Mandarin tree calamondin home care. Calamondin (citrofortunella): home care for the golden orange

Often housewives are afraid to grow citrus trees, because caring for them at home is different from caring for an ordinary plant, although to a large extent it is not so difficult. Almost every indoor plant lover dreams of growing a tangerine tree in a pot. A good ally in this matter is calamondin. We will talk about how to care for a plant so that it pleases you with its decorative appearance and fruits in this article.

Calamondin - what is this plant

Calamondin has many names: "citrofortunella", "indoor tangerine", "golden orange", however, it is most often called "indoor citrus". Calamondin is a hybrid plant obtained by crossing a mandarin and a kumquat. Citrofortunella - a representative of the Rutovye family, came to our territory from South-East Asia.

Did you know? Often on forums dedicated to indoor plants, ask: "Is it possible to eat calamondin?" Of course you can. This decorative tree bears edible fruits.

Let's try to explain what calamondin is. The plant is represented by a low tree, which in indoor conditions does not grow more than 1 meter, although at home, it can reach 5 meters in height. It has a highly branched crown and elastic shoots. brown color... Dark green, smooth leaves of rather small size, oval in shape with a pointed tip. A central vein is clearly distinguished on them, along which the leaf is twisted upward. If the leaf is crushed, or kneaded, it will begin to exude an unobtrusive smell. Small white flowers bloom in spring. The fruits are small, weighing 12 grams, with a yellow-orange, thin peel, in shape, reminiscent of a tangerine. Most often, citrofortunella is used to replace lemon, but fresh fruits are best consumed with the peel, as it compensates for the sour taste of the pulp.

We create optimal conditions for growing in the house

Of course, the natural habitat is best for any plant, however, if you create optimal conditions in your home, you can grow them yourself. We will talk about where and how best to place calamondin further.

Location and lighting

In order for your citrofortunella to feel comfortable in a room environment, it must be placed correctly. It is best to place the tree in spacious roomso that it can grow quietly. For calamondin, a western or eastern window in summer periodand the north side in winter.

Important! Despite the fact that citrofortunella is a thermophilic plant, the southern side will not work, because due to direct sunlight, the tree may stop bearing fruit, or its leaves will completely fall off.

A well-lit room with diffused sunlight is best suited for calamondin, but with particularly intense sunlight on the plant in the summer, it is better to shade it. In the summertime, it is advisable to take the plant to "breathe" outside, however, here it should be protected from the direct sun. In order for citrofotunella to grow evenly, and the crown was even, it must be turned to the sun every day, by a few millimeters. It is also important to make sure that calamondin is protected from drafts, as they can make it sick.

Temperature regime

Calamondin is a flower that tolerates cold and heat equally well. However, it is best to grow it at room temperature, maximum + 25 ° C. In winter, the temperature is reduced to + 15 ° C.

Knowing how to take care of calamondin at home

Watering is an important factor in the care of calamondin, because the golden orange is a moisture-loving plant. Top dressing and pruning is necessary both for preventive purposes and for crown formation. We will talk further about how and when to carry out these procedures.

Watering and air humidity

In the question of how to water calamondin, first of all, it is necessary to accurately calculate the temperature at which the plant will "live" so as not to overflow citrofortunella and correctly draw up a watering schedule.An important signal that the plant needs to apply liquid is the degree of drying of the upper soil layer by 0.5 cm. Watering should be especially intensive in spring and summer, by autumn, the amount of moisture and the frequency of moistening should be reduced.

Did you know? Young calamondin requires more abundant watering than adult plant.

If you do not follow the watering regimes, calamondin will dry out, and the leaves will turn yellow and curl.In order to prevent this, it is necessary to regularly spray citrofortunella. For this purpose, only a well-atomized spray bottle should be used. It is better to take water at room temperature, separated. It is undesirable to spray calamondin during flowering, since the petals do not tolerate contact with water.

