Kiwi Phil
Commander
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2003
- Messages
- 2,182
All I have done here Stan is copy and paste what I thought a reasonable article on the subject.
I stopped the Gardening Corner as thought there wasn't too much interest.
Cheers
Phillip
[colour=null]CALAMONDIN: THE MINIATURE ORANGE[/colour]
Calamondin, a native citrus plant in the Philippines and China, is cultivated in Southeast Asia and elsewhere as an important crop. In the U.S. and Europe, it is grown mainly as an outstanding ornamental. The tree, which is often trained as a bonsai, will bloom year-round; filling the air with the aroma of citrus blossom. Flower and fruit often will appear at the same time.
The tree has upright branches with very few thorns and can grow up to 10 feet high. Its 3-inch evergreen leaves are broadly oval and pale green below like those of the kumquat. Its flowers are white and small. The 1 3/4 inch-wide fruit is small, depressed, globose and deep orange-yellow when ripe, loose-skinned and, segmented. The pulp is very acidic. Mature fruit can be produced year round.
It is said that it is an acid citrus, a group that includes lemons and limes. The flesh is orange, juicy and acid, with a fine lime-orange flavor. Because of this, it is usually grouped with the limes. The small seeds are few, with characteristic green cotyledons. One bite of this fruit can pucker your mouth. The fruit, when ripe, is very sour when first tasted. Subsequent tasted fruits make your mouth sweet. If the fruit is picked too soon, it is bitter.
ORIGIN:
In many Latin countries, the calamondin plant is found in backyards, and the fruit is called 'agri-dulce' (sweet and sour). It is known by the botanical name of Citrus mitis Blanco or Citrofortunella mitis and is considered a good remedy for the 'grippe' (cold). Horticulturists believe that the Calamondin is a hybrid of lime and mandarin, or lime and kumquat, or kumquat and mandarin.
The early name of the fruit was given the botanical name of Citrus madurensis loureiro by a man named Loureiro who found this unusual fruit on the island of Madura, near Java. Later it was changed to the new classification.
A man named Lathrop introduced this unusual fruit, the calamondin, in Florida in 1899 with a name 'acid orange.' Later, Dr. David Fairchild, who came from Panama, introduced it as 'Panama orange.' The fruit had come to Chile as a stock for mandarin oranges and from Chile went to Panama. Among alternate common names are: calamondin orange; Chinese, or China, orange; Panama orange; golden lime; scarlet lime; and, in the Philippines, kalamondin, kalamunding, kalamansi, calamansi, limonsito, or agridulce. Malayan names are limau kesturi ("musk lime") and limau chuit. In Thailand, it is ma-nao-wan. While in Japan, they call it, sikikan.
FOOD USES:
Calamondin halves or quarters may be served with iced tea, seafood and meats, to be squeezed for the acid juice. They were commonly so used in Florida before limes became plentiful. Some people boil the sliced fruits with cranberries to make a tart sauce. Calamondins are also preserved whole in sugar syrup, or made into sweet pickles, or marmalade. A superior marmalade is made by using equal quantities of calamondins and kumquats. In Hawaii, calamondin-papaya marmalade is popular. In Malaya, the calamondin is an ingredient in chutney. Whole fruits, fried in coconut oil with various seasonings, are eaten with curry. The preserved peel is added as flavoring to other fruits stewed or preserved.
The juice is primarily valued for making acid beverages. It is often employed like lime or lemon juice to make gelatin salads or desserts, custard pie or chiffon pie. In the Philippines, the extracted juice, with the addition of gum tragacanth as an emulsifier, is pasteurized and bottled commercially. This product must be stored at low temperature to keep well. Pectin is recovered from the peel as a by-product of juice production.
Food Value Per 100 g of Edible Portion*
Whole Fruit % Juice %
Calories/lb 173 (380/kg)
Moisture 87.08-87.12 89.66
Protein 0.86 0.01
Fat 2.41 0.53
Carbohydrates 3.27
Ash 0.54-0.64 0.62
Calcium 0.14
Phosphorus 0.07
Iron 0.003
Citric Acid 2.81 5.52
*The chemistry of the calamondin has received only moderate attention. Wester (1924) and Marañon (1935) reported the above constituents from Philippine analyses. Mustard found the ascorbic acid content of the whole fruit to be, 88.4-111.3 mg/100 g; of the juice, 30-31.5 mg; and of the peel, 130-173.9 mg.
OTHER USES:
Calamondin is widely grown as an ornamental bush in California and Florida. It is grown sometimes as a house plant, and it is quite showy when fruits are ripe. The trees bloom all year under warm weather and it can have flowers, green fruits, and mature fruits at any given time. It can be grown as a dooryard tree throughout the citrus belt and will do very well as a container plant in colder locations in north Florida if protected from cold. It can also be used as a living Christmas tree.
