Introduction
Australia has six species of native citrus, with the
most well known and cultivated species being
the finger lime. The Australian finger lime (Citrus
australasica) is native to the rainforests of the border
ranges of SE Queensland and Northern NSW.
In its natural habitat the finger lime grows as an
understorey shrub or tree up to 6 metres in height on
a range of soil types.
Trees are thorny, producing distinctive finger shaped
fruit up to 12 cm long with a typically green-yellow
skin and pulp. There is also a naturally occurring
pink-red fleshed form of finger lime known as Citrus
australasica var. sanguinea. In the wild, finger limes
are genetically very diverse, with trees and fruit
varying in size, shape, colour and seediness. The
pulp of the fruit is unique with separate juice vesicles
that resemble caviar. The individual juice vesicles
(sometimes referred to as crystals) are compressed
inside the fruit and burst out when the fruit is opened.
Demand for finger limes has grown steadily over the
past decade, mainly as a result of its bush food status,
unique caviar-like pulp and attractive colour range, with
most interest coming from the restaurant trade.
Fresh fruit are mainly used as a garnish for seafood
and the pulp is used for processing into sauces, jams
and jellies.
Industry & Investment NSW has not yet undertaken
any research trials on growing finger limes. Most of
the information in this Primefact has been obtained
from commercial growers on the north coast of NSW.
are not always true to type, are slower growing and can take many years to bear fruit. All commercial citrus trees are grown on specially selected citrus rootstocks that have different characteristics including tolerance to a range of soil, disease, pest and climatic conditions.
The commercially available finger lime cultivars come in a variety of tree shapes and sizes, from tall upright trees with open canopies and narrow leaves to dense weeping shrubs with broader leaves. The mature fruit range in size from 6 to 12 cm in length and come in a wide range of colours including green, yellow, purple and pink to bright red. The pulp of the fruit is unique with a ‘caviar like’ appearance that also comes in a wide range of colours. The intensity of skin and pulp colour can have some variation as a result of flowering times and climatic conditions. Fruit seediness can also vary with some cultivars being almost seedless and others having many seeds.
Commercial finger lime orchards do well planted in full sun. Some earlier plantings, however, incorporated protection from full sun by inter-planting with taller native trees or covering trees with shade cloth, to mimic the natural habitat of the plant.
Varieties and rootstocks
Over the past twenty years growers and nurserymen have selected a range of finger lime plants with different characteristics directly from the bush or from seedling populations. These selections have then been used as the ‘mother plants’ for vegetatively propagating identical new plants.
All commercial citrus trees in Australia are propagated vegetatively using budwood, which ensures the new trees are identical to the original mother plant. Citrus trees grown from seed are not used because they
IntroductionAustralia has six species of native citrus, with themost well known and cultivated species beingthe finger lime. The Australian finger lime (Citrusaustralasica) is native to the rainforests of the borderranges of SE Queensland and Northern NSW.In its natural habitat the finger lime grows as anunderstorey shrub or tree up to 6 metres in height ona range of soil types.Trees are thorny, producing distinctive finger shapedfruit up to 12 cm long with a typically green-yellowskin and pulp. There is also a naturally occurringpink-red fleshed form of finger lime known as Citrusaustralasica var. sanguinea. In the wild, finger limesare genetically very diverse, with trees and fruitvarying in size, shape, colour and seediness. Thepulp of the fruit is unique with separate juice vesiclesthat resemble caviar. The individual juice vesicles(sometimes referred to as crystals) are compressedinside the fruit and burst out when the fruit is opened.Demand for finger limes has grown steadily over thepast decade, mainly as a result of its bush food status,unique caviar-like pulp and attractive colour range, withmost interest coming from the restaurant trade.Fresh fruit are mainly used as a garnish for seafoodand the pulp is used for processing into sauces, jamsand jellies.Industry & Investment NSW has not yet undertakenany research trials on growing finger limes. Most ofthe information in this Primefact has been obtainedfrom commercial growers on the north coast of NSW.are not always true to type, are slower growing and can take many years to bear fruit. All commercial citrus trees are grown on specially selected citrus rootstocks that have different characteristics including tolerance to a range of soil, disease, pest and climatic conditions.The commercially available finger lime cultivars come in a variety of tree shapes and sizes, from tall upright trees with open canopies and narrow leaves to dense weeping shrubs with broader leaves. The mature fruit range in size from 6 to 12 cm in length and come in a wide range of colours including green, yellow, purple and pink to bright red. The pulp of the fruit is unique with a ‘caviar like’ appearance that also comes in a wide range of colours. The intensity of skin and pulp colour can have some variation as a result of flowering times and climatic conditions. Fruit seediness can also vary with some cultivars being almost seedless and others having many seeds.Commercial finger lime orchards do well planted in full sun. Some earlier plantings, however, incorporated protection from full sun by inter-planting with taller native trees or covering trees with shade cloth, to mimic the natural habitat of the plant.Varieties and rootstocksOver the past twenty years growers and nurserymen have selected a range of finger lime plants with different characteristics directly from the bush or from seedling populations. These selections have then been used as the ‘mother plants’ for vegetatively propagating identical new plants.All commercial citrus trees in Australia are propagated vegetatively using budwood, which ensures the new trees are identical to the original mother plant. Citrus trees grown from seed are not used because they
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