Calamondins: The French Alternative

Many people confuse two citrus trees: calamondins (x Citrofortunella microcarpa ) and round-fruited cumquats (Fortunella japonica ), also known as maurumi. Either are lovely small trees for the backyard or for a pot.

In a recent segment on 'Burke's Backyard' Jackie French looked at how to tell the two fruits apart, and at recipes for some sticky and delicious treats for preserving either cumquats and calamondins.

Telling the difference

It has been suggested that the calamondin may be a hybrid of a sour mandarin and an oval fruited or nagami cumquat, which is why cumquats and calamondins are so similar at first glance. To determine whether your fruit tree is bearing round cumquats or calamondins, slice a fruit open to count the segments. Calamondins have nine to 10 segments, while cumquats have only four to seven. Generally, calamondins peel easily, like a mandarin, and for this reason Jackie prefers to grow the calamondin.

Recipes

As the fruit is rather tart it is usually used to make sweetened marmalades or preserves.

Fruit in syrup

Ingredients:

• 4 cups fruit
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 dessertspoon water

Method:

1. In a stainless steel saucepan, place fruit and cover with sugar.
2. Add water then simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the fruit peel begins to look transparent. Tip: If the mixture looks like it may stick to the bottom of the pan and burn, add a little more water.
3. After 10 minutes, remove the fruit, and boil the syrup for five minutes or until it thickens. Return the fruit to the syrup, and then simmer together for two minutes. Remove the mix from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
4. Fruit in syrup is best stored in a sterilised jar. Alternatively, remove the fruit from the syrup and place it in a jar in the fridge for a sticky snack.

Calamondins in Gin

Ingredients:

• whole fruit
• one sterilised jar sugar to fill 1/3 of the jar gin

Method:

1. Pierce the skin of the fruit all over using a fork then place fruit in a sterilised jar.
2. Pour in sugar, then top up the remaining space with gin.
3. Seal carefully for storage, and remember to shake gently from time to time. It will be two months before the fruit are ready to be eaten.
4. Try serving the fruit as an accompaniment for cold ham or chicken, or as an unusual dessert with ice-cream. As this is an alcoholic preserve, it should only be served to discerning adults.
   

Growing calamondins and cumquats

Cumquats and calamondins are slightly more cold hardy than other citrus (such as lemons and oranges), but still like to be in full sun, for at least half of the day and need well-drained soil. Before planting, dig plenty of chook, cow or horse manure into the ground. After planting apply additional fertiliser in September and February, alternately a citrus food with Dynamic Lifter.

Keep the water up to citrus trees in September when they are beginning to produce fruit (use a sprinkler twice a week in warmer months).

Potted and standardised citrus trees are one of the main components of the fashionable Mediterranean or Tuscan garden. Both cumquats and Calamondins can be grown in pots, and need to be watered once to twice a week, and fertilised every six to eight weeks.

When pot grown the plants are usually grafted on to a dwarfing root stock, this helps to maintain a compact size. The calamondin in Jackie French's garden was grown from seed and is a small tree.

Availability and cost

Cumquats and calamondins are readily available from your local nursery, for about $20 to $25 for a 15 litre bag. Standard citrus in a 30cm (12") pot costs around $65.

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