Flying Dragon Trifoliate or Bitter Orange. This hardy citrus will grow as far north as zone 5. It is deciduous and will produces beautiful citrus-scented white flowers in spring. These are followed by orange fruit up to 2" in diameter which are quite persistent in holding on well into winter. 'Flying Dragon' is a contorted forms of this plant that can best be described as a living piece of sculpture with its weaving branches. It has trifoliate leaves which turn yellow before falling. Because of its cold hardiness, it is often used as an understock for grafting citrus. The Wicked Stick Gold Club near Myrtle Beach purchased a specimen of this to plant near their clubhouse as their own "wicked stick." It is amazing how many variegated cultivars that the Japanese have of this plant. It can reach 8-12' high and will grow in sun or shade. The species is very popular as a hedging plant and because of its thorns it will make an impenetrable barrier, even for a rabbit. When as a student at Clemson, we visited Chase Nursery Co., in Chase, Alabama there was an old hedge there that had been kept pruned to about 5' which several students climbed up on the hedge and walked on it.
We are not allowed to ship citrus into the following states due to their agricultural regulations: AZ, CA, FL, GA, TX
Zones 6-10
