The smallest citrus in the world has many names: official - fortunella, Japanese - kinkan (golden orange), Chinese - kumquat (Golden Apple). The qualities of orange, lemon and mandarin are combined in one unique fruit, most often referred to as kumquat. This interesting plant has several varieties, which we will learn further.
Nagami kumquat
Kumquat varieties Nagami, or Fortunella margarita (Fortunella margarita) - the most popular of all types of kumquat. It is a slow-growing large shrub or small tree with a rounded shape and dense evergreen leaves. It can also be found under the name Kinkan oval.
It bears fruit all year round, resistant to cold and even frost, but in warmer conditions, sweeter fruits ripen. Nagami kumquat flowers are white and fragrant, similar to those of other citrus fruits. The color of the rind and the texture of the fruit resemble an orange, and its size is a big olive. Sweet skin to taste contrasts with sour juicy pulp with lemon flavor.
Important! Kumquat Nagami can be grown in an apartment in large pots, it is an excellent ornamental plant for bonsai. Optimal soil should be slightly acidic, and watering should be moderate in winter and frequent in summer. Home Kinkan requires good lighting.
Nordmann Nagami
Sort Nordmann Nagami It has been artificially bred from the classic Nagami variety relatively recently and is very rare. Commercially in small quantities, it is grown in California.Its main feature is the absence of seeds. The tree itself in appearance and properties is similar to the mother species of Nagami, it is also frost-resistant. Orange-yellow fruits have a slightly different shape, but the skin is also sweet. The tree blooms in summer, and bears fruit in winter.
Did you know? In 1965, in Florida, George Otto Nordmann discovered among the citrus saplings he grew to obtain disease-resistant cuttings, a particular Nagami kumquat tree. Its fruit had no pits. Later several more trees were bred from it. In 1994, the variety was named "Nordmann Bessemyanny."
Malay Kumquat
Malay Kumquat (Fortunella polyandra) got its name because of the spread on the Malay Peninsula. The tree usually reaches a height of 3-5 meters. Often it is grown for ornamental purposes and used as a hedge. Long dark green leaves have a pointed or rounded shape. The fruits of the Malay kumquat are larger than those of other varieties, and their shape is spherical. The pulp contains up to eight seeds. The rind of the fruit is golden-orange in color, smooth and shiny.
Important! The Malay kumquat is very sensitive to cold, and in characteristic regions it should be grown in a greenhouse.
Kumquat maeve
Mum's Kumquat Tree (Fortunella crassifolia) - dwarf, it has a dense crown and small hard sheets. It is believed that Kumquat Maeve is natural hybrid varieties Nagami and Marumi. The flowering season is summertime, and the fruits ripen at the end of winter. It is a less cold-resistant variety than Nagami, but it still withstands low temperatures. Very sensitive to zinc deficiency.
The fruits have a bright taste, they are the sweetest of all kumquats, oval or round, externally similar to lemon, of relatively large size. The content of the seeds in the pulp is low, there are fruits without any stones. Both thick rind and tender juicy flesh have a sweet taste. This is the best variety for fresh consumption.
Hong Kong Kumquat
Very low and scratchy Hong Kong kumquat (Fortunella hindsii) grows wild in Hong Kong and in several nearby regions of China, but there is also its cultivated form. It has shorter and thin spines, larger leaves.
This small tree is often used to create bonsai. An adult plant does not grow above a meter. Its red-orange fruits are 1.6-2 cm in diameter. The fruit is practically inedible: it is not very juicy, and in each of the slices there are large, rounded seeds. In China, it is sometimes used as a spicy seasoning.
Did you know? The fruits of the Hong Kong kumquat are the smallest fruits of all citrus fruits. At home, this plant is called the "golden bean".
Kumquat Fukushi
A small Kumquat tree Fukushi, or Changshu, or Obovata (Fortunella Obovata) has a lush symmetric crown without thorns and oval wide leaves, can tolerate low temperatures. Fukushi fruits are shaped like a bell or a pear with a length of 5 cm. The rind of the fruit is orange, sweet, smooth and thin, and the flesh is juicy and sour-spicy, with several seeds.
Important! Kumquat Fukushi is a good copy for keeping in room conditions due to its compact form, fragrant flowers, decorative appearance, unpretentiousness and high yield.
Kumquat Marumi
Marumi Kumquat, or Fortunella Japanese (Fortunella japonica) stands out by the presence of thorns on the branches, and the rest of the appearance resembles the Nagami variety, only the oval leaves are slightly smaller and rounder at the top. The plant is conditionally cold-resistant. Marumi fruits are golden-orange, round or flattened, smaller in size, with fine aromatic peel, sour pulp and small seeds.
Did you know? The first complete description of this species called Citrus japonica ("Japanese citrus") was published in 1784 by Swedish naturalist Karl Peter Thunberg in his book "The Japanese flora".
Variegated kumquat
Variety Variegated kumquat (Variyegatum) was registered in 1993. This artificially created citrus is a modified form of Nagami kumquat.
The variegated kumquat is a small tree with abundant foliage and lack of thorns. The leaves have a pale yellow and cream color, on the fruits are light yellow and light green stripes. When the fruit ripens, they disappear, and the smooth skin of the fruit turns orange. The fruits of this variety are oblong, light orange flesh juicy and sour. They ripen in winter.
Kumquat for many is outlandish exoticism after all You can grow it at home. Choosing a suitable variety for yourself and providing plant care, you can enjoy the unique citrus taste of the "golden apple" at home.
