Kingdom Plantae Family Rutaceae Rank Species | Order Sapindales Genus Citrus | |
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Scientific name Citrus ichangensis x Citrus maxima Similar Citrus ichangensis, Citrangequat, Greek citron, Procimequat, Yuzuquat | ||
The shangjuan, or Ichang lemon (Citrus ichangensis × C. maxima), is a cold-hardy citrus fruit and plant originating in East Asia.
According to some it is the best bet for cold-hardy citrus with edible fruit. It is believed to be a hybrid of pomelo and Ichang papeda and thus may also be called Ichang pomelo.
Description
Shangjuan forms a shrub or small tree, which is commonly thorny. Leaves are notable for a large petiole, resembling those of the related Kaffir lime and Ichang papeda, and are fragrant. The large fruit has a flavor resembling a mixture of lemon and grapefruit, and is occasionally used as a substitute for those fruits. Like other citrus fruit with C. ichangensis ancestry, the shangjuan is relatively cold-tolerant.
The fruit looks a bit like a grapefruit, and can be either pale yellow or green depending on the degree of ripeness. Shangjuan fruits, which are very aromatic, can be as large as a grapefruit (up to 10 cm or larger).