Fertilization

In order for the plant to feel comfortable in indoor conditions, and the forces expended during the growing season were fully compensated, it will need additional source energy. To replenish them, you can carry out both root and foliar dressing... A complex fertilizer for citrus fruits is best suited for a golden orange, which must be applied once every 10 days (in summer), and once a month in winter. If for some reason it is not possible to use a special fertilizer, it can be replaced with a solution of ammonium nitrate and calcium chloride in the following ratio: 5 grams of saltpeter, mix with 2 grams of calcium, and then dilute this mixture in 1 liter of water.

Important! Root dressing it is better to spend on the second day after watering Calamondin, then nutrients better assimilated.

Pruning and shaping the crown

An important factor in the care of the calendine is tree pruning. Such a procedure is carried out with two purposes: to form a beautiful uniform crown, or to renew / heal the plant. Pruning begins at the end of February, gradually pruning the tree so that shoots from the 4th row remain. Pruning ends in summer or early autumn. Then at the Calamondin they cut off all sticking out, spoiling decorative view shoots. Sometimes, it happens that it is necessary to cut the shoots not only to shape the tree, but also to remove diseased parts. In this case, all diseased damaged shoots are cut off, and the cut sites are covered with garden pitch, or coal.

Did you know? It is only necessary to start pruning in order to form a crown when the tree reaches a height of 50 cm.

Calamondin rest period

Calamondin is one of those plants that needs a properly organized wintering. The dormant (wintering) period should begin in November and last until February. In order for this period to pass successfully, it is necessary to provide calamondin with full daylight hours and a cool temperature - no higher than + 12 ° C. At this time, the number and frequency of watering is also reduced, which in a month should be carried out 1-2 times every 4 weeks. The plant "wakes up" in March, after which its growth and vegetation are activated.

Important! In order for the plant to "wake up" faster, it is necessary to gradually increase the temperature in the room by several degrees.

Correct transplant

Over time, citrofortunella needs a transplant... The first time the plant is transplanted 14-20 days after purchase. For calamondin, there is a specific transplantation schedule: young plants are transplanted annually, mature ones every three years. The transplant must be carried out so as not to destroy the earthen lump from the previous pot.

Citrofortunella (Calamondin) is an elegant citrus tree that is easy enough to grow and propagate at home. Planting any variety of Calamondin will not disappoint you. With proper care, the plant is very decorative, as you can see by looking at the photo.

Description

Citrus calamondin is native to Southeast Asia, from where it was first introduced to the Philippines, and then to Europe. It is a hybrid of kumquat and tangerine obtained naturally... It is successfully grown in greenhouses and at home.

Outwardly, citrofornutella (calamondin) looks very attractive. This evergreen, fast-growing citrus tree is just over a meter high. The branches are densely covered with small saturated green glossy leaves. During the flowering period, the plant is dotted with star-shaped white flowers. Both the leaves and flowers of calamondin are very fragrant.

Citrofortunella looks like a small tangerine tree

Calamondin fruits are like miniature mandarins, bright orange or yellow. Their weight is 15-25 g, their size is 3-4 cm in diameter. The fruits are sour with bitterness, there are many seeds inside, both the pulp and the skin are edible.

Calamondin blooms in summer, although it can last all year round. The tree can bear fruit and bloom at the same time. Citrofortunella is a relatively short-lived plant. His life span is from 5 (in a pot) to 20 years (at home in open ground). Of all the kumquat hybrids, calamondin is perhaps the most unpretentious to care for.

Varieties and varieties

The varietal variety of calamondin in our country is not very large. Among the varieties of citrofortunella grown by citrus growers, large-fruited and variegated forms can be found:

• "Peters" - is valued as a highly decorative plant. The fruits are edible, sour.
• "Tiger" - small-fruited variety with variegated (milky-bordered or milky-striped) leaves.

Variety "Tiger"

• "Shikinari" - large-fruited Japanese calamondin, of all representatives of the species, it has the most delicious fruits.
• "Variegata" - the foliage of this calamondin variety has milky streaks and, as seen in the photo, is very decorative. Fruits in an unripe state are similar to watermelon - the same striped. Ripening, they acquire a uniform fiery orange color.

