The most common kumquat species with edible fruits are Meiwa, Hong Kong, Nagami and Marumi. Citrus trees continue to grow through the winter and are more prone to freeze damage than deciduous trees. It is a shrubby, slow-growing tree that is 8 to 15 feet tall. Weeds compete with the kumquat for nutrients and water, and can also harbor pests. Plant your healthy, young kumquat tree in the ground if you live in Zones 8 to 11. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Providing the right cultural conditions from the start will help the tree to have a long, healthy life. The kumquat tree provides a fruit that can be eaten raw or preserved in sugar syrup. If this tree does not receive adequate sunlight, it will have stunted growth. A soil pH between 5 and 6 is best. Place the container in bright sunlight, preferably in a window with southern exposure. The primary species cultivated in the United States are the oblong shaped Meiwa kumquat (Fortunella crassifolia) and the round Nagami kumquat (Fortunella japonica). A member of the citrus family, kumquats (Fortunella spp.) In USDA Zones 8 to 11, kumquat trees can grow outdoors in the ground. Allow the top 1-inch of soil to dry before watering your tree and avoid over-watering. Once established, only water during extended periods of drought, when the plant is in flower and when fruit is developing. Both species hail from China, and have been cultivated in the West since the 1800s. Water regularly after planting with a garden hose to help the tree establish healthy, deep roots. Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. The flavor is a combination of sweetness and bitterness. Kumquat tree produces fragrant flowers in late spring, followed by small citrus fruit in the fall. Try to protect your trees during periods of severe cold by covering them with blankets. If you’re growing kumquat tree between zone 9-11, it will grow … Every citrus tree loves the sun, and kumquat is no exception. This will prevent iron deficiency. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! Putting kumquat trees grown in containers on a wheeled dolly will allow you to move the tree into a sheltered area more easily. Fertilizer can boost flower and fruit production and increase overall tree health. Because kumquat trees are drought-tolerant and pest-resistant, they are rather easy to plant and grow. Wishhart holds a Bachelor of Arts in fine arts and English literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Add Mycorrhizal fungi to the soil at the time of planting to enable your kumquat tree to access more of the nutrients in the soil and to maximize fruit production. Use a sand-based potting mix. If you live in Zones 4 to 11, kumquat trees need to be grown in a pot as a patio plant and moved indoors during the cold winter months. Do not let the soil become flooded or waterlogged: kumquats cannot stand having "wet feet" and may succumb to root rot or other fungal diseases if watered too much. The kumquat tree doesn't need another tree for pollination, so you just need one to produce fruit. There are many citrus trees to choose from, but one particular tree is considered a gem, and that is the Kumquat Tree. Caterpillars can be picked off by hand, while scale and mites may require regular applications of horticultural oil. Prune your kumquat trees carefully. Place some iron tablets in the ground around the tree if your soil’s pH level is greater than 7.0. Michelle Wishhart is a writer based in Portland, Ore. She has been writing professionally since 2005, starting with her position as a staff arts writer for City on a Hill Press, an alternative weekly newspaper in Santa Cruz, Calif. An avid gardener, Wishhart worked as a Wholesale Nursery Grower at Encinal Nursery for two years. Kumquat trees are the most cold-hardy of the citrus family. The tree produces small yellowish orange fruits in the fall that boast a distinctive combination of sweet and sour. Kumquat trees are the most cold-hardy of the citrus family. Kumquats are cold-hardy trees that will generally thrive if grown in proper conditions. A member of the citrus family, kumquats (Fortunella spp.) Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →. It is a shrubby, slow-growing tree that is 8 to 15 feet tall. The fruit is usually harvested in January. This keeps the tree looking tidy, and prevents disease from spreading. Keep the mulch well away from the trunk of the tree, as a wet trunk can attract disease. Prune away dead or diseased branches with pruning shears or a pruning saw. A peculiar feature of cumquat fruit is the edible rind, which adds considerable flavour to the tart, juicy, segmented, seedy flesh within. Prune your kumquat trees carefully. Dig out any weeds that appear near the trunk of the tree with a spade. Keep the ground clear of weeds about 3 feet around the tree. Fruits look similar to oranges but come to the size of a plum.