Lemon caviar fruit

Credit: Philipp Pavelka

Citrus australasica fruit

Credit: Eduardo Chacon Madrigal

Citrus australasica flower

Credit: Eduardo Chacon Madrigal

Citrus austalasica in the ground

Credit: Greg Holland

Citrus australasica foliage

Credit: Greg Tasney

Citrus australasica, the caviar lemon

Citrus australasica, the latest discovery in the culinary world, could also become the darling of our winter gardens. This citrus fruit, native to eastern Australia, has an unusual, tangy flesh.

How to recognize the caviar lemon, Citrus australasica?

Citrus australasica is a bushy tree. It reaches a height of seven meters and a spread of two meters.

The trunk, with its greyish-brown bark, is highly branched. The slender branches are bristling with thorns, but these are less sharp than in the thorny lemon tree (Citrus trifoliata).

The obovate to elliptical leaves are up to six centimetres long and three centimetres wide. Dark green, they are often crenellated at the apex. The fragrant foliage lasts all year round.

Flowering takes place in spring. Fragrant, melliferous white flowers bloom at the tips of the thorny branches.

Like many citrus fruits, Citrus australasica is grown for its fruit. The caviar lemon is no more than eight centimetres long and finger-shaped. The red, green, pink or yellow rind contains a multitude of tiny pearls. The white, pink or green pulp has a tangy taste.

The fruit is edible, and the rest of the tree (leaves and flowers) is non-toxic. So you can treat yourself to a caviar lemon tree without worry, even if you share your garden with pets or small children.

Our maintenance tips

Maintaining a Citrus australasica is not difficult. Above all, you need to protect it from frost in winter and provide it with the nutrients it needs to grow. With the right potting soil and regular fertilizing, you'll soon be enjoying your own citrus fruits.

Caviar Lemons citrus trees need regular watering all year round. During hot spells, water early in the morning or in the evening. Water evaporates less quickly, and your shrub benefits from it for longer.

Watering

Let the soil dry on the surface between two applications of water. Water your Lemon caviar with non-calcareous water, such as reclaimed rainwater. To avoid water stress, make sure the water is at room temperature.

If you use a saucer or planter, remove any water that stagnates at the bottom. It could rot the roots.

Repotting

In spring, transfer your Citrus australasica to a larger pot, so that it can continue to grow.

When roots protrude from the pot or are visible on the surface, it's time to repot!

To prepare your Citrus australasica for repotting, soak the root ball. Then gently loosen the root ball.

Choose a terracotta pot or a wooden tub. Both materials encourage water evaporation and reduce the risk of over-watering. Make sure the container is perforated to allow water to drain away.

At the bottom, place a bed of clay balls or gravel to facilitate drainage.

Top up with a rich substrate, such as special citrus or planting soil. You can make your own mixture with :

one-third planting soil
one-third garden soil
pozzolan.

Place your shrub in the center. The surface of the rootball should be two centimetres below the rim of the pot. Fill with substrate and tamp to eliminate air bubbles. When planting, do not bury the collar.

Fertilization

You can stimulate the development of your plant during its growth phase, in spring and summer, with fertilizer.

Caviar Lemons are greedy plants. They need to be fertilized. Feed yours with a special liquid or granulated citrus fertilizer.

Cleaning

Clean the top and bottom of the leaves with a damp sponge. This removes dust and keeps pests at bay.

Harvest

Pick the fruit from the tree when it's ripe.

Prune

Size is not essential. It only helps to control shape and development and improves fruiting. When pruning, always use clean, sharp pruning shears.

Citrus trees flower and fruit on the year's wood. To maintain the compact, rounded shape of your shrub, remove dead branches and shoots growing along the trunk. You can also aerate the center by removing some shoots that have already borne fruit in previous years.

If you want to improve your harvest, you can also carry out a fruiting pruning operation: one month after the appearance of a new shoot, prune it back to a height of 20 centimetres.

Pinch

Pinch your Citrus australasica during its growing season.

Pinch the ends of the stems to force the plant to branch out and maintain a compact habit.

Plantation

Once the last spring frosts have passed, you can plant.

Find them a place sheltered from the wind and isolated from other plants. Citrus plants have shallow roots and don't like to share their space.

Dig a hole 70 centimetres wide and 1 metre in diameter. While you're at it, soak the root ball.

Plant the plant in the middle, with the top of the rootball level with the ground. Take care not to bury the collar.

Caviar Lemons plants thrive in light, well-drained, rich soil. When filling in, add potting soil or citrus soil to your garden soil. Tamp and water.

Diseases / Threats

Information

Family	Rutaceae - Rutaceae
Type	Citrus - Citrus
Species	Citrus australasica - Citrus australasica
Lifecycle	Perennial
Foliage	Evergreen
Exposures	Sun Half-shade
Substrat	Humus soil
Planting methods	Open ground In pots In tubs
Categories	Tree Shrub Fruit tree Flowery
Tags	Edible fruit Flowery Fritillary
Origin	Oceania
Hardiness (USDA)	9a
Leaf color
Flower color
Fruit colors