We are all accustomed to eating lemons, but, apart from those that we see on the store shelves, there are also wild species. In our article we will tell you what poncirus, and in what areas it can be applied.
Botanical description
Poncirus is a small deciduous tree with many trunks. Its height does not exceed 5 meters. The plant has a spreading, tent-shaped crown. On the trunks you can see a beautiful, light green bark, young shoots have a green color, different oblate shape and the presence of spines. 
The location of the thorns is the foliage, their length is about 5 cm. The foliage has a length of 10-12 cm, trifoliate. Shiny leaves are located on the petioles, they have a pale green color.
Important! Due to the fleecy structure of the skin, before using the fruit for culinary purposes, it is necessary to wash it thoroughly so that the villi are not included in the food.
The plant has white flowers, whose diameter is 5 cm. They have a strong lemon scent, bloom before the leaves appear. The fruit has a rounded shape, ripe fruit - bright yellow, on top there is a hairy aromatic peel, inside - a bitter but oily, inedible pulp mixed with a large number of seeds.
The top layer of the fruit has its own name - flavedo. It contains many glands that secrete essential oils. The inner layer is called albedo, possesses spongy structure. The plant begins to bloom and bear fruit only from 4-5 years.
Chemical composition
The fruits of poncirus contains the essential oil of a light yellow color, it contains sugar. 
Also includes:
- galacturonic acid;
- vitamins A, B, C;
- limonene, cadinene;
- coumarins;
- flavonoids;
- pectins.
It is interesting to read about the cultivation of citrus crops at home - lemon, calamondine, citron, orange tree and mandarin, as well as its diseases and pests.
The seeds contain a large amount of fatty oil, the peel is rich in vitamins P and C. Also, essential oils are present in the stalks and leaves of the plant.
Spread
Most often, the plant can be found in the Mediterranean, Central America, Southeast Asia. The natural habitat is Central and Northern China, the Himalayas. Industrial cultivation is practiced in countries such as Japan, Australia, Argentina and the United States.
Use: medicinal properties
Consider the impact that wild lemon can have on the human body.
- Immunity. Eating a fruit helps to increase the body's defenses, saturating it with ascorbic and folic acid. As a result, the risks of catarrhal diseases are significantly reduced.
- Teeth. Due to the acids and oils contained in the lemon, the breath will be fresh, the microflora in the mouth will be restored, which prevents the appearance of caries. In addition, lemon juice helps whiten tooth enamel.
- Leather. Wild lemon allows for a short period of time to get rid of acne, to eliminate violations of the integrity of the skin, remove acne, age spots. Lemon juice rejuvenates, regenerates and soothes the skin.
- Stomach. Eating fruit will help you get rid of heartburn, which often appears in case of an increase in the level of acidity in the stomach. Food will be digested faster, and all “waste” will be dissolved.
- Blood. The use of poncirus helps cleanse the blood of toxins, improves blood circulation through the veins. In addition, the fruit increases hemoglobin.
- A heart. The fruit has a low calorie content and is saturated with fiber, which helps cleanse the intestines from toxins, and this prevents the development of obesity, which in most cases leads to the emergence of cardiac diseases.
- Intestines. Since the composition contains dietary fiber and a large amount of water, the release of harmful substances is accelerated, which allows you to quickly cope with constipation or diarrhea.
- Sleep. Poncirus is rich in B vitamins, which are necessary for a healthy full sleep. And sleep contributes to a good mood, high performance and vigor.
- Pressure. Regular consumption of fruit in moderate dosages helps to normalize pressure, get rid of migraine attacks and dizziness.
- Youth. The composition of poncirus helps to eliminate cholesterol from the body and accelerate cell regeneration. As a result, aging processes are slowed down and wrinkles are smoothed.
- Bones. Wild lemon contains large amounts of calcium, so your joints and bones will always be healthy.
Application
Consider how pontsirus is used in different areas.
In medicine
Poncirus in official medicine has not found a use, but in the East it is often used to combat various ailments. To do this, process its stalks, roots, seeds and bark.
Did you know? In order to produce 1 kg of essential oil, you need to process the peel with 3000 lemons.
Traditional medicine practices the use of immature dried fruit. They help eliminate indigestion, have antiemetic and antispastic action. When using infusions and decoctions, urination increases and lactation is stimulated.
The fruits of wild lemon have an unpleasant taste, so they are not consumed fresh. However, they are often processed and prepared vitamin tonic drinks.
In cooking
Since fresh fruits can not be consumed, they are actively used in the production of marmalade. In addition, dried fruits are an ingredient in seasonings for meat, you can also add them to jam or liqueur.
In life and landscape design
Wild lemon peel contains a large amount of essential oils, so the fruit can be used as a natural fragrance. For example, put dried zest in a fabric bag and leave it in a cupboard or chest of drawers. 
Often the tree is used to create landscape compositions, it can be found on the streets in the eastern part of the United States, as well as in some areas of China and Japan. In addition, due to the presence of thorns, trees are used as protective plantings, since it is hardly possible to get through them unharmed.
Dried oranges and lemons - quite often used as decorations.
As a stock
It is believed that Poncirus is a good stock. This is true, but you need to consider some points. The use of wild lemon as a stock is justified if done on an industrial scale. If you try to instill in it ordinary lemons, and grow them in indoor conditions, it is unlikely that something will turn out.
