Scientific Name
Poncirus trifoliata
Common Name
Trifoliate orange

CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. SKIN IRRITATION MINOR, OR LASTING ONLY FOR A FEW MINUTES.

Characteristics

Family
Rutaceae
Plant Description
Deciduous shrub or tree with green, angled, thorny stems; leaves alternate, divided with 3 leaflets; flowers solitary in leaf axils, white, 5-parted, aromatic; fruit dull yellow like a small orange, fragrant when ripe, peel thick and rough.
Origin
China.
Where Found
Landscape, cultivated as a shrub or hedge, sometimes escaped and naturalized.
Mode
Ingestion, dermatitis.
Poisonous Part
Fruit.
Symptoms
Severe stomach pain and nausea; skin irritation with prolonged contact.
Toxic Principle
Oil and saponic glycoside.
Severity
CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. SKIN IRRITATION MINOR, OR LASTING ONLY FOR A FEW MINUTES.

"Poisonous Plants of North Carolina," Dr. Alice B. Russell, Department of Horticultural Science; Dr. James W. Hardin, Botany; Dr. Larry Grand, Plant Pathology; and Dr. Angela Fraser, Family and Consumer Sciences; North Carolina State University. All Pictures Copyright @1997Alice B. Russell, James W. Hardin, Larry Grand. Computer programming, Miguel A. Buendia; graphics, Brad Capel.

Disclaimer: The list of poisonous plants on this web site does not necessarily include every poisonous plant that is known, or that might be found in an urban landscape or home. North Carolina State University does not advise eating any of the plants included in this web site. The information concerning edibility is taken from the literature, and the degree of reliability is unknown. We discourage the use of any of these plants for self medication. In cases of accidental exposure or ingestion, contact the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222.

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