The Historic District

Oranges in Connecticut? Yup. Pictured below is the fruit of Poncirus trifoliata in my yard, just beginning to show color. A Chinese native, it will grow in USDA zones 5-9. I like it for its fragrant spring blooms (classic orange blossom) and surprising downy fruit (slightly larger than a golf ball) but most of all for its usefulness as a security plant, with its fierce 1.5" thorns. A hedge of poncirus will make any intruder wish he'd stayed home. Propagation: impossible from cuttings and easy from seed.

Poncirus trifoliata by James McInnis, on Flickr

Hardy orange is edible, but extremely tart. Good for marmalade and cocktails.

Neat! Is the fruit edible?
I planted a hardy banana tree but I guess the fruit is not worth eating.

Hardy orange is edible, but extremely tart. Good for marmalade and cocktails.

Manalto wrote:Hardy orange is edible, but extremely tart. Good for marmalade and cocktails.

Oh nice! I bet you could do some interesting culinary things with it!