Hardy Orange

A hardy orange? Really, in my Midwest garden? Yes! This relative of the citrus plant is a favorite of collectors, and can most often be found in public gardens and arboreta. Now it can star in your garden. It's technically a large shrub but is often pruned as a small tree, performing best in sunny, well-drained locations. A classic hedgerow plant, Hardy Orange is virtually impenetrable due to its formidable green thorns, so plant where traffic is minimal. But be sure to pick a spot where the intensely fragrant, orange blossom-like white flowers can be enjoyed in the spring. The fruits (which are not edible) ripen to an attractive yellow in the fall and never fail to elicit comments. An especially effective accent or specimen shrub, it is an interesting and unusual plant, certain to turn heads. Poncirus trifoliata