Native Citrus or Microcitrus Australis Australia’s are the Finger Lime which is becoming increasingly popular as a Bushtucker plant for the home garden and the finger lime fruit is finding increased culinary uses. Finger Lime Trees are now readily available for sale online and are well worth a place in the home garden.
The name comes from the long ‘finger shaped’ fruit, that ranges in colour from yellow and lime green, through to red and near black. Both the pulp vesicles ( the little sacs that make up the fruit) and the juice are rated highly by many chefs, sometimes the fruit is referred to as ‘citrus caviar’ as the vesicles does look like little eggs.
Microcitrus Australis has been used for many years as a bush tucker plant they are now available both as commercial fruit crops and as trees for the home garden.
Finger Limes are an understory tree from the rainforest areas of NSW and QLD. A thorny plant they do need protection from hot winds and frost to grow well. Fruit comes in the form of yellow, ‘finger shape’. Flesh color varies from lime green to Red.
Care and Growing Conditions
Most plants sold are on commercial citrus rootstock which is more tolerant of a range of conditions than the native rootstock. A frost free position is best with protection from the extremes of heat and cold.
Finger Limes are available for sale from the following nurseries
442 Russells Road, Pine Mountain Ipswich QLD 4306 - phone: 07 54643976
Pine Mountain Nursery is a mail order plant nursery and also specialises in breeding elite agapanthus, clivia and other warm climate bulbs.
www.pinemountainnursery.com.au
146 Dignams Crk Rd via Narooma NSW 2546
Tubestock - [50mm forestry tubes and 70mm supertubes] specializing in Bush Tucker Plants , Natives indigenous to the NSW South Coast , Permaculture Plants - Fruits, Nuts & Berries .
www.southcoastflora.com.au