Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Malvids: Sapindales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Citrus trifoliata
FAMILY
Rutaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Read more about Trifoliate Orange at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Poncirus trifoliata
FAMILY
Rutaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 103-03-001:
Poncirus trifoliata FAMILY Rutaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Poncirus trifoliata
COMMON NAME:
Trifoliate Orange, Hardy Orange
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
JK Marlow jkm100331_010
March Greenville County SC
)
JK Marlow jkm100402_132
April Greenville County SC
Showy clusters of flowers on previous year's branches, per A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (Miller, Chambliss, & Lowenstein, 2010).
)
JK Marlow jkm100402_135
April Greenville County SC
)
JK Marlow jkm100402_138
April Greenville County SC
)
JK Marlow jkm100402_141
April Greenville County SC
)
JK Marlow jkm100402_144
April Greenville County SC
)
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org bug_1539099
April?
Flowers 1.5-2" across, w projecting stamens enclosing a yellow hairy stigma, per A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (Miller, Chambliss, & Lowenstein, 2010).
)
Ron Lance rwl1136_a
September
)
JK Marlow jkm071025_009
October Pickens County SC
Clemson Forest
Seems to be made up almost entirely of "thorns" (actually, stipular spines), per Weakley's Flora.
)
JK Marlow jkm071025_013
October Pickens County SC
Clemson Forest
Long pointed thorns (1-5 cm) and green branches, per Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Southeast (Foote & Jones, 1989).
)
JK Marlow jkm091003_071
October Greenville County SC
)
JK Marlow jkm091003_081
October Greenville County SC
Recognize it by its thorned branches, winged petioles, and 3 leaflets, per Trees of the Southeastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1988).
)
JK Marlow jkm091004_028
October Greenville County SC
Fruit = hesperidium (fleshy berrylike fruit w tough rind, like lemon or orange).
)
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org bug_1539100
Month Unknown
)
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org bug_5379609
Month Unknown
)
Steve Manning, Invasive Plant Control, Bugwood.org bug_5379618
Month Unknown
Branches dark gray w lengthwise lighter stripes & intervening green stripes, per A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (Miller, Chambliss, & Lowenstein, 2010).
)
James Johnson, Georgia Forestry Commission, Bugwood.org bug_5407098
Month Unknown
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Citrus trifoliata
FAMILY
Rutaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Poncirus trifoliata
FAMILY
Rutaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 103-03-001:
Poncirus trifoliata
FAMILY
Rutaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Poncirus trifoliata
1136
Shrub; Tree
Perennial
Habitat: Bottomland and riparian forests, mesic upland forests, stream banks, spring runs, fencerows, roadsides, becoming common especially in suburban areas, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: China
Uncommon (rare in GA & NC Mountains) (rare in Carolina Coastal Plain)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Alabama Invasive Plant Council, 2012
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2006
- SC Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2014
- US Forest Service Southern Research Station
IS THE PLANT "ARMED"?
Armed with stout nodal thorns
LEAVES:
Deciduous
Palmately compound: 3 leaflets
Alternate
FLOWER:
Spring
White
Radially symmetrical
4-7 sepals
5 petals
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Yellow
Berry (hesperidium)
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (Miller, Chambliss, & Lowenstein, 2010) p026
- Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Southeast (Foote & Jones, 1989) p082
- Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007) p351
- Trees of the Southeastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1988) p078
- Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004) p244
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".