Plant · P-418

Yuzu

Citrus junos

Yuzu is the hardiest of the true citrus, tolerating cold down to 10 F, a full zone below what lemon, lime, grapefruit, citron and pomelo can hold, which is why it can go in open ground where the rest of the genus stays in a tub. The fruit is too tart and seedy to eat out of hand, so it is the grated rind and juice that are used, both carrying a distinctive fragrance central to ponzu, marinades and dressings. It's self-fertile and bears its first fruit at 3 to 5 years, and its cold-hardy, virus-free seedlings also make it a standard rootstock for grafting tenderer citrus.