Known as the Trifoliate Orange, this Hardy Orange tree will grow in areas that don’t go below -10 degrees in the winter.

So why not plant one in our backyard? It’s a conversation piece, for sure, even in its early stages, but our reasons go way beyond a conversation starter. It’s one of many decisions made as we battle our feral cat population. Cats don’t like citrus, and these trees grow 2” thorns. Birds can nest among the thorns without the worry of cats seeking and destroying the bird families.

Planted last fall, it will be a few years before this tree is big enough to support our local birds; however, it has already taken out another pest…flies. Our best guess is the flies were buzzing right along then, Wham! They impaled themselves on one of the thorns. Crazy, right?

Once this tree matures, it will produce white, citrus-scented flowers in the spring. By mid-summer, it will be adorned with golf-ball size green fruit. As the leaves drop in the fall, the fruit will turn yellow and cling to the leafless tree, offering yet another spectacle.

The fruit isn’t edible like a conventional orange. It’s super seedy and very sour, but many find use for it in potpourris or marmalade. The rinds can also be candied. One thing to note is eating too much of this fruit can cause stomach issues and nausea, so don’t overdo it.

If you want to control the growth of this tree, be sure to pick the fruit. If you leave the oranges on the ground to decompose, you can expect the seeds to plant themselves. Too many of these trees can become a thorny nuisance.

For more pictures and information on the hardy orange tree, visit North Carolina Extension Gardener site.

“In almost every garden, the land is made better and so is the gardener.” — Robert Rodale, known for Organic Gardening and founder of Lehigh Valley Velodrome

•••

Do you have gardening questions? Ask our experts in the comments section below. They’d love to share their knowledge with you!