Calamondin ∗ The great guide from A to Z

Characteristics

• Scientific name: Citrus mitis syn. Citrofortunella microcarpa
• Genus: Citrus plants (Citrus)
• Synonyms: Orange tree, dwarf orange, calamondin orange
• Origin: Asia
• Growth type: evergreen tree
• Growth height: 100 cm to 200 cm
• Flowering time: April to June
• Fruit: berry
• Fruit property: edible
• Ripening time: winter
• Taste: sour
• Hardiness: not hardy

fruit

calamondin is a natural hybrid of the citrus plants kumquat (Fortunella margarita) and tangerine (Citrus reticulata). The natural hybrid was discovered in China. From a botanical point of view, the commercial terms orange tree, dwarf orange or calamondin orange are misleading. A look at the properties makes it clear why the calamondin fruit is not a real orange:

• fruit property: Fruit and skin edible
• size: 2cm to 3cm
• color: green (unripe), yellowish (semi-ripe), orange (ripe)
• maturing time: in winter or spring
• consistency: juicy with seeds
• ingredients: vitamin C, calcium, iron, phosphorus

taste

The degree of ripeness of a calamondin orange determines the taste. The color of the shell gives an important clue:

• green shell: inedible bitter-tart-sour
• yellow shell: tart with a touch of sweetness
• Orange shell: refreshingly sweet and sour

In the following video you can experience a taste test by hobby gardener pope Detlef Römisch with active support from parrot Coco:

Calamondin in the taste test by Detlef Römisch

heyday

During the main flowering period in spring, a calamondin shines with a white, fragrant sea of ​​flowers. The 2 centimeter large flowers sit singly or in clusters in the leaf axils, where they contrast picturesquely with the dark green leaves. Sometimes the flowering time shifts to summer, autumn or winter, depending on vitality and overwintering. With a little luck, the trees will adorn themselves with flowers, green, yellow and orange fruits at the same time.

Investing in grafted Citrus mitis is worthwhile because these orange trees bloom and bear fruit from the first year. Specimens grown from a cutting will keep you in suspense for four long years before the first flowering period.

Plant calamondin

Calamondins are cultivated in our latitudes as potted plants. In this way, the frost-sensitive trees can easily overwinter indoors. The right combination of a species-appropriate substrate, a suitable container and the ideal location are the basis for a magnificent calamondin. The following sections explain important details:

mix substrate

Airy, loose soil is the best protection against harmful waterlogging. Calamondins grow very slowly and linger in the same vessel for years. This requires a structurally stable substrate that will not collapse. Commercially available substrates for citrus plants cannot always guarantee this premise. By mixing the substrate yourself, you play it safe. That is how it goes:

• 4 pieces citrus soil without peat
• 1st chapter coconut soil as a peat substitute
• 1st chapter lava granules or expanded clay
• 1 part quartz sand

Ideally, give a handful as an organic starter fertilizer horn shavings(€9.00 at Amazon*) added to cover the high nitrogen requirement.

Plant in the bucket

The right bucket offers the root ball one to two fingers of space up to the edge. If the container is too large, your calamondin will primarily focus on growing its roots and neglect further branching with leaves and flowers. A hole in the bottom of the pot for water drainage is mandatory. A light-colored planter that reflects the sun's rays is recommended so that the roots do not overheat in summer. How to plant the orange tree correctly:

1. Thinly cover the bottom of the vessel with expanded clay(€19.00 at Amazon*) as drainage against waterlogging
2. Fill in the substrate halfway up the pot
3. Form a hollow with your fist or flower shovel
4. Stuff calamondin
5. Place the root ball in the hollow
6. Important: 3-5 cm distance between the root ball surface and the edge of the pot as a watering edge

While holding the plant straight with one hand, fill the cavities with the substrate with the other hand. In the last step of planting, water the calamondin until the saucer fills up. Please pour away the excess irrigation water.

