Citrus Corrugata - Bitter Orange

The 'Corrugata' Orange Tree is an original variety resulting from the cross-breeding of the Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis) and the Bitter Orange (Citrus aurantium). This beautiful fruit tree with a rounded silhouette and rapid growth presents very ornamental fruits, with orange and undulate peel at ripeness. These medium-sized oranges ripen in January, when the juicy pulp has turned red. It is also appreciated for its foliage and deliciously scented white flowers. This very vigorous variety is hardy up to about -7°C (19.4°F), so it will be reserved for mild climates. Elsewhere, this magnificent compact tree will be preferably grown in a pot and stored away for the winter.

The Orange Tree is a tree native to Southeast Asia. It was introduced to Southern Europe, along the Mediterranean, in the year 1000 by the Arabs.

Cultivated for its ornamental qualities and its oranges, the Orange Tree can reach 7 to 8 metres (23 to 26 feet) in height in open ground. With its rounded spread habit, it enhances its beautiful dense and evergreen foliage. Its leaves are elongated, pointed, shiny on the top, with a vibrant green to deep green colour and very fragrant. It produces small white, highly scented flowers that give way to round oranges, measuring 7 to 10cm (3 to 4in) in diameter, with pulpy and juicy flesh, and a balance between sweetness and acidity. Their orange color occurs thanks to the first frosts, but it is not a sign of ripeness. Harvesting takes place from November to March.

Like all Citrus trees, the Orange Tree contains essential oil pockets in its leaves, flowers, and fruits, often visible to the naked eye, from which essential oil is extracted through distillation (flowers and leaves) or pressing (zest). Most citrus trees thrive in open ground in the Mediterranean coastal regions, where they find the necessary warmth all year round. Elsewhere, they will be grown in pots and stored away as soon as the first cold weather arrives. Not very hardy, the Orange Tree starts to suffer from the cold from -5°C (23°F) to -10°C (14°F).

The Orange Tree blooms from March to July and bears fruit from November to March. The ripening of the fruit takes between 10 and 12 months. It is a self-fertile bush, which means that a single individual is sufficient for complete pollination and fruiting. However, if your citrus tree remains indoors permanently, you will need to occasionally let the pollinators do their work or, if you feel delicate enough, perform hand pollination.