Sour orange
Citrus × aurantium
Synonyms: Citrus × kotokan, Citrus × bigaradia var. florifera, Citrus × karna, Citrus × aurantium var. sigillata, Citrus × vulgaris var. hispanica, Citrus × aurantium var. lusitanica, Citrus × ujukitsu, Citrus × daidai, Citrus × bigaradia var. bifera, Citrus medica f. tamurana, Citrus × aurantium var. myrtifolia, Aurantium × orientale, Citrus × bigaradia var. bizarria, Citrus × bigaradia var. racemosus, Citrus × leiocarpa, Citrus sabon f. jiyu, Citrus decumana var. panuban, Citrus × aurantium var. corniculata, Citrus × aurantium var. fructo-aurata, Citrus × aurantium var. pyramidalis, Citrus × aurantium subsp. sinensis, Citrus taragayo, Citrus × bigaradia var. duplex, Citrus × vulgaris var. chinensis, Citrus × myrtifolia, Citrus × bigaradia var. florentina, Citrus grandis var. tengu, Citrus × aurantium var. rugosa, Citrus × vulgaris var. florifera, Aurantium × variegatum, Citrus × aurantium var. lunata, Citrus × bigaradia var. asperma, Citrus × sinograndis, Citrus × canaliculata, Citrus × anonyma, Citrus × bigaradia var. neapolitana, Aurantium × myrtifolium, Citrus × aurantium var. conifera, Citrus × bigaradia var. bigamia, Citrus × aurantium var. ilicifolia, Citrus × aurantium var. praecox, Citrus × rokugatsu, Citrus × pseudograndis, Citrus × bigaradia var. dulcis, Citrus × natsudaidai, Citrus × reshni, Citrus × panuban, Citrus × sinensis subsp. fetifera, Citrus × bigaradia var. fetifera, Citrus × aurantium var. longifolia, Citrus × nobilis var. rubrifrons, Citrus × aurantium var. angustifolia, Citrus × aurantium subsp. suntra, Citrus × sinensis, Citrus × vulgaris var. multiflora, Citrus × aurantium var. bigaradia, Citrus × bigaradia var. macrocarpa, Citrus sabon f. banyu, Citrus pompelmos var. racemosa, Citrus × intermedia, Citrus × aurantium var. oryza, Citrus × bigaradia var. myrtifolia, Citrus × aurantium var. colla, Citrus sabon f. sekitoyu, Aurantium × corniculatum, Citrus × aurantium var. fructo-depressa, Citrus × aurantium var. reshni, Citrus decumana var. racemosa, Citrus × aurantium var. natsudaidai, Citrus × bigaradia var. crispifolia, Citrus × sinensis var. vulgaris, Citrus × maderaspatana, Aurantium × sinense, Citrus × subcompressa, Citrus × aurantium var. latifolia, Citrus × sinensis subsp. crassa, Citrus × bigaradia var. fasciata, Citrus × aurantium var. genuensis, Citrus × bigaradia, Citrus × clementina, Citrus × tangelo, Citrus × vulgaris var. folio-crispa, Citrus × bigaradia var. longifolia, Citrus grandis f. benikawa, Aurantium × silvestre, Citrus × aurantium var. oblonga, Citrus × aurantium f. natsudaidai, Citrus sabon f. mitsuyu, Citrus × bigaradia var. multiflora, Citrus × aurantium var. carnosa, Citrus × aurantium var. hierochuntica, Citrus decumana var. paradisi, Aurantium × bigarella, Citrus × aurantium var. fructo-costata, Citrus × benikoji, Citrus × yuge-hyokan, Citrus grandis var. brunneorugosa, Citrus × sinensis var. variegata, Citrus × bigaradia var. sylvestris, Citrus × changshan-huyou, Citrus × bigaradia var. cortice-aeduli, Citrus × florida, Citrus × racemosa, Citrus × sinensis subsp. lusitanica, Citrus × aurantium var. sinensis, Citrus × nobilis var. subcompressa, Citrus × aurantium var. nicaensis, Citrus × aurantium var. imbiga, Citrus × aurantium var. daidai, Citrus × glaberrima, Citrus × amara, Citrus × aurantium var. voangkely, Citrus × asahikan, Citrus × aurantium subsp. natsudaidai, Citrus × vulgaris var. corniculata, Citrus × bigaradia var. itan, Citrus × iwaikan, Citrus × aurantium var. nobilis, Citrus × bigaradia var. mammillata, Citrus × aurantium var. asperma, Citrus × oto, Citrus × aurantium var. duplex, Citrus × aurantium var. fetifera, Citrus × tosa-asahi, Citrus × yatsushiro, Citrus × sinensis var. plumosa, Citrus × aurantium f. intermedia, Citrus × bigaradia var. corniculata, Citrus × bigaradia var. sulcata, Citrus grandis var. kotokan, Citrus × aurantium var. umbilicata, Citrus × vulgaris var. glaberrima, Citrus × sinensis subsp. hierochuntica, Citrus × aurantium var. amara, Citrus × aurantium var. balearica, Citrus × nobilis f. tumida, Citrus × aurantium var. limetta, Citrus × paradisi, Citrus × aurantium var. grassensis, Citrus × taiwanica, Citrus × aurantium var. mandarina, Citrus × leiocarpa var. tumida, Citrus × bigaradia var. violacea, Citrus × aurantium var. vulgaris, Aurantium × acre, Citrus sabon f. hakunikuyu, Citrus × bigaradia var. hispanica, Citrus × dulcimedulla, Citrus × aurantium var. mutabilis, Citrus × bigaradia var. coronata, Citrus × sulcata, Citrus sabon f. soyu, Citrus × aurantium var. limetiformis, Citrus × iyo, Aurantium × coronatum, Citrus × aurantium var. elliptica, Citrus × aurantium var. microcarpon, Citrus × aurantium var. sanguinea, Citrus × sinensis var. myrtifolia, Citrus × bigaradia var. spatafora, Citrus × aurantium var. fructo-minutissima, Citrus × aurantium var. torulosa, Citrus × bigaradia var. glaberrima, Citrus maxima var. uvacarpa, Citrus tarogayo, Citrus × vulgaris var. pulpa-duci, Citrus grandis var. glaberrima, Citrus × humilis, Citrus × funadoko, Citrus × bigaradia var. variegata, Citrus × aurantium var. melitensis, Citrus × nobilis var. genshokan, Citrus × ampullacea, Citrus × pseudoparadisi, Citrus × pseudogulgul, Citrus × aurantium var. limoniformis, Citrus × bigaradia var. canaliculata, Citrus × bigaradia var. sinensis, Citrus × dulcis, Citrus × aurantium var. fructo-variabili, Citrus × omikanto, Citrus × nobilis, Citrus × aurantium var. multiflora, Citrus × aurantium var. depressa, Citrus × aurantium var. gibbosa, Citrus × rumphii, Citrus × aurantium var. ruginosa, Citrus × nobilis var. kikaijimense, Citrus × aurantium subsp. amara, Citrus × communis, Citrus × sinensis var. longifolia, Citrus × vulgaris var. fuctu-maxima, Citrus grandis var. sulcata, Citrus grandis var. dulcis, Citrus × mitsuharu, Citrus × bigaradia var. gallesiana, Citrus × keraji, Citrus × vulgaris var. rugosa, Citrus × aurantium var. dulcis, Citrus × aurantium var. tarda, Citrus × fusca, Citrus × sinensis f. sekkan, Citrus × aurantium var. mammifera, Citrus × pomelana, Citrus decumana var. patoniana, Citrus × bigaradia var. cyathifera, Citrus × calot, Citrus grandis var. racemosa, Citrus × medioglobosa, Citrus × bigaradia var. salicifolia, Citrus × bigaradia var. caliculata, Citrus × aurantium var. fructo-variegata, Citrus × truncata, Aurantium × humile, Citrus × aurantium var. minutissima, Citrus × aurantium var. crispa, Citrus × tengu, Citrus × aurantium var. pyriformis, Citrus × sinensis var. aurantia, Citrus × tankan f. koshotankan, Citrus grandis var. natsudaidai, Citrus × vulgaris var. myrtifolia
Western Herbalism Properties
Gallery
Botanical Description
Citrus × aurantium, commonly called sour orange, Seville orange, or bitter orange, is an evergreen tree in the Rutaceae family reaching up to 9 m in height and 6 m in spread at a medium rate of growth. The plant is believed to be an ancient hybrid of Citrus maxima (pomelo) and Citrus reticulata (mandarin). It produces glossy, dark green, ovate-lanceolate leaves with broadly winged petioles and bears highly fragrant white five-petalled hermaphroditic flowers from April to June, pollinated chiefly by bees. The fruit is a globose hesperidium 7-10 cm in diameter with a thick, rough, deep orange rind containing abundant essential oil glands and a tart, bitter, juicy pulp divided into segments. Native to southeastern Asia and naturalized across the Mediterranean and tropical Americas, the species is cultivated worldwide for its peel (used in marmalade and bitters), flowers (yielding neroli oil), leaves (petitgrain oil), and immature fruit (TCM Zhi Shi), and as rootstock for sweet citrus cultivars.
Cultural & Historical Context
Traditional American Uses
None Documented
Chemistry & External Identifiers
Important Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.