This is due to the fact that in winter the plant will constantly lose foliage. Poncirus is suitable as a stock only for plants that can tolerate winter in cool conditions.
Growing and sowing at home
Consider how to properly grow wild lemon at home.
Sowing and reproduction
Most often practicing the cultivation of tree seed. This is done as follows:
- first you need to soak the seeds in water, add growth stimulants to the liquid;
- leave for 5-6 hours;
- moisten the soil intended for planting;
- sow the seeds in a loosened, light soil, deepening them by 0.5-1 cm;
- cover crops with film, put the container into the light in a room with a temperature of + 23 ... +28 ° C;
- after 7-10 days check whether shoots appeared.
It is worth noting that the picking is not carried out for up to 3 months, therefore, before sowing it is necessary to prepare the appropriate containers.Important! Replant the plant is strictly prohibited during flowering and fruiting. The best time for this procedure is early spring.
Sometimes reproduction is carried out by cutting. For this, it is necessary to select cuttings, the height of which should be at least 10 cm, it is better to do this in spring or summer. When using this method can not do without the use of growth hormones. To do this, the cuttings are covered with a plastic cap, the preparation is added to the ground and the disembarkation is carried out after 6-8 weeks.
Soil and fertilizer
The tree can adapt to any soil, but it is better to plant the plant in loose and moderately moist soil. The procedure for loosening the wheel circle is not necessary. Well, if the soil will be peat, leaf humus, perlite or vermiculite - this will improve drainage. It is necessary to feed only mature plants in the spring. To do this, use organic fertilizers.
Watering and moisture
If there is dry air in the room, it is necessary to moisten it or place the tree on a pallet with moistened pebbles. You need to ensure that the water does not come into contact with the bottom of the pot. Also in the presence of dry air in the room is recommended to spray the foliage with warm water. It is better to place poncirus in a room that is well ventilated, but at the same time drafts should be completely excluded. 
The soil should be evenly wet, but it should not be allowed to be swamped. Irrigate when the top layer is dried by 3.5 cm. In the autumn, watering should be reduced.
Pruning
It is recommended in early spring to prune damaged and dried shoots. The plant is well tolerated as pruning for the formation of the crown, and sanitary procedure. To form a correct and beautiful height of the crown, it is necessary to trim its third part.
Wintering and frost resistance
Growing plants at home, people often place them on the windowsill. With the arrival of winter, the question arises whether the temperature near the window is comfortable for maintenance, because it is lower there than in the whole apartment. You shouldn’t worry about it, because Poncirus tolerates low temperatures, it will not freeze and will not start to hurt.
Sometimes in the autumn, the plant owners take it out to the glazed balcony, because the plant tolerates coolness well and at a temperature of + 8 ... + 12 ° C will feel very comfortable.
The qualities of orange, lemon and mandarin are combined in one fruit, most often called kumquat, find out what are the varieties of this plant, what is useful for dried kumquat, as well as how to grow at home.
If the wild lemon is grown on the street, you should not worry about it with the advent of winter. The plant has good frost resistance and is able to withstand temperatures down to -15 ... -20 ° C. If a tree is grown in harsh winters, then it is worth covering it with spruce or non-woven material for the winter.
Preparation of raw materials
For the use of plants for medicinal purposes, the preparation of all its parts. The stalks, leaves and fruits should be collected during the flowering period, but the seeds - when they ripen as much as possible. The stalks and leaves are harvested by hand, after which they should be laid out on a piece of cardboard or cloth and dried outside. 
Fruits should be washed, cut, remove the seeds and dried in the sun. After the fruits have dried, they must be poured into a glass container and stored for 1 year.
Diseases and pests
Like all representatives of citrus, Ponzirus is subject to attacks of the exocortis virus. They are manifested in damage to the bark of plants, chlorosis of the leaves, increased branching of the shoots, which gradually leads to its death.
Do not allow the soil to dry out, as this can lead to twisting and falling foliage. Violation of the rules of watering also leads to yellowing of the foliage.
If you notice that the leaves have become pale, this indicates a lack of fertilizer. Lack of flowering indicates a too small size of the pot or lack of sunlight.
Did you know? In Spain, lemon is considered a symbol of unrequited love. If a girl does not like her boyfriend, she can give him a lemon, thus hinting that his feelings are not mutual.
In the presence of dry air, the plant is often attacked by scutes and mites. A characteristic sign of the attack of the shield; brown patches on the foliage. Over time, the leaves will turn pale and fall off, and the flowers and fruits will wither. In order to get rid of this pest, it is necessary to carry out the treatment with special insecticidal preparations.
If the foliage became sluggish, and a spiderweb began to appear in the internodes, this indicates that a spider mite settled on the tree. If the injury is minor, it is sufficient to wash the wood with soapy water. If the situation is more complicated, it is worth spraying the plant with insecticides. 
In addition, young plants often attack mealybugs, whiteflies can settle on the underside of the foliage. Unfortunately, citrus plants often undergo fungal attacks, resulting in a rhizome, stem, twigs, leaves and fruits.
Poncirus three-leafed - wild, but very useful plant. However, before using it for medicinal purposes, you should definitely consult with your doctor. You can grow a tree without much difficulty at home.
