Among the abundance of indoor plants, cultivated their lovers, some stand out several varieties of citrus.They are grouped under the name Citrus Fortunella, and in our area usually grown two subspecies: margaritas and Japanese fortunellu.
remarkable attitude of the inhabitants of the land from which we received this tree: in Japan, it is called the "Golden Orange" ("kinkala"), and in China, which is his homeland - the "golden apple" ("kumquat").It is the Chinese name better known to our growers, sometimes not heard of any fortunelle.
How does the indoor citrus
First of all, it belongs to the evergreens, and therefore suitable for home cultivation.Agree, very few people will be happy to rake every fall with a carpet of fallen leaves.By itself, the kumquat is sufficiently miniature and grows lush, took the crown.For Japanese bonsai often use kinkala - just need to know how to care.
Citrus Fortunella put in a not very large pot, and it stops the growth.If you want to see the tree grew tall, plant it in a large container (or re-pot in a larger pot on a regular basis) - in the home, "greenhouse" it can reach one and a half meters.
have Crohn's kumquat dense, formed by small oblong leaves.It flowers in mid-summer for about a week, and the fruits ripen in winter - sometime in December or January.
What I like kinkala
How it will grow beautiful and healthy depends on how you care for.Citrus Fortunella summer prefers indirect, scattered light.But in winter it is not enough sun.Sometimes, even placing the tree in the southern part of the room, it is necessary to arrange the backlight.
summer the plant is better to stand out.There is a garden - just wonderful, because the pot can be buried in the earth: so the soil in it and the roots will not dry out.If you have a "balcony paddock" plants, will have to change the way how to take care of.Citrus fortunella placed in a box with sawdust, sand, peat or even belitsya its pot.Earth it will need to cover with mulch.
Equally important for kumquat humidity.In dry days it becomes vulnerable to pests and diseases may begin to lose leaves and stop growing and blooming.There are several options on how to take care of.Citrus Fortunella summer regularly sprayed with warm water defended.Next to the plant is useful to put the bowl with her though.In winter, the same capacity can be put on the radiators, but the best solution would be buying a humidifier.
Watering Citrus Fortunella depends on the season: in the spring and autumn - every two days, in the summer - every day, in the winter - a couple of times a week (depending on the quality of the heating in your apartment: cool - and once is enough).
If you want to share the joy
Home kinkala usually propagated by cuttings.The most successful runs the April cuttings.Autumn shoots are cut into pieces ranging in length from 5 to 10 cm. Each must have at least two buds.To lower edges not rot, they sprinkled charcoal.
In a pot put medium-sized drainage, top - sphagnum moss, and then land.In her sit cuttings (optimally - 3 pcs., But can be up to 5), the surface is sprinkled with clean sand, and the whole structure is closed jar.Try to find a glass: plastic poorly transmits light, and heated in the sun, releases a substance, it is not useful to the plant.In warm and at regular watering with warm water in 2-3 weeks the plants will be transplanted to a permanent "residence."
And here it is - the harvest
Most people grow citrus room yet because of their fetuses.The same applies to trees subspecies Citrus Fortunella.Can I have them?Not only possible but necessary!The taste of their unusual, but very pleasant.And you can eat them whole, not clean - the skin is thin, aromatic and pleasant taste.Such "citrus" and go as a snack habits, and fruit salads, and as a complement to bake fish and meat, and for the preparation of candied fruit.
So, in addition to aesthetic pleasure from this beautiful tree, it brings also quite utilitarian benefit.
