Bizarro

The Amargo Bizarria is a unique variety. Its origin seems clear, as Pietro Nati published the article "De malo limonia citrata aurantia vulgo la Bizzarria" in 1674, in which he described a plant resembling a Bitter Orange but producing fruits with characteristics of both Bitter Orange and Citron. Reportedly, he discovered the plant in 1644 in the garden of the Villa Torre degli Agli, owned by the Panciatichi marquises, near Florence (Italy). It is described that the chimera is the result of the union of tissues from a graft of Citron onto a Bitter Orange. During that time, the Amargo Bizarria was mentioned in the treatises of Ferrari, Bimbi, Volkamer, Gallesio, and Risso & Poiteau, among others. After years without references, it was Paulo Galeotti, the head gardener of the Villa Medici di Castello (Florence), who rediscovered it in the 1970s. Since then, the confusion regarding the fate and spread of the Amargo Bizarria has been significant.

At the Todolí Citrus Foundation, we have plants supposedly derived from that plant recovered by Galeotti, some of which show shoot growth with purple leaves and purple flowers, as well as green leaves and white flowers even on the same branch. These plants produce three types of fruit: similar to the Bitter Sevilla, similar to the Citron Fiorentina, and others that exhibit tissues of both types of fruit.

High ornamental value. This plant is currently the subject of extensive genetic study by Dr. Aleza's research team at IVIA (Valencia, Spain).