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Citrus aurantium Bouquet de Fleur - Bitter orange

Citrus aurantium Bouquet de Fleur
Bigarade, Bitter orange, Marmalade orange, Sour orange

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A citrus tree prized for its exceptionally abundant and highly fragrant flowers. This bitter orange tree, with its compact habit, bears rounded leaves, large single white flowers, and produces medium-sized round fruits with a bitter taste that turn orange when ripe. These fruits are used to prepare the famous bitter orange marmalade, liqueurs, or confectionery. It is a fairly hardy citrus tree (-8°C) that tolerates slightly chalky soils.
Flavour
bitter
Height at maturity
3.50 m
Spread at maturity
2 m
Exposure
Sun
Hardiness
Hardy down to -9.5°C
Self-fertilising
Best planting time April
Recommended planting time March to May
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Flowering time March to April
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Harvest time January to February, December
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Description

Citrus aurantium ‘Bouquet de Fleurs’ is a wonderful variety of bitter orange tree cultivated for the production of neroli and orange blossom water. This citrus tree with multiple assets forms an elegant small tree, prized for its evergreen foliage and its massive white flowers that perfume the air in spring. Its beautiful bitter oranges are used to prepare marmalades and liqueurs. This very vigorous variety is hardy down to approximately -8°C, so its cultivation in open ground is reserved for sufficiently mild climates. Elsewhere, it can be grown in containers and brought indoors during winter.

Citrus aurantium 'Bouquet de Fleurs' belongs to the Rutaceae family, like all citrus trees. Originating from the southern Himalayas, the wild species has spread across tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, particularly in India and Vietnam. In its natural habitat, it is mainly found in open forests and mountainous areas of these regions.

The 'Bouquet de Fleurs' cultivar is likely identical to 'Bouquet' and 'Riche Dépouille'. It was selected in France for its particularly abundant and fragrant flowering. Valued for its ornamental qualities, it is cultivated for perfumery. It is a small tree with a compact and dens, generally spherical crown. Its growth is quite slow, reaching a height of 1.5 to 2 metres in pots, and up to 3.50 metres in open ground. It is quite small for a bitter orange tree, well-suited to small gardens and terraces. Its branches bear no thorns or only early-dropping ones. Its glossy dark green leaves are evergreen, medium to small, rounded, more or less sickle-shaped with a blunt tip, often folded into a gutter shape. The petioles are short and mostly without wings. The dense foliage contributes to the tree's ornamental appeal. The white, single to semi-double flowers, larger than those of many bitter orange trees, are intensely fragrant and grouped into several-flowered clusters at the tips of the branches. They appear exclusively in spring, in March-April. Their intense fragrance is used for extracting neroli essential oil, prized in perfumery.

The fruits of the 'Bouquet de Fleurs' bitter orange tree are small to medium-sized, round and slightly flattened with rough bark ranging from yellow to bright orange-yellow depending on the stage of ripening. The pulp is juicy, with pips, and offers a characteristic bitter and sour flavour. The fruits of Citrus aurantium 'Bouquet de Fleurs' are generally harvested when ripe in winter, between December and February, depending on climatic conditions and the region where the tree is cultivated. Bitter oranges ripen slowly and can remain on the tree for several weeks, even a few months, after full ripeness, allowing for gradual harvest. They reach their full flavour and display their bright orange-yellow colour in late winter. These fruits are mainly used for making marmalades, liqueurs such as Grand Marnier and Cointreau, and in pastry.

Citrus aurantium 'Bouquet de Fleurs' is also appreciated for its relative cold resistance, tolerating temperatures down to -8/-9°C when grown in a cold greenhouse or protected environment. Cultivated on its own roots, this citrus tree tolerates limestone and slightly heavy loamy soils.

Citrus aurantium 'Bouquet de Fleurs' is self-fertile. This means it can produce fruit without requiring cross-pollination with another tree. Better pollination (and potentially more abundant fruiting) will be encouraged by the presence of natural pollinators, such as bees.

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Citrus trees, orange trees and other citrus: how to plant and grow them in pots or in the garden?
Family sheet
by Alexandra 24 min.
Citrus trees, orange trees and other citrus: how to plant and grow them in pots or in the garden?
Read article

Citrus aurantium Bouquet de Fleur - Bitter orange in pictures

Citrus aurantium Bouquet de Fleur - Bitter orange (Foliage) Foliage
Citrus aurantium Bouquet de Fleur - Bitter orange (Harvest) Harvest

Plant habit

Height at maturity 3.50 m
Spread at maturity 2 m
Growth rate slow

Fruit

Fruit colour orange
Fruit diameter 7 cm
Flavour bitter
Use Jam, Compote, Cooking, Alcohol
Harvest time January to February, December

Flowering

Flower colour white
Flowering time March to April
Inflorescence Corymb
Flower size 4 cm
Fragrance Very fragrant, orange flower, neroli
Bee-friendly Attracts pollinators

Foliage

Foliage persistence Evergreen
Foliage colour dark green
Product reference • 24043

Planting and care

Planting in the ground: The Bitter Orange tree, on its own roots, tolerates loamy and slightly calcareous soils. When grafted, it prefers slightly acidic to neutral soils. It is only reasonable to plant it in the ground along the Mediterranean coast, not too far inland. The best time for planting is early spring, in March and April. Start by watering the root ball to moisten it through capillary action. Dig a hole four to five times the volume of the root ball. If your soil is calcareous, amend it with ericaceous soil. If it is heavy and compact, lighten it with one-third sand. Citrus trees do not appreciate poorly draining soils, as they dislike having their feet in stagnant water. Be careful not to bury the collar, then firm down. Citrus plants are naturally greedy: in all cases, add well-decomposed compost, humus, or a "special citrus" fertiliser. Choose a sunny but not scorching spot for your bush, sheltered from the wind to prevent foliage from drying out and away from any sea spray.

Pot planting: In all other regions, Citrus trees should be planted in pots and stored in an orangery or cold greenhouse during winter, then moved outdoors once frosts have passed. Plant in pots or repot in late summer. Choose a pot slightly larger than the root system, as citrus trees dislike feeling cramped. Moisten the root ball thoroughly. To improve the drainage capacity of the mix, line the bottom of the pot with clay pebbles. Loosen the root ball and prepare a mix of two-thirds garden soil and one-third special "citrus" compost. Water generously. Opt for terracotta or breathable material pots.

Citrus trees need plenty of water to thrive. Your Bitter Orange tree should be watered daily with non-calcareous water, and the soil should remain consistently moist, especially indoors. Similarly, ensure you regularly provide the fertiliser it needs: every 6 months for slow-release granular fertiliser or every 3 waterings for liquid fertiliser.

Planting period

Best planting time April
Recommended planting time March to May

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow
Type of use Border, Container, Hedge, Greenhouse, Conservatory
Hardiness Hardy down to -9.5°C (USDA zone 8b) Show map
Ease of cultivation Beginner
Planting density 1 per m2
Planting spacing Every 200 cm
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Neutral
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light), well-drained

Care

Pruning instructions In spring, lightly prune the new shoots with scissors or secateurs to maintain its lovely rounded habit and encourage flowering and fruit production.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time May to June
Soil moisture Wet
Disease resistance Good
Overwinter Needs to be stored

Planting & care advice

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