Citron, Fruit
Citron (Citrus medica) is a species of fragrant fruit in genus Citrus of family Rutaceae, native to Far East, India, Yemen and Southeast Asia. It is different from the usual lemon or orange that are peeled to consume their pulpy and juicy segments. Citron's pulp is very dry and contain little juice. It is cultivated more for its thick white rind, which stick fast to the segments and cannot be separated easily. Citron tree is a slow-growing, vigorous, evergreen shrub or small tree, 2.5 - 4.5 m tall, with straggling branches and stiff twigs, and short or long spines at the leaf axils. The green leaves are ovate-lanceolate or ovate elliptic, 7-17 cm long, lemon-scented with slightly serrated margin. The unisexual flowers are self-pollinate. Acidic varieties are with purplish-tint flowers, while the sweet ones are white-yellowish. Citron trees bloom several times a year, and are therefore fragile and extremely sensitive. Citron fruit is fragrant, mostly ovate or oblong shape that narrowing towards the stylar end. However, the fruit shape is highly variable, due to the inner rind (also known as pith or albedo), which forms independently according to the fruit's position on the tree. The rind is adherent, leathery and furrowed. The outer rind is uniformly thin and fragrant, and the inner portion is thick, white and fleshy. Depending on the varieties, the pulp can be acidic, sweet, or pulpless. Some citron varieties have medium-sized oil bubbles at the outer surface, while some have ribbed or faintly warted on the outer surface, and some are fingered variety called Buddha's hand. When unripe, citrons are green, changing to yellow-orange when ripe. The ripe citrons will not fall from the tree, and should be picked before they become too heavy and break the branches. Citrons are used to make succade (candied with sugar), jam, pickles, syrup, preserves, and tea.  Citron Author: mac_ki (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic) | ||
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