Cedro di Santa Maria del Cedro

Cedro di Santa Maria del Cedro PDO designates fresh citrons of the 'liscia-diamante', 'italiana' or 'calabrese' varieties of Citrus medica grown and packed within a defined coastal strip of the province of Cosenza, Calabria. The designation is distinguished by a very thick white albedo, a smooth epicarp free of deformities, and an elongated ellipsoid shape produced under a traditional pergolato canopy system.

About this designation

Registered as a PDO on 26 May 2022 under file number PDO-IT-02847 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000018602), Cedro di Santa Maria del Cedro PDO covers fresh citrons belonging to the 'liscia-diamante', 'italiana' or 'calabrese' varieties of the botanical species Citrus medica, L. The production area comprises eighteen named municipalities within the province of Cosenza: Aieta, Belvedere Marittimo, Bonifati, Buonvicino, Cetraro, Diamante, Grisolia, Mairà, Orsomarso, Papasidero, Praia a Mare, Sangineto, San Nicola Arcella, Santa Domenica Talao, Santa Maria del Cedro, Scalea, Tortora, and Verbicaro. All stages of production, including post-harvest handling, preparation, and packaging, must take place within this area. At release for consumption, fruit must display a thick, smooth, firm peel free from epicarp deformities, an intense green zest tending to lemon yellow when ripe, and a very thick white albedo constituting a minimum of 51 % and a maximum of 85 % of the median cross-section of the fruit. Class I fruit must exceed 600 g in weight; Class II fruit must weigh between 250 g and 600 g. Each unit of packaging must bear the Cedro di Santa Maria del Cedro PDO logo, the EU PDO symbol, the address of the packaging facility, the name and address of the producer and/or packager, and the commercial class. Individual fresh fruits may additionally carry a sticker bearing the PDO logo.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 26 May 2022 under file number PDO-IT-02847, published in the Official Journal on 24 January 2023.
• The albedo must constitute a minimum of 51 % and a maximum of 85 % of the median cross-section of the fruit; the albedo is composed predominantly of pectin at 30–35 %.
• Class I fruit must exceed 600 g; Class II fruit must weigh between 250 g and 600 g — no other weight classes are permitted.
• A traditional protective canopy known as a pergolato is used to shield fruit from wind contact with branches and thorns, preserving the smooth, uncracked epicarp that the specification requires.

Tasting notes

Calabrian citron from Tyrrhenian coast, very large yellow-green fruit with thick aromatic peel and minimal flesh. Intensely fragrant peel with citrus-floral notes; commercial value lies in candied peel and essential oil.

HoReCa use

Candied peel for cassata, panettone, and pastries; essential oil in pastry; sliced fresh peel as garnish.

Packaging

• fresh-fruit-bulk-10kg
• candied-peel-jar-200g
• candied-peel-bulk-1kg
• essential-oil-30ml

Seasonality