When life gives you lemons, plant a rare and unusual citrus tree

Do you want to grow a citrus tree, but are hankering after something more exotic than just a lemon?

Citrus are the most popular fruit trees in urban gardens and, until recently, our choices were limited. But that is changing. Fruitasia, South Africa’s largest retail fruit-tree nursery, specialises in sourcing unusual and rare fruit trees. Here are some of the exciting new choices.

Finger Lime

Also known as Lemon Caviar, this tree has small, elongated fruit and inside them, instead of segments, are small pearls bursting with flavour. Ranging in colour from white to pale-green and pink, their juicy, spicy, citrussy tang makes them a dream ingredient for imaginative chefs.

They are slow-growing, but the ones available in South Africa are grafted, which means earlier harvests.

Blood Orange

This delicious orange gets its name from its flesh. From the outside it looks like a normal orange. But open it up and inside it’s streaked with purplish-red and orange hues. This is thanks to pigments called anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that are particularly good for improving heart health and helping prevent age-related illnesses and cancer. They also give it a complex flavour that is sweet and tangy with hints of berry. Available in South Africa is the Tarocco Ippolito variety, with high anthocyanin levels, a complex flavour and the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. What's more, it’s easy to peel.

Lemonade Lemon tree

This fruit looks just like a lemon, but is sweet enough to be eaten fresh. Thought to be a natural cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange, it's ideal for juicing and baking, with a tangy lemonade flavour. The longer the fruit remains on the tree, the sweeter it gets.

Rex Union Orange

This is by far the best orange for making marmalade. A cross between a sweet orange and a pomelo, it was created by George Wellington Rex in the early years of the 20th century and became very popular with our mothers and grandmothers, who made their own marmalade. However, when commercial marmalade became increasingly available and popular, home-made marmalade-making dwindled.

One by one, the Rex Union orchards were replanted with more profitable crops until they all but disappeared. Luckily, for those of us who love making good marmalade, these trees are now available. By planting them in our gardens, we not only ensure we are keeping a heritage plant alive, but we will have a lifetime of marvellous marmalade!

Growing tips

Citrus trees like full sun, well-drained soil and protection from wind. They can cope with only mild frost, so choose a warm and protected spot. In colder areas, grow them in large containers in summer and move them into a warm, sheltered area during winter.

Dig a hole twice the size of the planting bag and add well-rotted compost and a couple of handfuls of Talborne Organics Vita Grow 2:3:2. Water well until established. A general rule for all citrus is to water more in spring and summer, and then cut back in autumn and winter.

Fertilise every four months with Talborne Organics Vita Fruit & Flower 3:1:5. Keep the ground well mulched.

Prune after fruiting, aiming for a well-balanced framework and to maintain a manageable height.

Citrus psylla is a tiny scale insect that sucks juice from the underside of leaves, leaving them bumpy and curled. Aphids can also be problematic, particularly when accompanied by ants that “farm” them. Spray leaves and trunks, plus drench the soil around the tree with Biogrow Pyrol. Lemon balm, tansy, feverfew and yarrow are all good companions to plant under and around citrus, as they attract pollinators and predators.

www.fruitasia.co.za

Jane’s Delicious Urban Gardening. Jane Griffiths. Published by Sunbird Publishers