Variety "Variegata"

Landing

For planting calamondin, pots from natural materials - clay (ceramics) or wood. The depth of the pots should not exceed the width. Plastic containers can also be used by pouring a thicker layer of crushed stone or gravel drainage onto the bottom.

You can plant calamondin in a ready-made potting soil mixture for citrus plants or in a prepared one. For this upper layer park or forest land is thoroughly mixed with river sand, humus and ash (2: 1: 0.5: 0.5). To prepare a soil mixture for calamondin, you cannot use sod from under oak, poplar, chestnut.

Having bought a seedling, be sure to transplant it into a nutritious soil.

Planting calamondin is carried out before it goes into active growth (at the end of winter). Drainage is placed in the pot, a layer of sand is poured, then the prepared soil, leaving a gap of a couple of centimeters to the edge of the container. The root collar and the base of the main roots are not deepened, leaving them on the surface.

In the future, the plant needs regular transshipments, young - every year, adults - with an interval of several years. It is advisable not to break the earth lump during transshipment.

Further care

A warm, sunny place is given to a young plant. Citrofortunella grows very well on a window on the west or south side. In summer, the tree is comfortable on the street or on the balcony. It is very fond of direct sunlight. IN winter period the plant should preferably be kept in cool air (+ 12-15º).

Citrofortunella loves spraying very much

Watering citrofortunella needs regular. On hot summer days, you may need daily watering, in winter - 1-2 times a week. The earthen coma must not be allowed to dry completely.

Council. By squeezing a lump of the top layer of soil from the pot in your palm, you can determine the need for watering. After unclenching, a formed lump remained in the palm of your hand - you need to wait a little with watering, the soil has disintegrated - it's time to water the plant.

Water for irrigation should be separated, at room temperature. Watering cold water will expose the tree.

Calamondin is a subtropical plant and does not tolerate dry air, therefore it needs regular spraying. Spray it with settled water 2-3º higher than room temperature... He is also responsive to water procedures under the shower.

Citrofortunella recovers quickly after sanitary and shaping scraps. They are carried out before the beginning of the growth phase ( in early spring). At the same time, a crown is formed, damaged and unsuccessfully growing branches are removed. Long branches can be shortened in summer.

Plant feeding needs regular

Top dressing and fertilization

Calamondin spends a lot of energy on flowering and fruiting, so he needs regular feeding, without which he will throw off the foliage and stop tying fruits. In summer, fertilizers are applied every 10 days, in winter - once a month. Use complex mineral fertilizers for citrus fruits or a mixture of ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride (5 g and 2 g, respectively, per 1 liter of water).

Attention! Root top dressing is carried out only in moist soil the next day after watering. The solution is poured in until it begins to flow through the drainage holes in the pot.

Foliar dressing is also very useful for citrofortunella, since it absorbs some nutrients only through the leaves. Foliar dressing is often alternated with root dressings.

Diseases and pests of the tree

Failure to comply with the required air humidity when growing calamondin leads to attacks on it by various pests:

• scale insects;
• ticks;
• thrips.

These enemies are capable of destroying an adult plant in a short time. To combat them, special low-toxic agents (acaricides) are used. Treatments are carried out repeatedly according to the scheme, while providing the plant proper care.

Council. To prevent infestation of pests, once a month the leaves of the plant can be washed laundry soap... In this case, the soap solution should not get into the soil. Rinse the leaves after the procedure warm water from under the shower.

Citrofortunella is affected by fungi and viruses. The most common ones are:

• sooty fungus;
• gommosis;
• anthractosis.

To combat and prevent fungal diseases (soot fungus, anthractosis), regular (once a month) treatments with "Fitosporin" or a solution of potassium permanganate are carried out.

Inspect plants for pests

It is quite difficult to cure gommosis, and in some cases it is impossible. To prevent this disease, a number of measures are taken:

• provide a sufficient drainage layer in the pot;
• a rusty nail is buried in the soil;
• the bases of the skeletal roots are not deepened into the ground during planting.