The fruit juice is used in the Philippines to bleach ink stains from fabrics. It also serves as a body deodorant.
Medicinal Uses: The fruits may be crushed with the saponaceous bark of Entada Phaseoloides Merr. for shampooing the hair, or the fruit juice applied to the scalp after shampooing. It eliminates itching and promotes hair growth. Rubbing calamondin juice on insect bites banishes the itching and irritation. It bleaches freckles and helps to clear up acne vulgaris and pruritus vulvae. It is taken orally as a cough remedy and antiphlogistic. Slightly diluted and drunk warm, it serves as a laxative. Combined with pepper, it is prescribed in Malaya to expel phlegm. The distilled oil of the leaves serves as a carminative with more potency than peppermint oil. The volatile oil content of the leaves is 0.90% to 1.06%.
CLIMATE:
The calamondin is hardier to cold than any other true citrus specie and only the trifoliate orange and the kumquat are more tolerant to low temperatures. It can be successfully grown outside throughout California, Florida, and the gulf coast. It is moderately drought-tolerant. It makes an excellent container plant in colder areas.
SOIL:
The tree seems able to tolerate a wide range of soils from clay-loam in the Philippines to limestone or sand in Florida. They prefer well-drained soils that are kept moist and in full sun.
PROPAGATION:
Calamondin trees may be easily grown from seeds, which are polyembryonic with 3 to 5 embryos each.
For commercial fruit production in the Philippines, the trees are budded onto calamondin seedlings. In Florida, propagation by cuttings rooted under constant mist is the more common commercial procedure for pot culture. Even leaf-cuttings will root readily. Cuttings of new growth are dipped in rooting hormone and placed in a perlite-peat moss mixture and kept evenly moist (not wet) in direct light.
Plants grown from cuttings fruit during the rooting period and will reach 18 to 24 in (45-60 cm) in height in 10 1/2 months. The flowers are self-fertile and require no cross-pollination. The calamondin should root in 1 to 2 months and will grow at the rate of 1 foot (30 cm) per year. It will produce an abundant crop of fruit at the age of 2 years and will continue to bear the year around.
CARE AND POTTING:
Most varieties can be grown in containers, such as pots or tubs (the most popular container is a two-inch pot), with a fair degree of success. Drainage of container is utmost importance since citrus plants can develop root problems if the drainage is not adequate. Citrus can be grown in a mixture of equal parts of peat, perlite, and a good garden loam. A mixture of peat and perlite alone is not recommended because plants tend to blow over and develop nutritional deficiencies when this mixture is used. When transplanting, do not disturb the soil or roots. Place the plant into the new pot or container that has been partially filled with soil or rooting media.
Citrus plants are not well adapted to the house environment. They grow best outdoors in direct sunlight or half shade. Indoors, they should be placed in a very well lit area. During the warm months, they should be placed outdoors. A temperature range of 70 º F to 90 ºF is adequate. Citrus trees do not grow well at temperatures below 55 ºF. Water plants as needed only, excess or lack of water will kill a tree. Allow the surface inch of soil to become dry before watering. Fertilize sparingly but frequently, about every five weeks. Dusty leaves usually result in mite and scale infections, water the leaves with a sponge frequently to avoid these problems which may cause serious problems in small trees.
In orchard plantings, Philippine workers have established that a complete commercial fertilizer with a 1:1 nitrogen to potassium ratio gives the best growth. There are 2 applications: one prior to the onset of the rainy season and the second just before the cessation of rains. Adequate moisture is the principal factor in yield, size and quality of the fruit. Drought and dehydrating winds often lead to mesophyll collapse.
HARVESTING:
Calamondins are harvested by clipping the stems as they become fully colored throughout the year. In the Philippines the peak season is mid-August through October.
STORAGE:
The fruits will keep in good condition for 2 weeks at 48º to 50º F (8.89º-10º C) and 90% relative humidity. Weight loss will be only 6.5%. Waxing retards ascorbic acid loss for 2 weeks in storage but not thereafter.
Potted plants for shipment can be stored in the dark for 2 weeks at 53.6º F (12º C) without loss of leaves or fruits in storage or in subsequent transit and marketing.
PESTS AND DISEASES:
The calamondin is a prime host of the Mediterranean and Caribbean fruit flies, and for this reason is much less planted in Florida than formerly. It may be attacked by other pests and diseases that affect the lemon and lime including the viruses: crinkly leaf, exocortis, psorosis, xyloporosis and tristeza, but it is immune to canker and scab. They are susceptible to chlorosis, provoked by lack of calcium and magnesium.
