# trifoliate orange (*Citrus trifoliata*) The trifoliate orange is a special plant with three leaflets on each leaf! It has bright orange fruits that are very sour. This plant is often used as a hedge and can grow tall and bushy. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![trifoliate orange](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Poncirus_trifoliata_1_JdP.jpg&width=800) Photo: Jebulon, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Poncirus_trifoliata_1_JdP.jpg) ## Appearance The trifoliate orange is a thorny deciduous shrub or small tree with distinct three-part (trifoliate) leaves. Its white, fragrant flowers appear in spring, followed by small, fuzzy, golf ball-sized fruits that turn yellow in fall. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Sapindales - **Family:** Rutaceae - **Genus:** Citrus ## Interesting facts - Farmers use its roots to grow tougher types of oranges and lemons. - It's the only citrus plant that loses its leaves in winter! - Its incredibly bitter fruits are sometimes used to make marmalade. - This plant's scientific name means "three-leaved citrus," for its unique leaves. ## Special abilities - **Cold Crusader:** Trifoliate orange can survive freezing temperatures that would kill most citrus, thanks to unique adaptations in its sap. - **Spiky Protector:** This plant has long, sharp thorns to defend its branches and leaves from hungry animals trying to munch on it. - **Unique Leaves:** Trifoliate orange has unusual three-part leaves, different from other citrus, helping it adapt to colder climates. - **Bitter Barrier:** Its small, fuzzy fruits contain a very bitter oil, deterring most animals from eating them and protecting its seeds. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-300 cm - **Spread:** 150-250 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-4 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits its fragrant white flowers for nectar. - **Eats:** Giant swallowtail (*Papilio cresphontes*) — Larvae munch on its leaves, like other citrus plants. - **Shelter:** [House sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-sparrow) (*Passer domesticus*) — Dense, thorny branches provide safe nesting sites. ## Traits - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Cold Hardy](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cold-hardy): Cold hardy plants are able to withstand low temperatures and freezing conditions without significant damage. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Fruit Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-tree): A fruit tree is a perennial tree that produces fruit, which is edible to humans or animals. - [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Be careful of the sharp thorns when getting close to this plant! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify trifoliate orange? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is trifoliate orange? 100-300 cm ### How wide does trifoliate orange spread? 150-250 cm ### How big are the flowers on trifoliate orange? 2-4 cm ### When does trifoliate orange bloom? Spring ### Is trifoliate orange edible? No ### Is trifoliate orange toxic? Mild ### What is trifoliate orange's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Awbury Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/awbury-arboretum) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden - [Centennial Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/centennial-arboretum) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden - [Chanticleer Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chanticleer-garden) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden - [Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-st-jean-baptiste-state-historic-site) — Louisiana, US · Nature Reserve - [Mt. Cuba Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mt-cuba-center) — Delaware, US · Botanical Garden - [University City](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/university-city) — Pennsylvania, US · Campus [View all places to see trifoliate orange](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/trifoliate-orange) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Trifoliate Orange: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/trifoliate-orange)