Citrus australasica
Native Citrus or Citrus australasica, 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 fruit itself is made up of small juicy beads which lend themselves to a range of uses not open to many other citrus fruits.
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.
How To Grow Finger Limes – Basic Care
Grown in a range of climates, Finger Limes tolerate frosts and are commercially grown in many areas of Australia.
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.
Most plants sold are on commercial citrus rootstock which is more tolerant of a range of conditions than the native rootstock.
Finger Limes are available for sale from the following nurseries
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