I stopped the Gardening Corner as thought there wasn't too much interest.
Cheers
Phillip
[colour=null]CALAMONDIN: THE MINIATURE ORANGE[/colour]
Calamondin, a native citrus plant in the Philippines and China, is cultivated in Southeast Asia and elsewhere as an important crop. In the U.S. and Europe, it is grown mainly as an outstanding ornamental. The tree, which is often trained as a bonsai, will bloom year-round; filling the air with the aroma of citrus blossom. Flower and fruit often will appear at the same time.
The tree has upright branches with very few thorns and can grow up to 10 feet high. Its 3-inch evergreen leaves are broadly oval and pale green below like those of the kumquat. Its flowers are white and small. The 1 3/4 inch-wide fruit is small, depressed, globose and deep orange-yellow when ripe, loose-skinned and, segmented. The pulp is very acidic. Mature fruit can be produced year round.
It is said that it is an acid citrus, a group that includes lemons and limes. The flesh is orange, juicy and acid, with a fine lime-orange flavor. Because of this, it is usually grouped with the limes. The small seeds are few, with characteristic green cotyledons. One bite of this fruit can pucker your mouth. The fruit, when ripe, is very sour when first tasted. Subsequent tasted fruits make your mouth sweet. If the fruit is picked too soon, it is bitter.
ORIGIN:
In many Latin countries, the calamondin plant is found in backyards, and the fruit is called 'agri-dulce' (sweet and sour). It is known by the botanical name of Citrus mitis Blanco or Citrofortunella mitis and is considered a good remedy for the 'grippe' (cold). Horticulturists believe that the Calamondin is a hybrid of lime and mandarin, or lime and kumquat, or kumquat and mandarin.
The early name of the fruit was given the botanical name of Citrus madurensis loureiro by a man named Loureiro who found this unusual fruit on the island of Madura, near Java. Later it was changed to the new classification.
A man named Lathrop introduced this unusual fruit, the calamondin, in Florida in 1899 with a name 'acid orange.' Later, Dr. David Fairchild, who came from Panama, introduced it as 'Panama orange.' The fruit had come to Chile as a stock for mandarin oranges and from Chile went to Panama. Among alternate common names are: calamondin orange; Chinese, or China, orange; Panama orange; golden lime; scarlet lime; and, in the Philippines, kalamondin, kalamunding, kalamansi, calamansi, limonsito, or agridulce. Malayan names are limau kesturi ("musk lime") and limau chuit. In Thailand, it is ma-nao-wan. While in Japan, they call it, sikikan.
FOOD USES:
Calamondin halves or quarters may be served with iced tea, seafood and meats, to be squeezed for the acid juice. They were commonly so used in Florida before limes became plentiful. Some people boil the sliced fruits with cranberries to make a tart sauce. Calamondins are also preserved whole in sugar syrup, or made into sweet pickles, or marmalade. A superior marmalade is made by using equal quantities of calamondins and kumquats. In Hawaii, calamondin-papaya marmalade is popular. In Malaya, the calamondin is an ingredient in chutney. Whole fruits, fried in coconut oil with various seasonings, are eaten with curry. The preserved peel is added as flavoring to other fruits stewed or preserved.
The juice is primarily valued for making acid beverages. It is often employed like lime or lemon juice to make gelatin salads or desserts, custard pie or chiffon pie. In the Philippines, the extracted juice, with the addition of gum tragacanth as an emulsifier, is pasteurized and bottled commercially. This product must be stored at low temperature to keep well. Pectin is recovered from the peel as a by-product of juice production.
Food Value Per 100 g of Edible Portion*
Whole Fruit % Juice %
Calories/lb 173 (380/kg)
Moisture 87.08-87.12 89.66
Protein 0.86 0.01
Fat 2.41 0.53
Carbohydrates 3.27
Ash 0.54-0.64 0.62
Calcium 0.14
Phosphorus 0.07
Iron 0.003
Citric Acid 2.81 5.52
*The chemistry of the calamondin has received only moderate attention. Wester (1924) and Marañon (1935) reported the above constituents from Philippine analyses. Mustard found the ascorbic acid content of the whole fruit to be, 88.4-111.3 mg/100 g; of the juice, 30-31.5 mg; and of the peel, 130-173.9 mg.
OTHER USES:
Calamondin is widely grown as an ornamental bush in California and Florida. It is grown sometimes as a house plant, and it is quite showy when fruits are ripe. The trees bloom all year under warm weather and it can have flowers, green fruits, and mature fruits at any given time. It can be grown as a dooryard tree throughout the citrus belt and will do very well as a container plant in colder locations in north Florida if protected from cold. It can also be used as a living Christmas tree.