Location

Like all citrus plants, your calamondin likes a bright location all year round. As a houseplant, the sun worshiper is in good hands on the south-facing window or in the heated conservatory. A Citrus mitis likes to spend the frost-free season on the sunny balcony. The more sunbeams hit the little tree, the more lush its robe of leaves, blossoms and fruits.

digression

Ideal beginner plant

Maintain calamondin

Calamondin dwarf oranges are among the easiest to care for citrus plants north of the Alps. Room gardeners love the trees because they can overwinter in living rooms. The water and nutrient supply is also possible without a green thumb. In contrast to the real orange tree, pruning care is simple and uncomplicated. Take a look at the following sections and you will know exactly how to properly care for a calamondin:

Pour

During the growth phase, your calamondin proves to be a swallowing woodpecker. The sunnier the location, the higher the water requirement. Important questions receive a compact answer here:

• What water quality?: optionally with rainwater or tap water.
• when to water: When the substrate has dried on the surface to a depth of 1 cm (finger test).
• how to water: Water thoroughly until the coaster fills up.
• What time of day?: Water calamondin in the morning or evening, but never in direct sunlight.

Because waterlogging will take down even the most low-maintenance citrus plants, we recommend using a moisture meter. The simple tool works with a probe that you stick into the substrate. A scale shows whether your calamondin would like to be poured or not.

Fertilize

The summer growth phase is characterized by a high need for nitrogen and potassium as well as other nutrients. A special one citrus fertilizer has the perfect composition in its luggage. A liquid fertilizer is effective to administer. Add this to the irrigation water from March to November according to the manufacturer's instructions.

hibernate

You can make a calamondin like a lemon tree hibernate. Hibernation in the apartment is possible, of course the second best option. All options are summarized in the following overview:

• Winter cool: bright at 3° to 10° Celsius in the conservatory, stairwell or garden house(€591.00 at Amazon*) with frost guard
• Winter warm: sunny on the south-facing window, illuminate additionally 4 to 6 hours a day with less than 1000 lux
• Care: water more sparingly, not from December to February fertilize (Fertilize in half the concentration every 4 weeks when overwintering indoors)

When you give a calamondin depends on the winter quarters. If the tree spends the cold season indoors, you should bring the plant in early enough so that there is no abrupt change in temperature from cold to warm. If you have a cool winter quarters to offer your calamondin, only allow it shortly before the first frost.

To cut

You don't have to cut a slow-growing calamondin every year. At intervals of two to three years, vitality and shape benefit from a moderate pruning. How to cut correctly:

• The best time is in early spring before they sprout
• Thin out dead branches at the beginning
• Cut back bent and unfavorably growing branches
• Cut close to a leaf or bud

You can trim isolated, overly long shoots at any time. As a cutting tool, use a bypass scissors, whose blades you disinfect beforehand with alcohol.

Calamondin loses leaves - what to do?

Despite its reputation as one of the easiest citrus plants to care for, a calamondin is not immune to leaf loss. This is not a cause for concern if you are aware of the following causes and countermeasures:

repot

The substrate in the bucket is exhausted every two to three years. Now you should repot your calamondin into fresh substrate, even if the roots do not completely fill the container. Please take this opportunity to examine the root ball closely. Cut off stunted, diseased or rotten-soft roots with a sharp, sanitized knife.

Popular Varieties

The calamondin hybrid, which originated naturally in China, is the progenitor of numerous beautiful varieties:

• Foliis Variegatis: variegated, very rare variety with yellow-white-green variegated leaves.
• mezzo: green-leaved calamondin, grafted on a 70 cm to 90 cm high stem.
• piccolo: distinctive dwarf orange Citrus mitis as a 60 cm high tree.
• Molto Grande: stately calamondin orange tree in a 40 cm container with a growth height of 170 cm.

FAQ

Can you eat calamondin with the skin on?

Yes, the skin of a calamondin fruit is edible. In contrast to real oranges, you can taste the very thin peel without hesitation. It is recommended to eat calamondin with the shell from your own harvest or organic cultivation, which is guaranteed not to have been treated with chemical agents.

Do you have a recipe suggestion for calamondin jam?

To prepare a refreshing jam with a sour-fruity taste, you need 1 kilogram of fruit, 500 grams of preserving sugar (2:1) and screw-top jars. The peeled calamondin oranges are pureed in a large cauldron. Now mix the preserving sugar into the fruit puree. Bring the mixture to the boil, stirring repeatedly, and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Fill the clean jars with the hot calamondin jam. Tightly closed, turn each jam jar upside down to cool.

Can I grow a new orange tree from a cutting?

You can grow a new calamondin from a cutting. Before the start of the growth phase, cut off a one-year-old branch tip with three to five buds. The lower half is defoliated. Dip the interface in rooting powder and plant the cuttings in loose, well-moistened potting soil. However, the young plant thrives as a shrub. Calamondin orange trees from the specialist trade are grafted onto a robust trunk as a base.