Reproduction of calamondin

Citrofortunella is propagated by cuttings or grafting. The survival rate of cuttings is far from 100%. Root them for 4 weeks in wet sand. In this case, it is necessary to create greenhouse conditions by covering the containers with film or glass. Next, the cuttings are transplanted into pots, no more than 15 cm in diameter and covered with a jar until the plant takes root. A seedling from a cutting will bloom in 2-3 years.

Citrofortunella stalk

Faster and reliable way reproduction of calamondin - vaccinations. Any rootstock can be used citrus or a one-year-old seedling of Calamondin. The grafted plant grows rapidly and begins to bear fruit the next year.

Growing calamondin at home is not difficult at all, especially if you provide it with proper care. In return, this decorative tree is ready to delight you all year round with flowering, exotic fruits, and an incredible citrus aroma.

Growing citrus fruits in an apartment: video

By birth home plant calamondin from Southeast Asia. The plant's second name is citrofortunella, because calamondin is a hybrid of mandarin and cancan (fotrunella). It is often called indoor tangerine. Calamondin at good care at home it bears fruit all year round, its appearance evokes memories of summer, pleases with a bright color. This is a miniature tree with small bright yellow fruits (10-12 g) with a pronounced citrus aroma.

Caring for calamondin and growing a plant at home requires daily attention. In small things, the flower is unpretentious, resistant to dry air, heat in summer, cool air in winter. Under certain conditions, calamondin will bloom all year round and bear bright orange fruits. Despite the fact that the tree is a hybrid of tangerine, its fruit tastes unpleasant. Caring for calamondin at home is correct lighting, frequent watering, drainage, spraying, crown pruning.

For good growth the plant is transplanted into a permanent pot with a larger diameter. For citrofortunella, a spacious container is needed, since root system quite developed. The soil can be purchased from specialized flower shops... Sod soil with a drainage device is suitable for the plant. The purchased soil is mixed with sand and rotted manure in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. Drainage up to 3 cm is laid at the bottom, soil is poured. Calamondin in a temporary pot is thoroughly moistened, removed along with the roots and earth and transferred to the prepared soil. Cover the roots with soil, compact a little at the base of the trunk.

The ideal time for a transplant is February, March. The transplant is done annually, increasing the diameter of the pot, depending on the degree of flower growth.

Calamondin does not like direct sunlight. Therefore, you should choose a place where daylight is diffused. The perfect place is the northern window, where sunlight does not fall during the day.

Citrofortunella care

Calamondin needs daily care, but it is quite simple. Optimum temperature for indoor tangerine in summer it is 22-25 C, in winter 15-18 C. In summer, calamondin is displayed on the balcony, in winter the plant is based on the windowsill. All year round the flower is provided with full-fledged diffused light without direct sunlight. The following activities are carried out daily:

1. Rotate the pot 1-2 degrees around the axis so that the crown is uniform and beautiful.
2. Spray the crown from a spray bottle. The water must be clean, free of impurities and chlorine.
3. In summer, daily watering is required with warm water, in winter - as the topsoil dries out.

1-2 times a month, the soil in the pot is fertilized with water-soluble fertilizers. For this, special fertilizers for citrus fruits are suitable (see photo):

Nutrients are important not only for the roots, but also for the aerial part of the plant. Therefore, the fertilizer dissolved in water should be sprayed onto the crown with a spray bottle.

The plant can get sick from a lack of minerals, nutrients, strong draft, insufficient soil drainage and stagnant moisture, extreme heat, watering with cold water.

Citrofortunella is often invaded spider mites, aphids, whiteflies. Care and treatment consists in spraying with special preparations that can be bought in stores for summer residents and gardeners.

Reproduction and formation of homemade mandarin

Reproduction of homemade tangerine occurs by seeds and cuttings. The survival rate of cuttings at home is low, reproduction in this way requires feeding with phytohormones. Seed germination is good, but the growing process takes a long time.

For cuttings, choose healthy stems with 4-5 developed dark green leaves. The cut is made in spring, the cutting is placed in a solution of indole-butyric acid (25 mg per 0.5 l of water). Keep in solution for 16 hours. Planted in a container with soil. To do this, prepare a mixture of sand, manure and earth in proportions 1: 1: 2. The stalk is deepened by 5-7 cm, watered, covered with a glass jar. The first watering with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate.

