Meiwa Kumquat Tree

The Meiwa Kumquat (Citrus crassifolia 'Meiwa') is the "sweetest" sour Kumquat you can grow. You eat the beautiful, small fruit whole - rind, seeds and all - in one or two bites. The rind has an extraordinary spicy/sweet taste that is almost addicting once you bite into it.

As you chew, the sweet rind and sour pulp blend in your mouth. It's a perfect blend of acid and sugar! Remember, "Don't stop chewing" to achieve the most incredible flavor while eating fresh. Candied, cooked, canned or eaten whole, Kumquats are a tasty, not-to-be-missed treat in any form!

A mature tree can have THOUSANDS of the tiny fruit ripening in the limbs in late fall. It's an astonishing sight. This gives it a wonderful display value in the landscape. Deep green leaves give a soft, healthy appearance to your tree year-round, even when not in bloom or fruit.

You will have bushels of the fruit to keep for your kitchen, sell at the local farmer's market and give away as presents. Try juicing the pulp for special mixed Citrus-infused water. Squeeze into gin and tonic cocktails as a special alternative to lime. Decorate the rim of your glass with a twist of the Meiwa rind.

You can also slice the sweet rind to add to salads. This is a very healthy alternative to those overly sweet dried cranberries that have been sprayed with too much sugar.

Candy them for a gift or use the fruit for jelly. Serve with savory meats for an easy, delicious Asian fusion meal.

A big bowl of Kumquats brings instant nostalgia and beautiful color to a holiday table!

How to Use Meiwa Kumquat In The Landscape

Exceptionally hardy for a Citrus fruit, these trees are stars in the landscape. Growing well outside of the normal range of your typical Citrus growing regions. They handle fry-pan hot summers and an occasional deep-freeze (though snow is not their friend.)

They can easily be wintered indoors in large pots by a sunny window and their fruit ripens right around Thanksgiving, making them stars inside your home as well. Kumquats are one of the best adapted of all Citrus to container growing. Plant a Meiwa in a special pot for years of enjoyment.

A beautiful "ornamental" edible, the Meiwa Kumquat tree has a very formal, upright character. This small, fruit-bearing evergreen tree makes a perfect focal point in the landscape. It will also thrive on the patio as a tremendous container specimen.

Tiny white flowers appear and lend a richly tropical appearance. They are delightfully fragrant and perfume your whole yard.

The upright, compact plant is a moderate grower and is able to be easily trained into a very attractive vase shape. It will become a sophisticated and useful specimen.

This adaptable and lovely plant is a great choice for edible and ornamental landscapes alike. People all over the world adore these Citrus plants.

#ProPlantTips For Care

Meiwa Kumquat does wonderful in full sun and can even tolerate part-sun conditions, better than most other Citrus.

All Citrus are sensitive to overwatering in the container, so be careful to keep it on the dry side. It's better to let the soil dry out a bit between waterings.

Citrus trees prefer an acidic soil mix, select a potting soil that is used for Azaleas, Camelia, or Rhododendrons. Add a quarter-inch of bark or pathway bark at the rate of 25% of the total volume of the container. This improves both the porosity and adds large-particle organic matter to the soil.

Feed your container Citrus quarterly with an acid fertilizer like Dr. Earth Acid Lovers Organic Fertilizer. Outdoors, fertilize at least 3-4 times a year as well.

Protecting Container Citrus From Cold

Although it's famous for growing in warmer regions, it can also thrive in colder areas as long as the tree is brought indoors prior to the first frost of winter.

If you're growing these tropical trees in the ground in the lowest of their favored growing zones, they need to be planted in a sheltered spot to avoid the worst of the chill. If a spot like that is unavailable, then you are better off planting in a large, deep container.

In borderline growing zones, begin slowly acclimating your tree indoors or into a protected location, eventually moving your tree inside in bright indirect sun for the winter if the temperatures in your area ever dip below that 40°F range. In spring, reverse this process and begin acclimating your tree to again be back out in the full sun all summer. This reduces stress and leaf drop.

Nature Hills ships strong, young trees with great branching and hardy roots to get you off to a great start. These evergreen trees will be a beautiful (and tasty!) addition to your landscape. Order your Meiwa Kumquat today for delectable fruit tomorrow!