Florentine citron facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Florentine citron |
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| Species | C. × limonimedica Lush. |
| Cultivar | Florentina |
| Origin | Florence |
The Florentine citron is a special kind of citrus fruit. It's a hybrid, which means it's a mix of two different citrus plants. This fruit is very fragrant, meaning it smells really nice! It gets its name because it was first grown a lot in Florence, Italy. Its scientific name is Citrus × limonimedica 'Florentina'.
Where Does the Florentine Citron Come From?
This unique fruit first appeared in the beautiful Italian Renaissance gardens. These gardens were famous for growing many different kinds of plants. Today, scientists believe the Florentine citron is a hybrid of a lemon and a citron. This means it has traits from both parent plants.
It is also known to be one of the parent plants for a very unusual citrus plant called the Bizzaria. The Bizzaria is a rare plant that can grow different types of citrus fruits on the same tree!
History and Uses of the Florentine Citron
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The Florentine citron was first written about by a person named Johann Christoph Volkamer. He wrote a book called Nürnbergische Hesperides. In his book, he described many original citrus types, as well as new mutations and hybrids. He also included detailed drawings of these plants.
Volkamer's drawings of the Florentine citron show it growing by itself. They also show it growing on the Bizzaria tree. These old drawings look very much like the fruit we see today. He also wrote that the Florentine citron has a very pleasant smell, much like the Greek citron.
Citron fruits, like the Florentine citron, have been used for a long time. For example, the Diamante citron, which is another popular Italian variety, was highly valued by both Ashkenazi Jews and Sephardi Jews in their communities.
