Hong Kong kumquat
| Hong Kong kumquat | ||||||||||||
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Fruiting shoots of Hong Kong kumquat |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Fortunella hindsii | ||||||||||||
| ( Champ. Ex Benth. ) Swingle |
The Hong Kong kumquat ( Fortunella hindsii ) is also mini Kumquat called and is a Kumquatpflanzen- kind in the family of Rutaceae ( Rutaceae ).
description
The shrub or small thorny tree has firm, leathery, glossy green leaves with a short, wingless stem. Several of the flowers are located in the leaf axils of the annual shoots. They are small, white and fragrant.
The fruits are pea to cherry-sized and the smallest fruits of the genus. They contain three to four fruit compartments and up to three seeds. The fruits are very decorative when ripe, bright orange and have a soft skin. The seeds are likely spread by songbirds.
distribution
The Hong Kong kumquat is native to Southeast Asia. Wild occurrences are known from Hong Kong and the adjacent hill and mountain regions in the Chinese province of Guangdong .
use
The small fruits are considered edible to a limited extent, but they are often very sour or bitter. The plant is cultivated by enthusiasts as a container plant and is very suitable for raising decorative bonsai . Since Hong Kong kumquats start to bear fruit very early and are extremely productive, they have also been used to produce citrus hybrids in order to obtain plants with these desirable properties. Known hybrids:
- Procimequat ( Citrus aurantifolia x Fortunella ) × Fortunella hindsii
Web links
- HomeCitrusGrowers.uk (picture)
- Uni-Düsseldorf (with picture)
- Fortunella hindsii in the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)