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Meliaceae
Mock Lime Flower
Aglaia odorata
Subtle perfume and refined elegance.
- Family
- Meliaceae
- Genus
- Aglaia
- Native to
- Southeast Asia, China
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer
- Type
- evergreen tree or shrub
- Height
- 200–500 cm
- Sunlight
- full sun to part shade
- Soil
- rich, moist, well-drained
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- 10–12
- Lifespan
- perennial tree; long-lived
Did you know
- The tiny golden flowers are only 2–3 mm across but produce a powerful lemony fragrance that carries on the breeze.
- In China and Vietnam, the dried flowers are mixed with tea leaves to create a delicately scented jasmine-like tea.
- The genus Aglaia is named after one of the Three Graces of Greek mythology, representing elegance and beauty.
- Despite being called 'mock lime', it is in the mahogany family (Meliaceae), not the citrus family.
- A single tree in bloom can perfume an entire garden; in Vietnamese culture, it symbolizes refinement and scholarly virtue.
Color meanings
Yellow
the sweetness of small things