Limequat
Citrofortunella floridana
Family: Rutaceae
What it is like
Citrofortunella floridana is an evergreen Tree. It is frost tender. It is in leaf all year. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0
Where it is found
Not known in the wild.
A bi-generic hybrid, Citrus aurantifolia x Fortunella sp..
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Fruit - raw or cooked. Very acid, it can be used in all the ways that lemons are used. The fruit is about 3 - 5cm in diameter.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
Requires a position in full sun in a fertile well-drained but not dry soil. Prefers a moderately heavy loam with a generous amount of compost and sand added and a very sunny position. When growing plants in pots, a compost comprising equal quantities of loam and leafmould plus a little charcoal should produce good results. Do not use manure since Citrus species dislike it. When watering pot plants it is important to neither overwater or underwater since the plant will soon complain by turning yellow and dying. Water only when the compost is almost dry, but do not allow it to become completely dry. Plants are not very hardy in Britain but they do tolerate a few degrees of frost, so it should be possible to grow them in selected areas in the mildest parts of the country. They are much more cold-tolerant than their lime parent. Plants are susceptible to lime-induced and magnesium-deficiency chlorosis. Grown commercially on a small scale in California, there are some named forms, selected for their edible fruit.
Propagating it: The following notes are based on Citrus species. They are probably applicable here as well, even though this is a bi-generic hybrid, since any seed might be produced polyembrionically. The seed is best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it ripe after thoroughly rinsing it. Sow stored seed in March in a greenhouse. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 3 weeks at 13°c. Seedlings are liable to damp off so they must be watered with care and kept well ventilated. The seed is usually polyembrionic, two or more seedlings arise from each seed and they are genetically identical to the parent but they do not usually carry any virus that might be present in the parent plant. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least three growing seasons before trying them outdoors. Plant them out in the summer and give them some protection from the cold for their first few winters outdoors. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Layering in October.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; South Wall. By. West Wall. By.
Habit: Tree
Hardiness:
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist