Back to main Search Page

Fortunella margarita - (Lour.)Swingle.

Oval Kumquat

Author	(Lour.)Swingle.	Botanical references	200
Family	Rutaceae	Genus	Fortunella
Synonyms
Known Hazards	None known
Range	E. Asia - S. China.
Habitat	Not known
Edibility Rating	3 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	0 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen Shrub growing to 3m.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Sunny Edge; South Wall By; West Wall By;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit.

Edible Uses: Pectin.

Fruit - raw or cooked[183]. They can also be used in jellies, preserves etc or as a flavouring[183]. The whole fruit, rind as well, is eaten raw. It is best to first squeeze and massage the fruit in order to combine the flavours of the flesh and the rind[183]. After ripening the fruit gradually loses water content, becomes richer in flavour and is then at its best for making preserves[183]. The fruit is up to 4cm in diameter[200]. The fruit is rich in pectin, the inner peel containing about 10%[218].

Composition

Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food.

Fruit (Dry weight)

• 356 Calories per 100g
• Water: 0%
• Protein: 5.2g; Fat: 2.5g; Carbohydrate: 89g; Fibre: 10g; Ash: 3.3g;
• Minerals - Calcium: 240mg; Phosphorus: 300mg; Iron: 5.5mg; Magnesium: 0mg; Sodium: 835mg; Potassium: 1172mg; Zinc: 0mg;
• Vitamins - A: 1000mg; Thiamine (B1): 0.74mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0.4mg; Niacin: 4.2mg; B6: 0mg; C: 305mg;
• Reference: [218]
• Notes: The figures given here are the median of a range given in the report.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Prefers a moderately heavy loam with a generous amount of compost and sand added and a very sunny position[200]. Prefers a pH of 5 to 6[200]. Plants are intolerant of water logging[200]. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, when dormant it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[200]. The young growth in spring, even on mature plants, is frost-tender and so it is best to grow the plants in a position sheltered from the early morning sun[K]. Kumquats are sometimes cultivated in China for their edible fruit, there are some named varieties[200]. They are hardier than the various Citrus species since they cease growth when temperatures drop below 13°c but, for best results, they are best grown in a climate where temperatures do not fall lower than between 4 and 10°c[3]. This is because the fruit is sweeter when it ripens in warm conditions[3].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a warm airy position in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick out the seedlings into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for at least their first two winters. Plant out in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts and give some winter protection from the cold for a year or two.

Cultivars

No entries have been made for this species as yet.

Links

Permaculture.info Details of this plant in the Permaculture.info project, a community plant and permaculture database.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[3] Simmons. A. E. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles 1972 ISBN 0-7153-5531-7
A very readable book with information on about 100 species that can be grown in Britain (some in greenhouses) and details on how to grow and use them.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

Readers Comments

Add a comment/link:

Discussion Monitor

To have posts to this page mailed to you enter your email address here:

(Your email address will not appear on the webpage or be passed on to third parties).