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 Ichang Lemon: A Hardy, Beautiful, and Useful Citrus







Ichang lemon is an ancient Chinese cultivar that has the advantage of being one of the earlier ripening cold-hardy citrus. Although its true origins are shrouded in mystery, it is thought that Ichang lemon is a hybrid between mainstream citrus (probably a type of pomelo) and a citrus species (Citrus ichangensis) that is native to central China. There are many old hybrids involving C. ichangensis, although recent genetic research has indicated that while C. ichangensis may be involved, it is not a direct ancestor of the Ichang lemon. In any case, the cold-hardiness of Ichang lemon was recognized by early citrus explorers, and the Ichang lemon has been grown in the Southeast for about 100 years, proving itself hardy at least to 10F and possibly lower.
The tree is large (20 feet or more on the Lower Piedmont) with dark green, glossy leaves reminiscent of a grapefruit. The leaves have a large winged petiole, characteristic of hybrids with C. ichangensis. The fruit are very large, with light yellow pulp and juice and PACKED with seeds. It may be one of the seediest citrus grown anywhere. The fruit is very sour, but tastes more like a grapefruit than a lemon. The juice has a distinctive smell that is imparted to ades and other products. If you can handle the seeds, each fruit makes at least a half-cup of juice. In addition to being useful, the Ichang lemon is very ornamental. The only drawbacks are its thorny nature and its tendency to take a long time to bear when grown from seed, which can take as long as 12 years. Both of these issues can be somewhat resolved by buying a grafted plant.
On the lower Piedmont, I would consider Ichang lemon an indispensable citrus.

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