Young Citrus junos in the ground
Winged petiole leaf Citrus junos
Yuzu fruit Citrus junos
Citrus junos flowers
Yuzu fruit Citrus junos
Contents
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
Citrus x junos, the Japanese yuzu prized by top chefs!
Contents
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
Native to China, yuzu, or Citrus x junos, is especially popular in Japan, where cooks love its uniquely aromatic fruit. Gardeners appreciate the fragrant evergreen foliage of this hybrid of hardy lemon, Citrus maxima and Mandarin (Citrus reticulata).
How to recognize Citrus x junos or yuzu?
Citrus x junos is a bushy shrub. It doesn't grow more than four meters high and three meters wide.
Branches grow low from the branched trunk. They are furnished with sharp thorns.
Leaves are lanceolate, smooth and leathery, with winged stalks. Dark spots stand out on the dark green leaf blade. These are the gasoline pockets. When the leaf is crumpled, they open and release their sweet, citrusy scent.
The flowers, too, are fragrant. They appear in spring. When the buds open, they reveal star-shaped white flowers.
Citrus x junos doesn't owe its popularity to its leaves or flowers. It is cultivated above all for its fruit: yuzu. This flattened sphere measures five to eight centimetres in diameter. Initially green, the thick, bumpy rind turns yellow as the fruit ripens. The flesh is not very juicy and contains numerous seeds.
The fruit is edible, and the plant is non-toxic to humans and animals. The peel has been used for centuries in Japanese cuisine, and for some years now elsewhere in the world. The Japanese also attribute soothing and medicinal properties to the fruit. At the winter solstice, some people take a hot bath with yuzu. This ritual, known as "yuzuyu", is said to prevent colds.
Our maintenance tips
Citrus x junos is one of the few citrus fruits that can be grown indoors. In summer, however, it can be enjoyed on a terrace or balcony to soak up the sun.
Watering
Citrus x junos like to keep their feet cool, but can't stand soggy soil. Water when the substrate is dry on the surface, for about three centimetres.
To provide your plant with the nutrients it needs, give preference to rainwater. Avoid tap water, which is often too hard. Finally, to avoid damaging the roots, use water at room temperature.
If you use a saucer or planter, remove any stagnant water. It could rot the root system.
Spray
Spray foliage with water at room temperature. Use rainwater or non-calcareous water to avoid the appearance of white spots.
Repotting
Every spring, repot your Citrus x junos to give it more space.
When roots protrude from the pot or are visible on the surface, it's time to repot!
To prepare your Citrus x junos for repotting, soak the root ball. Then gently loosen the root ball.
Choose a terracotta pot or a wooden tub. Both materials encourage water evaporation and reduce the risk of over-watering. Make sure the container is perforated to allow water to drain away.
At the bottom, place a bed of clay balls or gravel to facilitate drainage.
Top up with a rich substrate, such as special citrus or planting soil. You can make your own mixture with :
- one-third planting soil
- one-third garden soil
- pozzolan.
Place your shrub in the center. The surface of the rootball should be two centimetres below the rim of the pot. Fill with substrate and tamp to eliminate air bubbles. When planting, do not bury the collar.
Fertilization
To promote the growth of your Citrus x junos, apply fertilizer in spring and summer.
Citrus x junos are greedy plants. They need to be fertilized. Feed yours with a special liquid or granulated citrus fertilizer.
Cleaning
Dust sometimes accumulates on the leaves of your Yuzu and interferes with photosynthesis.
You can gently clean the foliage with a sponge or a clean, wet cloth.
If your plant looks dirty, you can add some black soap to the water.
You can gently clean the foliage with a sponge or a clean, wet cloth.
If your plant looks dirty, you can add some black soap to the water.
Prune
Size is not essential. It only helps to control shape and development and improves fruiting. When pruning, always use clean, sharp pruning shears.
Citrus trees flower and fruit on the year's wood. To maintain the compact, rounded shape of your shrub, remove dead branches and shoots growing along the trunk. You can also aerate the center by removing some shoots that have already borne fruit in previous years.
If you want to improve your harvest, you can also carry out a fruiting pruning operation: one month after the appearance of a new shoot, prune it back to a height of 20 centimetres.
Pinch
Pinch your Citrus x junos during its growing season.
Pinching improves branching. When new leaves appear, take them between your fingers. Section the leaf with your fingernails.
Plantation
When the risk of frost has passed, it's time to plant.
Find them a place sheltered from the wind and isolated from other plants. Citrus plants have shallow roots and don't like to share their space.
Dig a hole 70 centimetres wide and 1 metre in diameter. While you're at it, soak the root ball.
Plant the plant in the middle, with the top of the rootball level with the ground. Take care not to bury the collar.
Citrus x junos plants thrive in light, well-drained, rich soil. When filling in, add potting soil or citrus soil to your garden soil. Tamp and water.
Diseases / Threats
Information
| Family | Rutaceae - Rutaceae |
| Type | Citrus - Citrus |
| Species | Yuzu - Citrus x junos |
| Lifecycle | Perennial |
| Foliage | Evergreen |
| Exposure | |
| Substrat | |
| Planting methods |
Open ground In pots In tubs |
| Categories | |
| Tags |
Edible fruit Flowery Rustic |
| Origin |
East Asia |
| Hardiness (USDA) | 8a |
| Leaf color |
|
| Flower color |
|
| Fruit colors |
|
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