A kumquat. You eat them whole, rind and all, and spit out the seeds. They're pretty good.

Nimzo

Thanks Nimzo!! That IS what I was looking for. Now, do you know if I can grow it in Southern Maryland?
Thanks again!

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It freezes where you are, doesn't it? If so, I'd doubt you could grow kumquats, except in containers that you can wheel in at night. That's one possibility. They do OK in big containers.

That makes sense...we can't grow oranges here. And when I've looked for them online, they seem to all be grown in California or Florida. I live in a 3rd floor apartment with no balcony, so growing one that I need to bring in for the winter is out of the question for me. I already bring in several large planters full of Lemongrass...LOL I can hope that our grocery stores will have some one day that I can try. Thanks for your help!

Here is a link that might be useful: Our Community Garden Website

Kumquats are not at all unusual in regular grocery stores, in season. They will usually be packaged like grapes or raspberries, etc., so maybe are not found in the normal open bins with the oranges, apples, etc. Unfortunately, the main variety sold in stores is not the one with the sweet rind.

Thanks for that info., gonebananas. I would like to find the kind with the sweet rind. Seems a small fruit to have to peel...

In my experience (I have a tree), the rind is sweet and the flesh is sour. I think the variety I have is called "Nagami," but I'm not sure -- it was planted by the guy who owned the house before me. The tree bears reliably -- I get a big crop every year. They hang on the tree for a long time. I eat a few every time I walk by the tree, but the crop is always so huge that most of the fruit just doesn't get eaten. If you grow it on your deck in a pot, it will certainly be a smaller tree with a smaller crop. As long as you're thinking of growing citrus on your deck, how about a lemon tree?

By the way, where are you in Southern Maryland? I went to college in Annapolis.

Nimzo

I am jealous, Nimzo...I moved here from Calif. - between Bakersfield and Fresno. I used to pick oranges and grapefruit for breakfast....smiles. I won't try growing citrus here, just too much trouble for me I think. I have enough trouble trying to keep my houseplants from dying due to neglect - I'm too busy playing in the garden...LOL This year, I am going to be bringing in 3 large lemongrass plants to see if I can keep them going thru the winter. In my small apartment, that's about all I can handle. I am now further south than Annapolis. I'm in Solomons Island...straight down at the tip from there. I'm originally from Michigan, so this MD growing season is really a great improvement for me! I've nearly finished planting my winter garden....all kinds of cool-weather stuff I'll be picking and eating through the end of the year. BTW, when do your kumquats fruit? January?
Thanks!

Md gurl:

They fruit around January or February.

Best of luck,

Nimzo

Don't peel them! The rind is sweet and the flesh is quite sour. You eat them whole and get a burst of flavor much like a sweet-and-sour candy, only sharper and fresher.

I have a kumquat in my garden here in California, and it produces fruit about 8 months of the year. I wish you could come pick some. We can't possibly eat it all.

Rosefolly

Are Kumquats self fertile? If so, how big do they get?

I'm in MD also and if manageable, I'll get one to keep indoors for the winter then, put it out during from late spring till the 1st frost.

BTW, when I was younger, I used to beg people to bring back some kumquats for me, whenever I knew they were going to FL.

I don't know if all varieties are self-fertile or not, but the tree in my back yard definitely is.

I think I read that they are seedier if there is more than one tree, but I don't know if that is true. I have not tried the experiment, and mine has seeds in any case.

Rosefolly