Citrus aurantium Seeds | Bitter Orange
LATIN NAME: Citrus aurantium
COMMON NAME: Bitter Orange, Sour Orange, Seville Orange
Plant Profile
Bitter Orange (Citrus aurantium) grows as an evergreen tree, native to southeast Asia and cultivated in the Mediterranean for over a thousand years, it is a hardy citrus for warm, sunny, frost-free climates. Bitter orange is fragrant citrus behind many of the world’s classic flavours, a small, rounded evergreen tree, usually three to five metres tall, with glossy, dark green leaves and sharp spines. It is orange of Seville marmalade, of Grand Marnier and Curaçao, and of neroli oil, one of the most valued of all perfume ingredients. In combination, these characteristics make a persuasive case for growing it.
Science & Biotechnology
Within the Citrus group, Citrus aurantium is of continuing interest to researchers working on plant diversity, seed biology and the selection of improved garden forms. Bitter orange has a significant place in both food and pharmaceutical research. Breeders and collectors still work with it, so well-kept seed remains available.
Uses & Benefits
Gardeners value Bitter Orange for its ornamental character, and the plant also fits naturally into herb, vegetable and cutting gardens. Ecologically, bitter orange is a generous tree. Its intensely fragrant flowers feed bees and other pollinators, its evergreen canopy gives shelter, and its fruits feed birds and wildlife. Fruits are used to make marmalade and liqueurs, peel oil flavours foods, liqueurs and perfumes, and flowers are a major source of neroli oil, one of the most valued of all perfume ingredients. Getting it going is easy; keeping it going is easier still.
Citrus gives far more than vitamin C: peel flavonoids such as hesperidin and naringin are studied for vascular health, the dried peels, Chen Pi and Qing Pi, are major Chinese digestive herbs, and citrus pectin is a standard soluble fiber ingredient.
Growing from Seed
Raising Bitter Orange from seed is straightforward. Growing a bitter orange from seed is easy and very rewarding. Seeds sit inside fruits, and they do well in warm, moist conditions. Sow the seeds evenly over the surface and cover lightly in a loose, well-drained seed compost, keep the sowing evenly moist, and give the pot or tray full sun. Move strong seedlings into individual pots, keep them in good light, and set them out when the weather and their size agree.
Our Take
Bitter Orange repays a little patience at sowing time with plenty of garden presence later.
Related Reading
More species in the same orbit as Bitter Orange: