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sour orange

Scientific Name: Citrus ×aurantium

Family: Rutaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Shrub, Tree

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Bitter Orange (Citrus aurantium)

Bitter orange, also known as Seville orange, sour orange, bigarade orange, or marmalade orange, refers to the citrus tree Citrus aurantium and its fruit. It's a hybrid.

Considerations for Pets

  • The tree has thorns.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Citrus aurantium
  • Common Names: Bitter orange, Seville orange, sour orange, bigarade orange, marmalade orange, sour orange.
  • Synonyms: Citrus amara, Citrus aurantium, Citrus Aurantium Fruit, Citrus bigarradia, Citrus vulgaris

Distribution and Habitat

  • The sour orange's prehistoric origins are located in Southeast Asia, most notably in China and India.
  • Early explorers brought the fruits via boat to various regions.
  • The first Spaniards to land in St. Augustine, planted the first sour orange seeds in Florida.
  • By 1763 they had been adopted by most early settlers and local populations in Florida.
  • Widely cultivated in warm regions.

Morphological Characteristics

  • The tree ranges in height from less than 10 ft (3 m) to 30 ft (9 m).
  • It is more erect and has a more compact crown than the sweet orange.
  • Bitter orange grow as perennial evergreen with thorns used also as ornamental plant.

Uses

  • Bitter orange oil is made from the tree.
  • Commonly used for its oil extract.
  • Widely used in modern cooking.
  • Essential for authentic English marmalade. Also used fresh or dried as a key ingredient or garnish in Middle Eastern cooking.
  • Extracts from bitter orange have been found in weight-loss supplements and supplements sold for a variety of health concerns.
  • As a seasoning, much like lime juice, in salsas, marinades and soups.
  • ASU Seville sour oranges can be substituted for lemon in any recipe. Freeze the concentrated juice in ice cube trays.

Quirky Facts

  • The Seville bitter oranges decorate the streets of Seville: more than 14,000 bitter orange trees