| Acronychia acidula | |
|---|---|
| Acronychia acidula, leaf & fruit, cultivated. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Rutaceae |
| Genus: | Acronychia |
| Species: | A. acidula |
| Binomial name | |
| Acronychia acidula F. Muell. |
|
Lemon aspen, Acronychia acidula is a small to medium sized rainforest tree of Queensland, Australia. The aromatic and acidic fruit is harvested as a bushfood.
The true aspens of the northern hemisphere belong to the genus Populus in the family Salicaceae.[1]
Contents |
Lemon aspen fruit has a grapefruit and lime like flavour, and is popular in beverages, sauces and confectionary. The fruit has high antioxidant activity.[2]
The tree is grown in small-scale commercial bushfood orchards on the east coast of Australia from North Queensland to Northern New South Wales. The tree is quick growing and requires regular pruning to maintain a practical harvesting height. It has a moderate crop yield, and bears in four years as seedlings. It prefers well-drained and fertile clay loam soils.