For the survival of cuttings, it is important to keep warm, to protect from drafts.

After 2-3 weeks, the cutting will take root and delight you with the first leaves. For better rooting at home, it is recommended to use phytohormones.

It takes a long time to grow from seed at home. Seeds are selected from fresh dry fruits, as they quickly lose their germination. They put in a mixture of peat, river sand and fertile land... The seeds are deepened by 1 cm, watered, covered with glass. For seed germination, it is important to warm 25-28 C. After 30-40 days sprouts appear. After the appearance of the second pair of adult leaves, the sprouts are planted in pots (see photo).

Pruning is important to form the crown and strengthen the main shoots of the plant. The crown is formed spherical, the trunk is freed from shoots and leaves. Pruning is carried out in the spring, removing new shoots.

A bright, uplifting plant will be a real decoration of a winter window sill in an apartment or house, if you provide it with proper daily care.

Calamondin - decorative treethat anyone can grow at home. A pleasant citrus aroma, a beautiful and bright appearance - this is just a small list of reasons why many people fell in love with it. Including it can be noted that it is easy to take care of him, so he will not cause problems even for beginners in this business.

This tree was obtained by crossing a kumquat (another name is fortunella) and an ordinary tangerine. Such a hybrid plant received the well-known name - home tangerine, but scientifically it is called citrofortunella, from the name of its progenitors.

Concerning appearance, then he is relatively small in height - up to a meter. Glossy dark leaves are combined with white flowers, which will delight their owner with an interesting pleasant aroma. When the flowering period ends, on tangerine tree small bright orange or close to yellow fruits ripen. They taste sour and have a lot of pits.

The light and heat-loving calamondin came to us from the southeast of Asia. For the appearance of tasty fruits, it is necessary to create a climate suitable for the plant, that is, provide both light and warmth in abundance. Calamondin bears fruit all year round if done correctly.

Thanks to its exoticism, aroma and presence of fruit, homemade tangerine can be a very pleasant gift. If someone suddenly decided to please you with such an unusual gift, or you just never started such plants, then you don't have to worry about having to watch him 24 hours a day. He is quite unpretentious, and, perhaps, it will be difficult to call him capricious.

As soon as you get this plant in your hands, you need to immediately pay attention to the soil in the pot. It must be constantly hydrated. Within 14 days after purchasing citrofortunella, you need to spray it daily from a spray bottle and provide the greatest lighting. Also at this time it should not be transplanted - it is not required. After two weeks, you can already transplant it, but in a large pot.

There are also several nuances about the content of citrofortunella. Firstly, when transplanting, try not to touch the delicate roots of a young plant, otherwise it may die without producing fruit. Secondly, the roots can overheat. To avoid this, you can rearrange the pot in a white planter and cover with a sheet of paper on the sunny side. It is worth noting that it is not necessary to change the soil during transplanting.

Moving from the store to your apartment, Calamondin may face new conditions of detention and a new atmosphere. Getting used to a new environment - adaptation - can manifest itself in the form of leaf falling in the first days of being in a new place. If this has been noticed, it is necessary to create additional air humidity by putting on an ordinary plastic bag on the tree. After that, it will need to be aired daily.

Imported plants are popular in flower shops, and homemade tangerines are no exception. Such exotic is grown in conditions specially created for them. It happens that the plants are injected with capsules with hormones that are incompatible with the conditions in the apartment. For this reason, the plant may begin to fade before our eyes, which means that it is worth taking measures quickly: transplant it into a different soil and pot and turn special attention to the roots. In case they are rotten, you need to cut off these areas.

Location and lighting

It is very important to correctly plan the place where the citrofortunella will stand. The room should be well lit with natural, but slightly diffused light, so it is better to place the pot on the sunny side of the apartment (west or east), but cover it from direct impact ultraviolet transparent curtain.

In winter, the tangerine will be sorely lacking in light, so it is worth placing a lamp next to it to create artificial lighting, while moving the pot to the north side of the apartment is the most a good option to place the tree. Only in the presence of light will the plant bear fruit.

Temperature

When starting citrofortunella for yourself, you need to remember that she loves moderate heat and moisture, as described above. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain a constant temperature and humidity. In summer, a tangerine can live in a room where the temperature does not exceed +25 degrees Celsius, and in winter - up to +18 degrees. More low temperature in winter time corresponds to the real temperature in natural conditions, moreover, this decrease provokes large quantity flowers and, as a result, fruits.

Watering and air humidity

Calamondin foliage needs to be sprayed regularly and not allowed to dry out, and the soil needs to be watered frequently. As soon as the soil becomes dry by at least half a centimeter, you need to repeat the watering. Tap water is not suitable for sensitive calamondin, because it contains a high concentration of various impurities, including alkalis, which are very harmful to the plant. You need to water it with either boiled warm water or water from a filter.

With the onset of winter, the number and frequency of watering is reduced, while increasing the number of sprays, because at a time of the year such as winter, characterized by a particularly dry air, the drying of the crown must be carefully controlled.

If you want to create a beautiful rounded crown shape for your new green friend, then you must remember to turn the pot clockwise a few millimeters once a day. But do not rudely unfold it immediately with a completely different side to the light - this is very harmful to the tangerine.

Top dressing and fertilizers

Calamondin like any other flowering plant, during flowering, it needs additional minerals and nutrients, therefore, from March to September, you need to additionally fertilize the earth once a week and a half. At any other time, this should not be done so often, just once a month.

Specialty gardening stores provide their customers with feed mixes for your tree. It can also be bought on the Internet for free access. The most effective and popular fertilizer for Calamondin is Citrus Humus. It contains many useful trace elements, humic substances in high dosage. On the other hand, you can simply purchase formulations for flowering indoor plants.

Transfer

To transplant a tangerine tree, you need a large pot, because it can have a very developed large root system. In addition, citrofortunella from a small tree can grow into a tree large enough for its type. You need to pay attention to the position of the root collar relative to the ground in the old pot and ensure exactly the same, only in the new one. During transplanting, do not particularly touch the clod with roots so as not to damage anything. Drainage must be of exceptional quality.

Within a month and a half, the tangerine does not need to be fertilized, as new fresh soil, enriched with useful substances and minerals.

To lay the soil in the pot, you need to start with drainage. Lay it around the perimeter of the bottom in a layer up to three centimeters. Next is a mixture of different soil. Sod land, manure and sand are well suited for citrofortunella; their proportion is approximately 2: 1: 1.

If the plant is still young, then it needs to be replanted quite often: every spring. An adult tree does not require such frequent transplants, only once every 2-3 years is enough.

Pruning citrofortunella

All plants require timely and regular pruning. To form a beautiful spherical foliage, you need a quarter-meter tall stem. At the top are skeletal branches, then branches are formed an order of magnitude higher. It is necessary to reach the branches of the 4th order, then the crown can be considered complete. The time for pruning begins in February, until the summer is leveled, and in the summer the extra protruding branches are cut off.

There are 3 types of citrofortunella breeding:

• Let's grab.
• The seeds from the fruit are planted in the ground.
• Slice cuttings with multiple buds.

It is necessary to immediately clarify that the reproduction of a home tangerine is difficult and you will have to give a lot of energy to it.

As for grafting, a drought-free orange seedling with strong roots is well suited for this case.

People consider planting seeds in a pot the most in a simple way of all, however, it takes quite a long time. In order for your new tree to hatch into the light, you need to regularly fertilize the ground special formulations for plant growth.

In the latter case, several small parts when propagating mandarin by cuttings:

• First you need to determine the cutting from the top of the crown with developed leaves and large internodes.
• Next, you need to prepare a growth stimulator, which can be perfectly suited for root or zircon. You need to dip the cutting into it for a couple of seconds.
• Prepare the ground and insert a stalk into it at the level of the petiole of the lowest leaf.
• This design requires maximum humidity. It can be provided by a can on top or a plastic bag.
• The resulting greenhouse needs to be aired daily for half an hour, but no more.

