Fruits on Citrus Floridana
Young Citrus floridana in a pot
Citrus floridana leaves
Citrus floridana fruit
Limequat fruit
Contents
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
Citrus x floridana, the highly fragrant limequat
Contents
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
As its name suggests, Citrus x floridana comes to us from Florida. But it didn't appear spontaneously in an orangery or garden in Daytona Beach. Limequat is the result of the work of Walter T. Swingle. More than a century ago, this botanist had the idea of crossing several species of the Rutaceae family. He obtained this shrub with its fragrant flowers and fruit by hybridizing a kumquat Citrus japonica) and a Limettier (Citrus aurantiifolia).
How to recognize Citrus x floridana or limequat?
Citrus x floridana is a shrub that reaches a height of three meters and a width of two at maturity. Its growth habit is bushy, compact and dense.
The trunk, with its brown bark, is short and highly branched. The branches, also short, are bristling with thorns.
Limequat's leaves are leathery, oval to elliptical and slightly glossy all year round. If you look closely, you'll notice darker spots on the dark green foliage. These are the essence pockets. They contain a fragrant oil, which is released when the leaf blades are crumpled.
But it's the white flowers above all that give off the typical citrus scent of neroli. Each flower measures no more than three centimetres. Citrus x Floriana flowers in spring, between March and June. Weather permitting, they bloom again in early autumn.
Each flower can produce a fruit. This lemon, round or more elongated, is no more than four centimetres in diameter. Depending on the variety, it may be light green or yellowish.
The fruit is edible. Its flavor is reminiscent of lime. Sweet and acidic, this citrus fruit is often used to spice up dishes and cocktails. But watch out for the seeds! Ingested in excessive quantities, they become toxic to animals. Limequat leaves and flowers, on the other hand, are harmless.
Our maintenance tips
Maintaining a Citrus × floridana 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.
Citrus × floridana 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 Limequat 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 × floridana 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 × floridana 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.
Citrus × floridana are greedy plants. They need to be fertilized. Feed yours with a special liquid or granulated citrus fertilizer.
Cleaning
The dust that accumulates on the leaves prevents photosynthesis. To ensure that your Limequat takes full advantage of the light, clean its foliage with a clean, damp cloth. Then wipe with a soft cloth.
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 × floridana during its growing season.
To keep your Citrus × floridana compact, pinch a bud. You'll create new branches.
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.
Citrus × floridana 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 | Limequat - Citrus × floridana |
| Lifecycle | Perennial |
| Foliage | Evergreen |
| Exposures | |
| Substrat | |
| Planting methods |
Open ground In pots In tubs |
| Categories | |
| Tags |
Edible fruit Flowery |
| Origin |
North America |
| Hardiness (USDA) | 9a |
| Leaf color |
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| Flower color |
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| Fruit colors |
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