Australian Finger Lime Tree

If you are a citrus lover you might already have heard of the Australian Finger Lime Tree – if not, are you in for a treat! This unique fruit is ‘hot property’ at the best restaurants, and now you can grow your own ‘lime caviar’ easily, wherever you live. A citrus tree that doesn’t look much like one, with fruits that are like limes, but cocktail-sausage shaped, not round, and the inside is unique too. The flesh is made up of many separate juice cells, with a tangy, citrus taste. These can be eaten straight from the tree, like kumquats, scattered on a salad, or used to garnish desserts and cocktails. As easy to grow as a regular lime, outdoors it makes a shrubby tree that can reach 30 feet, but in a pot it is easily kept around 6 feet tall. Stems have 1-inch spines on them. It doesn’t need a second tree for pollination, although that may increase the yield. Flowers may appear in late summer, or in early spring, depending on the growing environment. Fruits are ready through the winter months. The fragrant, white blooms will be insect-pollinated outdoors, or use an artist’s brush indoors to easily transfer pollen from one bloom to the other

• Intriguing finger-sized and shaped green fruits
• Separate juice cells inside, often called ‘lime caviar’
• As easy to grow as any citrus tree
• Self-pollinating, so one tree is all you need
• Unlike other citrus, it has some shade tolerance

Grow the Australian Finger Lime Tree in full sun, but unlike other types of citrus it has some tolerance of shade, so it can be grown in partial shade too. Plant in well-drained soil – established trees have moderate drought tolerance. For a potted tree, use a pot with a drainage hole and a soil blended for citrus tree, or mix 2 parts regular potting soil with one part cactus soil. Water only when the tip inch of soil is dry. Grow outdoors in warmer parts of zone 9 – it can take a little frost – or keep it indoors when temperatures are below 40 degrees at night. Try to give it as much time as possible outdoors. Use a soft artist’s brush to transfer pollen from one flower to another if it blooms indoors – outdoors insects will do the job. No particular pruning is needed, but trim to control the size as needed, immediately after harvesting.