Overview

Embark on a culinary adventure with the exquisite Australian Finger Lime live plant. Known scientifically as Microcitrus australasica, this unique citrus tree is a true gem for any garden or patio. Our grafted specimens ensure you receive a healthy, vigorous plant ready to produce its highly sought-after fruit. The finger lime is celebrated for its distinctive, elongated fruits filled with tiny, bursting vesicles that resemble citrus caviar. These pearls offer a vibrant, tart flavor, perfect for elevating seafood, salads, desserts, and cocktails. Standing at an impressive 2-3 feet tall and rooted in a 3-gallon pot, this plant is a mature size, offering a head start for enthusiastic gardeners. Whether you’re a gourmet chef or simply love unique edibles, the Australian Finger Lime live plant promises to be a conversation starter and a delightful addition to your plant collection.

The allure of the finger lime extends beyond its culinary uses; its compact growth habit and attractive foliage make it a beautiful ornamental plant. This particular offering is a grafted finger lime tree, a method that ensures the plant has a strong rootstock for resilience and faster fruit production compared to plants grown from seed. This means you can anticipate enjoying your own harvest sooner, bringing a touch of exotic elegance and flavor to your home or garden. Its robust nature makes it a rewarding plant for both experienced gardeners and those looking to expand their citrus growing horizons.

Key Benefits

The Australian Finger Lime live plant offers a multitude of benefits, from its unique culinary contributions to its ornamental appeal and ease of care. Here are some compelling reasons to add this exceptional citrus to your collection:

• Gourmet Culinary Delights: Produce your own ‘citrus caviar’ with ease. The small, bead-like vesicles burst with a tangy, aromatic flavor, making them a favorite among chefs for garnishing seafood, salads, desserts, and cocktails. Enjoy fresh, unique flavors right from your garden.
• Robust Grafted Plant: This is a grafted finger lime tree, meaning it benefits from a strong root system, leading to faster growth, earlier fruit production, and increased resilience to various environmental conditions. This method ensures a healthier, more productive plant.
• Compact and Attractive: With its manageable size (2-3 feet tall) and attractive, glossy green foliage, this finger lime plant makes a wonderful addition to patios, balconies, or even as an indoor specimen in bright locations. It’s both productive and decorative.
• High Yield Potential: Once established, these plants are known to be prolific producers of fruit, providing a continuous harvest of finger limes throughout their fruiting season. Enjoy an abundant supply of this unique ingredient.
• Unique Conversation Starter: The unusual appearance of the fruit and its ‘caviar-like’ texture make the Australian Finger Lime live plant a fascinating plant to grow and share, sure to impress guests and spark interesting conversations.
• Versatile Growing Options: Suitable for growing in containers, allowing it to be moved indoors during colder months, or planted directly in the ground in warmer climates. This flexibility makes it accessible to a wider range of gardeners.
• Relatively Low Maintenance: Once established, finger lime plants are surprisingly resilient and require moderate care, making them a rewarding choice for gardeners looking for exotic fruits without excessive effort.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Australian Finger Lime live plant is a rewarding experience, leading to delicious and unique fruit. These plants thrive in conditions similar to other citrus trees. They prefer a location with at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. If growing indoors, place it near a south-facing window or supplement with a grow light to ensure adequate light exposure. Proper watering is crucial; allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out before watering thoroughly. Avoid overwatering, as this can lead to root rot. Good drainage is essential, so ensure your pot has drainage holes and use a well-draining citrus potting mix.

The ideal soil for a grafted finger lime tree is slightly acidic to neutral (pH 6.0-7.0) and rich in organic matter. Fertilize your plant every 1-2 months during the growing season (spring and summer) with a balanced citrus fertilizer that includes micronutrients like iron, zinc, and manganese. Reduce fertilization in fall and winter. Finger limes are somewhat cold-sensitive, preferring temperatures between 60-85°F (15-30°C). In USDA zones below 9, it’s best to grow them in containers so they can be moved indoors when temperatures drop below 40°F (4°C). Watch out for common citrus pests like aphids and scale; treat with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap if necessary. Pruning can be done to maintain shape and encourage bushier growth.

To ensure your finger lime care routine is optimal, pay attention to the plant’s leaves. Yellowing leaves can indicate a nutrient deficiency or overwatering, while brown tips might suggest under-watering or salt buildup. Regular monitoring and prompt action can keep your plant healthy and productive. Providing consistent care will yield the best results for your edible citrus plant, ensuring a bountiful harvest of unique finger limes.

Size & Details

This offering is for one Australian Finger Lime live plant, expertly grafted to ensure superior growth characteristics and early fruiting. The plant currently stands at an impressive 2-3 feet tall, measured from the base of the pot to the top of the foliage, making it a substantial and well-established specimen. It comes planted in a robust 3-gallon nursery pot, providing ample space for its root system to continue developing. The mature height of a finger lime tree can vary, but in ideal conditions and when grown in the ground, it can reach 6-10 feet tall. When grown in a container, its size can be easily managed through pruning, typically keeping it between 4-6 feet tall.

The growth rate of this grafted finger lime tree is moderate, allowing you to observe its development and anticipate its unique fruit production. Expect to see the first fruits within 1-2 years of planting in optimal conditions, with harvests typically occurring from late summer through fall. This plant ships with its pot and soil, carefully packaged to ensure it arrives healthy and ready to be transplanted or placed in its permanent location. This mature size provides a significant advantage, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of this wonderful edible citrus plant much sooner.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this plant get? A: This Australian Finger Lime live plant is currently 2-3 feet tall. When mature, it can reach 6-10 feet in the ground, but it can be maintained at a smaller, more manageable size of 4-6 feet in a container through regular pruning.
• Q: What size pot does it come in? A: The plant arrives in a 3-gallon nursery pot, providing a good foundation for its root system and allowing for immediate placement or transplanting.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The grafted finger lime tree can be grown outdoors in USDA Zones 9-11. In colder climates, it is best grown in a container and moved indoors to a bright location during winter months.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: Finger lime trees thrive in full sun, requiring at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day for optimal growth and fruit production. Indoors, place it near a sunny window.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, with consistent finger lime care, these plants are relatively easy to maintain. They require regular watering, proper fertilization, and protection from frost, but are generally resilient.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your Australian Finger Lime live plant will be shipped with its pot and soil, carefully packaged to minimize stress and ensure it arrives healthy and ready to thrive in its new environment.
• Q: Can I use finger lime in cooking? A: Absolutely! The ‘citrus caviar’ from this edible citrus plant is highly prized in gourmet cooking. It adds a unique tangy flavor and texture to seafood, salads, desserts, and beverages.
• Q: How long until it blooms and fruits? A: Being a grafted plant, you can expect this finger lime to begin blooming and producing fruit within 1-2 years of planting, given optimal growing conditions.
• Q: What’s the minimum temperature it can tolerate? A: The grafted finger lime tree is sensitive to cold and should be protected when temperatures drop below 40°F (4°C). It prefers warmer climates.
• Q: What kind of soil is best for a finger lime? A: A well-draining, slightly acidic to neutral soil mix (pH 6.0-7.0) rich in organic matter is ideal. A specialized citrus potting mix works very well for container-grown plants.