Roots will sprout in less than a month with proper care.

Your indoor tree is susceptible to various diseases such as black fungus, anthracnose and gommosis. Sooty fungus appears as a blackening of the main part of the leaves and shoots, which spoils the overall attractive appearance of the mandarin. To defeat this disease, you need to regularly wipe the leaves and shoots from black plaque. A solution of Fitosporin in a spray bottle can also effectively cope with the scourge.

Anthracnose also attacks the leaves, but ultimately they are not covered with a film, but with yellow spots, causing necrosis of some parts of calamondine. Untimely assistance can lead to the loss of part of the crown. A solution of copper sulfate or, popularly, copper sulfate can save mandarin from anthracnose.

Hommosis can cause complete yellowing of the entire tree. The disease goes from bottom to top: from the bottom of the trunk to branches, leaves and even fruits. First you need to cut out all the affected areas of the tangerine, then begin to heal the wounds with copper sulfate.

Excessive wind, lack of natural light and high temperatures environment can provoke the fact that calamondin sheds leaves. In this case, the owner should pay attention to what turned out to be wrong and fix it.

Summing up, we can answer the most common question among "apartment" gardeners, whether the tangerines growing on Calamondin are edible. They are more than edible, but taste more like lemon than tangerine. Their main advantage is their bright appearance.

Decorative mandarin Calamondin (video)

Calamondine citruses (citrofortunella) are exotic fruitsthat can be grown at home. They usually grow up to 40–45 centimeters in height in a 1 liter pot, so this standard plant is great for small spaces. These trees are hardy, adaptable to the cold and can withstand temperatures as low as -6 ° C. They are hybrids of mandarin and kumquat (a yellow-orange tropical fruit).

Calamondin is great for growing at home

Calamondin trees are grown throughout South Asia, Malaysia, India and the Philippines where their sap is used. These citrus fruits were introduced from China to the United States around 1900. In the United States, they are used primarily for decorative purposes. Since the 1960s, potted Calamondina citrus trees have been shipped from South Florida to other states in North America for cultivation as indoor plants.

Description of Calamondin

Calamondin trees are small, dense evergreens, ranging from 90 centimeters to 1.2 meters in height. The woody stem of this dwarf citrus tree is densely covered with oval, glossy green leaves. You can expect an abundance of flowers and fruits after the second year of calamondin growth.

On the branches of growing citrus trees there are small thorns, on which white, star-shaped flowers with a pleasant aroma appear in summer. Over time, these flowers become small orange fruits (2.5–5 cm in diameter), reminiscent of a mandarin crossed with a lemon. The fruit ripens slowly and changes in color from dark green to bright orange.

The segmented fruit is seedless and very sour. But take your time to collect fruit. They can hang on a tree for a long time without falling off or deteriorating, so you can enjoy their beauty for several months.

Citrofortunella is one of the hardiest citrus varieties. The fruits of this plant appear in the spring months and can be stored until winter. These fruits can be used to make drinks in the same way that lemons or limes are used. They are also used to make marmalade, jelly and cakes. You can use them instead of lemons in culinary recipes, since both fruits are the same in their acidity.

Calamondins are used in cooking instead of lemons.

How to grow calamondin

This hardy, ornamental evergreen citrus is a great addition to home garden, so many gardeners are wondering how to care for Calamondin at home. If you live in a region with a cold climate, then this specimen is one of the few citrus trees that you can grow outside. Calamondin trees can even grow in the shade. They are drought tolerant but need to be watered to avoid damaging stress.

Calamondins reproduce through sowing seeds or by rooting thin cuttings in spring or denser cuttings in summer. They can also be bud-grafted to the stem. Flowers do not require cross-pollination and will produce fruit at two years of age, continuing to produce fruit almost year round.

Calamondin bears fruit all year round

What is needed for landing

1. Large pot.
2. A mixture of purchased soil soils.
3. Slow release organic additives or fertilizers.
4. Insecticide (optional)
5. Secateurs.

Hint: place flower pot on a tray with wheels or in a cart for easy transport. This purchase will make it easier to care for the tree.

