How to plant, how to propagate, how to care: Citrus Fortunella - the joy in your home

Among all the abundance of houseplants cultivated by their amateurs, several species of citrus stand apart. They are united under the general name Citrus Fortunella, and in our region they usually grow two subspecies: margarita and Japanese fortunella.

The attitude of the inhabitants of those lands, from where this tree came to us, is noteworthy: in Japan it is called the "golden orange" ("kinkan"), and in China, which is its homeland, is the "golden apple" ("kumquat"). It is the Chinese name that is more known to our plant breeders, sometimes not hearing about any Fortunella.

What does a room citrus look like?

First of all, it refers to evergreen plants, therefore it is suitable for home growing. Agree, very few people will be happy every autumn to rake the fallen leaves off the carpet. Kumquat itself is rather miniature and does not grow lush, crowny. The Japanese for bonsai often use kinkan - just need to know how to care.

Citrus Fortunella is put in a not very large pot, and he stops growing. If you want the tree to grow tall, put it in a large container (or transplant it regularly to a larger pot) - in the home "greenhouse" it can reach one and a half meters.

Crohn's kumquat is dense, formed by small oblong leaves. Blossoms in the middle of summer about a week, and fruits ripen in winter - somewhere in December or January.

What Kinkan likes

How much he will grow up beautiful and healthy, depends on how to look after. Citrus Fortunella prefers indirect, diffuse light in the summer. But in the winter he does not have enough sun. Sometimes, even putting a tree in the southern part of the room, you have to give it a highlight.

In summer, the plant is better to bear out. There is a garden - just wonderful, because the pot can be buried in the ground: so the soil in it and the roots will not dry out. If you have a "balcony walk" plants, you will have to change the way you care. Citrus fortunella is placed in a box with sawdust, sand, peat or at least whitens its pot. The land in it will have to be covered with mulch.

Equally important for kumquat is the humidity of the air. In dry days, it becomes vulnerable to pests and diseases, can begin to lose foliage and stop growing and flowering. Here there are several options for how to care. Citrus Fortunella in summer regularly sprinkled with standing warm water. Next to the plant, it is useful to put bowls with it. In winter, the same capacity can be put on the radiators, but the best way is to buy a humidifier.

Watering Citrus Fortunella depends on the season: in spring and autumn - every two days, in the summer - every day, in the winter - a couple of times a week (depends on the quality of heating in your apartment: cool - and once enough).

If you want to share joy

Home kinkan is usually propagated by cuttings. The most successful is the April cuttings. Autumn shoots are cut into pieces with a length of 5 to 10 cm. There must be at least two buds on each. To the lower sections do not rot, they are sprinkled with charcoal.

In the pot is placed a small drainage, on top - sphagnum, and only then the earth. It cuttings (optimal - 3 pieces, but can be up to 5) sit, the surface is poured with clean sand, and the entire construction is closed with a jar. Try to find a glass: plastic poorly passes light and, heated in the sun, it releases substances that are not at all useful to the plant. In warmth and with systematic watering with warm water after 2-3 weeks, the plant can be transplanted to a permanent "place of residence".

And here it is - the harvest

Most people grow indoor citrus fruits yet because of their fruits. The same applies to the trees of the subspecies Citrus Fortunella. Can I eat them? Not only it is possible, but also it is necessary! The taste is unusual, but very pleasant. And you can eat them whole, not cleaning - the skin is thin, fragrant and pleasant to the taste. Such "citrus" go both as a snack for alcohol, and for salads from fruit, and as a supplement to baked fish and meat, and for making candied fruits.

So, in addition to the aesthetic pleasure of this beautiful tree, it brings also utilitarian benefits.