Citrange facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Citrange |
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| Citrange cultivar 'Willett' | |
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C. × insitorum
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| Citrus × insitorum Mabb. 2002
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A citrange is a special kind of citrus plant. Its name is a mix of the words citrus and orange. It's a hybrid, which means it was created by crossing two different citrus plants: the sweet orange and the trifoliate orange.
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Why Citranges Were Created
Scientists created citranges to try and make a citrus tree that could survive cold weather. The trifoliate orange is naturally very tough and can handle cold. The goal was to combine this toughness with the delicious fruit of the sweet orange.
However, most citrange fruits usually taste quite bitter. So, they aren't often grown just for eating.
How Citranges Are Used
Even though their fruit isn't usually eaten, citranges are very useful. They are often used as a rootstock for other citrus trees. A rootstock is the lower part of a plant, including the roots, onto which another plant (called the scion) is grafted. This helps the top part of the plant grow better.
For example, in Morocco, citranges are used as rootstock for many citrus trees. However, they don't protect the trees from all diseases, like dry root rot or exocortis disease.
Types of Citrange Plants
There are several different types, or cultivars, of citrange plants. Each one has slightly different features.
'Carrizo' and 'Troyer' Citranges
Two well-known citrange cultivars are 'Carrizo' and 'Troyer'. Both of these were created by crossing a trifoliate orange with a Washington navel orange.
'Rusk' Citrange
Another popular type is the 'Rusk' citrange. This one was made by crossing a Ruby orange with a trifoliate orange.
See also
In Spanish: Citrange para niños
