Kumquat

Meiwa

Meiwa - 'the sweet kumquat' - is the round-fruited, large-fruited sweet kumquat (Fortunella crassifolia in the older taxonomy), prized because rind and flesh are both sweet enough to eat whole out of hand. The fruit is round to oval with a thick, sweet, spicy, fragrant rind and juicy sweet-tart pulp with few seeds, excellent fresh and equally valued for marmalade, preserves, and candied fruit. Kumquats are native to southeast China, among the first citrus domesticated, and Meiwa is the sweetest of the common types alongside the oval, tarter Nagami. The plant is a showy, compact, naturally small shrub - the hardiest of all citrus, tolerating light frost better than any other - and the best citrus for containers, small gardens, and sunny decks, with glossy dark-green foliage and fragrant white blossom. In NZ fruit hangs through winter for harvest from midwinter. Self-fertile. Feed with citrus fertiliser, watch drainage and iron deficiency (yellow leaves, green veins), and protect from hard frost despite its hardiness.

Nagami

Nagami (Fortunella margarita) is the most commonly grown kumquat worldwide: the classic oval kumquat with glossy dark-green foliage, fragrant white flowers, and small decorative yellow-orange fruit. The eating experience is the reverse of normal citrus - the thin rind is sweet while the pulp is sharply acidic and tart - so the whole fruit is eaten skin and all, or cooked into marmalades, preserves, and oriental dishes where tartness is an asset. The plant is a slow-growing, compact, naturally shrubby small tree, thornless or with few spines, and an excellent container subject for sunny decks. As with all kumquats it is among the hardiest citrus for NZ, handling light frost, with fruit hanging through winter for harvest from midwinter. Self-fertile and precocious. Grow in full sun in slightly acidic, well-drained soil; feed with citrus fertiliser and ensure drainage. Fruit keeps moderately well and holds on the tree for picking as needed.