Citrus aurantium

Scientific description

Scientific name: Citrus aurantium
Common name: Bitter orange, Seville orange
Kingdom: Plantae
Taxonomy: Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Citrus
Species: Citrus aurantium

Origin:
Southeast Asia. Planted for dense foliage and decorative, large spherical orange fruits. Common in Mediterranean gardens, streets, sidewalks, and house yards.

Ecology:
In Greece, widely used as rootstock for orange, lemon, and tangerine due to cold and drought resistance. Suitable for urban/country gardens, Mediterranean orchards, pots, balconies, sunny interiors, alone or with smaller plants.

Description:
Fruitful citrus tree, 4–8 m tall, 2.5–4 m wide, maturing in 10–20 years. Dark green, glossy leaves give a shrubby shape and aromatic scent. Flowers are white, star-shaped with golden yellow centers, appearing spring to early summer. Edible orange fruits follow, sour and slightly bitter.

Propagation:
Budding or vegetative propagation. Stem cutting is the main method for young trees.

Usage:
Leaves and flowers used as decoction: antispasmodic, digestive, calming, insomnia relief, stomachache, cough, blood sugar control. Flowers produce essential oil (neroli) with antidepressant, antiseptic, antispasmodic, anti-aging, aphrodisiac, sedative properties. Cosmetic uses: skin renewal, hair rinse, creams. Rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and flavones, improving microcirculation and reducing cellulite.

Creative writing inspired by Citrus aurantium

Citrus aurantium

According to legend, Hera, the goddess of marriage and family, was the guardian of the orange trees. When she married Zeus, the Charites offered her a garden filled with these trees, located in the enchanting land of the Hesperides. The oranges, with their fragrant blossoms and vibrant, juicy fruit, became a symbol of fertility, joy, and love.

Hera lovingly tended to this garden, as the oranges were bittersweet, much like the relationships between mortals and gods. Each fruit represented the contradictions of life: joy and sorrow, love and pain. It was said that Hera would give oranges to women who desired to have children, as she considered them blessed.

Another legend tells that Heracles, during his eleventh labor, had to steal the golden apples of the Hesperides, which were in fact oranges. Heracles faced great trials to obtain them, demonstrating that the pursuit of true happiness requires effort and sacrifice.

The orange tree thus became a symbol of prosperity and abundance, but also of the complex nature of life, where sweetness and bitterness coexist in harmony.

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Authentic Specimen