Apparently medieval citrus trees were generally not grown for their fruit? Ibn Khaldūn relates how the proliferation of gardens with citrus trees was regarded as sign of a city’s impending ruin, so much so that many people avoided planting them around their homes. Why? Because...
they’re a luxury and a sign of decadence. According to him, “the sour orange (nāranǧ), the lime (līm), and cyprus (sarw) bear nothing edible and have no nutritive quality (lā ṭaʿma fīh wa-lā manfaʿah) … and are only placed in gardens for their outward appearance.”
NB: One can definitely find medieval recipes where citrus fruits are employed, so it's an odd claim coming from him.
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