In Rong'an County, southern China, one of the most peculiar citrus fruits is grown. Under the name kumquat, it has conquered palates around the world, as it has a characteristic that is not very common among citrus fruits: it can be eaten without having to peel it. The flavedo of this fruit—its external skin or exocarp—has a sweet flavor, while the pulp is acidic, so it contains a very peculiar balance for the taste buds. Surely you have seen a small tray with a few kumquats in a fruit store, almost like a select delicacy. Its oval shape, the size of a gordal olive, is very characteristic, and its bright orange color is most striking.
The kumquat is one of those plants that is accompanied by an infinite number of scientific names, since it has been seeking accommodation among the labyrinth of citrus genetics: a complex family in which a multitude of species have hybridized with each other and of varieties over the centuries. In this way, kumquat is found with scientific names such as
Fortunella margarita
or
Fortunella japonica
var. margarita, until now being classified in the genus
Citrus
- already as a full participant in this genus -, with the specific names of
Citrus margarita
or perhaps the more correct of
Citrus japonica
. In fact, and to clear up all this confusion, it is considered a cultivar within that species:
Citrus japonica
'Nagami'. Its most common popular names are kumquat with oval fruit, nagami kumquat or plain kumquat, although in Spain it receives another affectionate nickname: chinese naranjito.
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As already mentioned, it is a small tree of Chinese origin, from the south of that enormous country, like so many other citrus fruits that are consumed worldwide today. Nagami kumquat is gaining popularity very quickly, due to its aesthetic and gastronomic qualities. There are also other species and varieties of kumquats, with small fruits with more yellowish colors or shapes more similar to that of the tangerine (
Citrus
x
reticulata
). Of course, the palatability of this oval-fruited kumquat is difficult to surpass by those others.
The mix between the sweet and sour flavors of this fruit is very pleasant.annabogush (Getty Images/RooM RF)
The reasons to grow it at home are many, and its resistance to cold stands out, to mention one of its strengths, supporting up to -10 degrees Celsius. So, to wake up from the winter slumber into which it is immersed, the kumquat will need several consecutive weeks of warmth. Next, it will form its small, very aromatic white flowers, a reduced version of the orange blossoms of its relatives, orange trees or lemons, which enjoy the same soft and sweet perfume as cordial as the kumquat. Regarding summer, the ideal is for it to live in regions that do not exceed 30 degrees Celsius, although it vegetates well if higher temperatures are reached, only slowing down or even stopping its development in those warmer months. That it receives direct sun, as in the rest of the citrus trees, is one of the fundamental premises for that development to be convenient. After a few hours with that direct lighting it is happy, although it can even live in a very bright and luminous shadow. There, of course, it will not have such abundant flowering, but it is interesting to test if it adapts to the conditions you have at home.
The fragrant kumquat flowers often grow in clusters.Westend61 (Getty Images/Westend61)
Another of its strong points is that it vegetates perfectly in a pot, and adapts to growing in a pot wonderfully. As with other close relatives of the kumquat, fertilization is essential, with a specific fertilizer for citrus fruits, which will provide the nutrients in which it is most demanding, such as magnesium, for example. With this nutrition, the harvest of even hundreds of fruits in the winter and early spring is assured in a single plant, to delight family and friends. If it is planted in soil, it must be taken into account that it does not like calcareous soils, and prefers a pH lower than 7. There, with free soil to extend its roots, it can reach more than 3 meters in height, with a size very suggestive shrub with good presence; In a pot, logically, its size will be much smaller, and it will adapt to the space you have.
A kumquat, after all, is always a perfect choice to get started in the cultivation of citrus fruits and the beauty they bring to all the senses.