Calamondin prefers large pots

Caring for Calamondin trees at home

Although Calamondin trees can be grown indoors, they are better suited for outdoor cultivation in partial shade or direct sunlight. Caring for citrofortunella is to fulfill the following conditions:

1. Shine. Provide the tree with as much sunlight as possible throughout the year (at least 4 hours of direct sunlight every day). Rotate the plant a quarter turn every week because it will grow rapidly towards the light source and its trunk will bend. In warmer months, it is better to place the tree outside open spaceto give it room to grow.
2. Temperature. The most suitable temperature is 18-24 ° C. In winter this tree can withstand a minimum of 10 ° C, but any temperature below 12 ° C will negatively affect the growth of the tree.
3. Watering. Do not overfill the plant so that the roots do not rot. Before watering, the soil must dry to a depth of 2.5 centimeters.
4. Humidity. The place where citrus grows should be moderately humid. Dry air causes flowers to fall off. Place a container or flowerpot on a tray of damp pebbles to increase moisture.
5. The soil. Any good soil mixture is suitable for calamondin, you can purchase ready-made or mix it yourself by purchasing soil different kind... Use soil mixture that is intended for potted plants, not soil from your garden.
6. Fertilizer. The best and most suitable for citrofortunella is organic fertilizer from fruit trees. It contains all the nutrients needed for healthy citrus root growth and promotes the growth of the tree and its fruits. When fertilizing Calamondin during the winter, use a one-time water-soluble fertilizer approximately every five weeks. Then add a slow-release fertilizer in early spring and continue to fully fertilize the soil with water-soluble fertilizers every month during the growing season.
7. Purity. Make sure the leaves are not covered with dust. This prevents infestation by mites or other pests. Check the tree foliage regularly for their presence. Treat the leaves when they appear chemical preparationsfollowing the directions on the package. But this must be done before the leaves begin to fall off. Important note: If you plan on eating fruit, be very careful when spraying pesticides to avoid poisoning them. Reapply natural organic insecticides whenever possible to prevent new pests from emerging.
8. Reproduction. Take stem cuttings at the beginning of summer. Use a sharp knife or razor to cut off 10 centimeters of the stem with at least 2-3 leaf nodes without flowers or fruits. Dip the end of the cut into the hormone soak powder before sticking it into the wet mixture. Then place in a plastic bag to keep it moist. A cuttings planted in the substrate will begin to grow in about 6–8 weeks, developing roots and buds.
9. Collection of fruits. Collect the fruit by cutting with scissors to avoid damaging the stem. The fruit is best eaten shortly after harvest, or kept cold as it rots quickly at high temperatures.

Compared to other citrus trees, Calamondin is easy to maintain. Observe necessary rules growing this plant, and citrofortunella will bear fruit and bloom all year round.

Calamondin likes constant but moderate humidity.

Citrofortunella bears fruit at the age of two. Pay attention to the age of the plant when you buy it. You can buy one year old seedlings cheaply, but after purchase it will take a lot longer for you to enjoy the ripe fruit.

When the plant grows in the spring, you need to shorten it so that it doesn't get too big. Pruning long branches in spring will encourage new branches to grow just below the cut. Dry or diseased branches must be removed. Cut the stems at an angle just above the leaf node (where the leaf attaches to the stem).

Repot young trees every 2-3 years. Plants will not bloom if there is little space for them. Grow calamondins in small containers first. Use a pot that is about 15 cm long until the plants are three or four years old. And then transplant them into a 20 cm container.Always use a pot with drain hole to prevent root rot.

For fruiting, you need to pollinate the plant. Calamondin trees that are grown in closed roommust be processed manually.

Use a small, dry brush to fertilize each flower. Wiggle the brush around the center of each flower, moving from one flower to the next. This will transfer pollen from male flowers to female flowers, just like bees do.

If for the winter you moved the plant indoors, then after warming, you cannot immediately expose it to the open air. Take citrus outside at night for about a month. And when calamondin adapts to the temperature, you can leave it on fresh air all day. Remember that indoors, any additional light and moisture you can provide will be beneficial for your tree.