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James H. Schutte
Rutaceae
Fortunella crassifolia
Round Kumquat, Sweet Kumquat
Sweet kumquat is a small, cold-hardy citrus tree that produce fragrant flowers, attractive seeded fruits that are both edible and ornamental. Native to China, sweet kumquat was brought to Europe centuries ago but today are not as popular as the larger sized citrus fruits. White fragrant flowers adorn the thin branches in late spring or summer followed by miniature orange fruits from autumn through to the next spring. Cool temperatures in autumn and winter help sweeten the fruits, which are best eaten whole directly off the tree.
Sweet kumquat needs full sun but do perform quite well in partial sun exposures. It appreciates average moisture, and ample water is especially important while the tree is flowering and then developing fruit. It is among the most cold hardy of the citrus family, and in warmest areas of USDA zones 7, planting kumquat on warmer, sunnier sides of buildings provides a favorable microclimate for overwintering. This may prove a good practice for plants in USDA zone 8, too. 'Meiwa' is the usual cultivar associated with this species and has rounded fruits that are sweet in both their rind and flesh. If not eaten fresh off the tree, a kumquat crop is often made into preserves.
12 - 1
8 - 12
H1, H2, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Fruit
Full Sun, Partial Sun
8'-12' / 2.4m - 3.7m
5'-10' / 1.5m - 3.0m
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
China
Acidic, Neutral
Average
Loam, Sand
Medium
Average Water
Oval/Rounded
Spring, Fall, Winter
Showy
White
Orange
Lime Green, Dark Green
Sandy Brown
Yes
No
Single
Matte
Container, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Tropical
Butterflies
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