The fruit juice is used in the Philippines to bleach ink stains from fabrics. It also serves as a body deodorant.
Medicinal Uses: The fruits may be crushed with the saponaceous bark of Entada Phaseoloides Merr. for shampooing the hair, or the fruit juice applied to the scalp after shampooing. It eliminates itching and promotes hair growth. Rubbing calamondin juice on insect bites banishes the itching and irritation. It bleaches freckles and helps to clear up acne vulgaris and pruritus vulvae. It is taken orally as a cough remedy and antiphlogistic. Slightly diluted and drunk warm, it serves as a laxative. Combined with pepper, it is prescribed in Malaya to expel phlegm. The distilled oil of the leaves serves as a carminative with more potency than peppermint oil. The volatile oil content of the leaves is 0.90% to 1.06%.
CLIMATE:
The calamondin is hardier to cold than any other true citrus specie and only the trifoliate orange and the kumquat are more tolerant to low temperatures. It can be successfully grown outside throughout California, Florida, and the gulf coast. It is moderately drought-tolerant. It makes an excellent container plant in colder areas.
SOIL:
The tree seems able to tolerate a wide range of soils from clay-loam in the Philippines to limestone or sand in Florida. They prefer well-drained soils that are kept moist and in full sun.
PROPAGATION:
Calamondin trees may be easily grown from seeds, which are polyembryonic with 3 to 5 embryos each.
For commercial fruit production in the Philippines, the trees are budded onto calamondin seedlings. In Florida, propagation by cuttings rooted under constant mist is the more common commercial procedure for pot culture. Even leaf-cuttings will root readily. Cuttings of new growth are dipped in rooting hormone and placed in a perlite-peat moss mixture and kept evenly moist (not wet) in direct light.
Plants grown from cuttings fruit during the rooting period and will reach 18 to 24 in (45-60 cm) in height in 10 1/2 months. The flowers are self-fertile and require no cross-pollination. The calamondin should root in 1 to 2 months and will grow at the rate of 1 foot (30 cm) per year. It will produce an abundant crop of fruit at the age of 2 years and will continue to bear the year around.
CARE AND POTTING:
Most varieties can be grown in containers, such as pots or tubs (the most popular container is a two-inch pot), with a fair degree of success. Drainage of container is utmost importance since citrus plants can develop root problems if the drainage is not adequate. Citrus can be grown in a mixture of equal parts of peat, perlite, and a good garden loam. A mixture of peat and perlite alone is not recommended because plants tend to blow over and develop nutritional deficiencies when this mixture is used. When transplanting, do not disturb the soil or roots. Place the plant into the new pot or container that has been partially filled with soil or rooting media.
Citrus plants are not well adapted to the house environment. They grow best outdoors in direct sunlight or half shade. Indoors, they should be placed in a very well lit area. During the warm months, they should be placed outdoors. A temperature range of 70 º F to 90 ºF is adequate. Citrus trees do not grow well at temperatures below 55 ºF. Water plants as needed only, excess or lack of water will kill a tree. Allow the surface inch of soil to become dry before watering. Fertilize sparingly but frequently, about every five weeks. Dusty leaves usually result in mite and scale infections, water the leaves with a sponge frequently to avoid these problems which may cause serious problems in small trees.
In orchard plantings, Philippine workers have established that a complete commercial fertilizer with a 1:1 nitrogen to potassium ratio gives the best growth. There are 2 applications: one prior to the onset of the rainy season and the second just before the cessation of rains. Adequate moisture is the principal factor in yield, size and quality of the fruit. Drought and dehydrating winds often lead to mesophyll collapse.
HARVESTING:
Calamondins are harvested by clipping the stems as they become fully colored throughout the year. In the Philippines the peak season is mid-August through October.
STORAGE:
The fruits will keep in good condition for 2 weeks at 48º to 50º F (8.89º-10º C) and 90% relative humidity. Weight loss will be only 6.5%. Waxing retards ascorbic acid loss for 2 weeks in storage but not thereafter.
Potted plants for shipment can be stored in the dark for 2 weeks at 53.6º F (12º C) without loss of leaves or fruits in storage or in subsequent transit and marketing.
PESTS AND DISEASES:
The calamondin is a prime host of the Mediterranean and Caribbean fruit flies, and for this reason is much less planted in Florida than formerly. It may be attacked by other pests and diseases that affect the lemon and lime including the viruses: crinkly leaf, exocortis, psorosis, xyloporosis and tristeza, but it is immune to canker and scab. They are susceptible to chlorosis, provoked by lack of calcium and magnesium.
