Yuzu
Citrus junos
One of the hardiest citrus; prized for its zest, not for eating fresh.
Hardiness: zones 7 to 10
Light: full sun
Size: about 15 ft tall, 10 ft wide
Harvest: October to December
From: China and Japan
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: food.
Hardy in zones 7 to 10.
The story
Yuzu came from the upper Yangtze to Japan and Korea some 1,300 years ago and became the winter citrus of both: its zest flavours ponzu and kosho, and on the solstice Japanese bathe with whole fruit floating in the tub. It is the hardiest citrus with real flavour.
Planting
Full sun, drained soil; it takes cold to about 10°F, so it grows outdoors where lemons cannot. Self-fertile, thorny, slow.
Growing
Water evenly, feed like other citrus, and prune lightly. Be patient; seedlings take a decade, grafted trees a few years.
Harvest and use
Fruit ripens yellow in late autumn; the juice is scarce but the zest is everything. Use fresh, or salt-cure the zest with chili for yuzu kosho.
What to watch for
Scale and leafminer; thorns.
See if Yuzu fits your yard
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More tropical and subtropical food plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home