree and were soft had maybe a tablespoon of juice.
I've heard before that letting them sit a few weeks after harvesting will cause them to be juicier. I imagine the juice is just precipitating out of the peel and pulp as it ages.

cristofre · Posted: Tue 01 Nov, 2011 8:10 pm

Poncirus/Citrus Trifoliata in Clayton GA.

Lemandarangequatelo · Citruholic Joined: 01 Mar 2010 Posts: 485 Location: UK

I enjoyed this thread, thanks! Laughing

cristofre · Posted: Wed 02 Nov, 2011 11:32 am

Lemandarangequatelo wrote:

I enjoyed this thread, thanks! Laughing

I've been fascinated with trifoliate orange since I heard of it.

I've never seen one except for the ones I started from seed myself a few years ago.
I can't believe that all these years there was a 10-15 year old tree less than 7 minutes from my house.

I can understand that people that live where "real" citrus grows might have a hard time understanding my interest in these though lol

JackLord · Posted: Wed 02 Nov, 2011 2:47 pm

cristofre wrote:

Lemandarangequatelo wrote:

I enjoyed this thread, thanks! Laughing

I've been fascinated with trifoliate orange since I heard of it.

I've never seen one except for the ones I started from seed myself a few years ago.
I can't believe that all these years there was a 10-15 year old tree less than 7 minutes from my house.

I can understand that people that live where "real" citrus grows might have a hard time understanding my interest in these though lol

Yea I find them fascinating as well. I had never heard of them until I decided to procure some Citrus trees and did some research. I used a vacation day to visit the Arboretum to see some fairly mature specimens.

They look like something from the original Star Trek. No desire to eat the fruit, but then again it seems like something you have to do once to prove yourself. Wink

citrange · Posted: Wed 02 Nov, 2011 3:54 pm

The smell of the Poncirus fruit depends on the nose of the person smelling!
If you pass around a ripe fruit to a group of people, you will find some who say it is disgusting and others who find it quite pleasantly citrus/peachy/tangy.
I've been interested in Poncirus for years - ever since I found that I couldn't buy any viable seeds here in England. I started searching for trees - and started my website listing them. They are frequently in botanical gardens, sometimes in the gardens of stately homes, but rarely seen in small gardens (what you in the US call 'backyards').
http://www.homecitrusgrowers.co.uk/poncirustrifoliata/poncirusmap.html