Yay Trifoliate Oranges!

Eat the Weeds (an awesome blog) has a great post on Trifoliate oranges (also called Hardy oranges for their extreme cold tolerance).

Eliza first introduced me to these citrus a few years ago. Since then I’ve been fascinated in by them.  Currently we have a few Trifoliate seedlings growing in our kitchen window.  They come from seeds we gathered at Monticello on our honeymoon (we took the seeds from fallen fruit only, not picking any from the trees).  In South Carolina the trees can be found in some parks and at the Columbia botanical garden.  They are amazingly thory things, but I think they look awesome.

As far as ediblity goes, I am inclinded to think they are realively safe regardless of what UNC says.  I have ate several with no ill effects, though, if you are worried, I wouldn’t advise eating a basketful the first time.  They are very tart, and I am in favor of Eat the Weeds advice to use them in Gin & Tonics (it is part of the reason why I am growing some).

Anyway, fun fun fun.

A bird nest in the tangle of a Trifoliate orange, much as the Eat the Weeds post describes. This was taken in southern South Carolina.

~ by Nathaniel on December 3, 2012.