From what I understand key limes will produce in a just a few years 2-3 I believe. That's the fastest I've seen.

Mike

From what I understand key limes will produce in a just a few years 2-3 I believe. That's the fastest I've seen.

Mike

"But it can take up to ten to fifteen years. Some varieties in ideal conditions, if you're lucky, may fruit in as short as around five years."

Don't know much about Kumquats, but Key Limes will regularly fruit at 2 years old (from seed) and there are several strains of Trifoliata that flower and fruit around the 1 year mark.

I Got 2 questions for anyone who knows.

Since citrus does not flower until set number of vertical leaf nodes and when that is reached it sends a message though out the tree it is safe to flower and the tree does so. Could I grow a key lime from seed and when it flowers I could graft it to my kumquat tree so that the safe to flower signal is sent though out my kumquat tree. This could greatly decrease the time the kumquat tree would take to flower. The key lime twig would then die at frost leaving me with a fruiting kumquat tree.

My Meiwa tree is just finishing up its growth spurt and I want to now promote root growth. I am currently using 5300 kelvin light. should I use a different temperature rated bulbs.

No new pics but if you click on the picture on my last entry, it should open up my Photobucket slide show.

Thanks

Never say never. I planted a ponderosa lemon seedling about a year ago and it has flowered and set fruit. And I even headed it to make it branch since I wanted to keep it compact. So it certainly doesn't have a large number of nodes. I have since cut the fruit off since the poor tree has maybe 30 leaves and trying to produce a lemon is impossible at this stage, of course.

I have a question but don't laugh what is kumquant/ how the fruits lokk like?
Another question does any one ever heard about a fruit tree called Hana Gosho I think it has another name called royal flower. It supposed to an Italian cultivar the fruit is reddish yellow and look beautiful but I never tasted it. I am thinking to plant one of this tree and I want to know if it is best suited in the garden or into a pot. I can buy 3 gallons tree from a nursery but wondering if it will survive in my climate. (cold)

Hi foolishpleasure

A kumquat is an orange like fruit that is about 1 inch to 1.5 inches in size. the biggest difference is the kumquat has a sweet peal that you eat along with its flesh. The two kumquats seen at grocery stores are the tart flesh Nagami and the sweet flesh Meiwa. I am growing the Meiwa and I just started some Nagami from seed. People who live north of zone 9 should consider a grafted tree on Poncirus Trifoliata. or if north of zone 8b use flying dragon in a container to be brought inside during cold snaps. I plan to use 55 gallon drums. There is a lot more info if you internet search "What is a kumquat"Than I can begin to tell you hear.

The reason I am growing from seed is because I live on a shoe string budget and I cannot afford live trees. See Picture. Kumquats are the best choice because the fruits can be store on the tree for months as live storage, They ripen all winter when my other trees are bare, Its fruit provides a nutrition over other citrus as the peel is also eaten, and kumquat are out of my price range at $6/lb. I can get other citrus for $1/lb at the grocery, so why grow citrus. Plus Kumquats taste good and make no mess. If money is not a problem get a grafted tree on flying dragon for a container tree. You can get one on flying dragon on Ebay listed by mgmg9495. Any other citrus does well from seed but kumquats. If I had known this I would not have started mine. Now that I have it I will work with mine as a hobby as long as it is alive.

As for a Hana Gosho, I believe It is a type of persimmon, Ediblelandescping.com caries them. I have never tasted one. Good luck

Steve

Thanks steve it sound like a good fruit I look into it. As for Hana Gosho I like it because I was told it does not need winter protection in my zone. I have 4 Citrus trees and I spend a lot of time caring for it. Rolling it out in the morning that if it sunny and rolling it back in the evening.
Abe

My Meiwa kumquat tree is now 11 months old and is setting its final leaves in its last growth spurt. The tree is now 17.5 in tall with branches + branch-lets totaling 13 in in length for a total of 30.5 inches. The roots had just hit the bottom of its clear plastic, 4 in diameter by 6 in deep pickle jar. I transplanted it into 6 inch diameter by 12 in deep translucent bottom container. click on picture to see all the Meiwa pictures in photo bucket.

{{gwi:563323}}

To see the equipment and a description of how it's used to grow the kumquat trees click on the picture below.

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The end result is.

This post was edited by poncirusguy on Sun, Nov 3, 13 at 19:40

Grapefruit can take up to 10 to 15 years to produce fruit. (I know 2 people who have tried it and waited 15 years with nothing to show for it). Oranges, mandarins, clementines, can take 8 or so. I think the kumquats wont' take nearly that long, since the trees are much smaller.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEIWA
HAPPY BIRDAY TO MEIWA
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEIWA KUMQUAT TREE
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO M E I W A

Yup! The Meiwa kumquat tree is one "1" Year old!
I have one Meiwa at 1 year old, 2 Nagami at 8 weeks old, and 8 Sweet-lee tangerines at 6 weeks old. They are all grown from seed. I will try to graft the Nagami to my poncirus trifoliata and then graft the Meiwa to the Nagami which should be much easier than the failed Meiwa to poncirus grafts were. here is a Photobucket link of these pictures.

{{gwi:576121}}

click on the uncropped picture above

I forgot to note that there are no flowers or fruit on the 1 year old Meiwa tree

still no fruit but it is realy setting buds after an acident took its top

See pics
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potted meiwa tree from seed

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top view buds expanding

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next section potted meiwa tree

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middle section

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lower middle

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upper base view

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Base of potted meiwa kumquat tree from seed

Click on each picture. Click on the magnifying glass in the lower right corner. Click same spot on dropped down picture to zoom to 8 megapixel To close 8 megapixel click the go back button in upper left corner i9n picture frame area.

See meiwa at its best click on link below

Here is a link that might be useful: https://plus.google.com/photos/111099372377958308731/albums/profile?banner=pwa

IF YOU BUMP INTO THIS LOOKING INTO GROWING A KUMQUAT TREE FROM SEED, READ ON

Meiwa kumquat tree is now 20 months old.
{{gwi:576615}}My Meiwa kumquat tree from seed has very slow growing roots The above ground canopy shoots can grow very fast but not for long as the roots don't keep.

My Nagami kumquat tree has the same slow root growth. It currently has a shoot growing 3 inches per week.
.{{gwi:582566}}
10.5 month old Nagami from seed with growth spurt

All 4 of my seed grown sweetlee tangerine trees are bigger at only 10 months old.
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Sweetlee #1
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Sweetlee #2
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#3 at 33 inches tall
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Sweetlee #4 up budding out down
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DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME GROWING KUMQUAT TREES FROM SEED. ANY OTHER CULTIVAR WOULD BE A BETTER CHOICE.

Poncirus guy:

You said: Since citrus does not flower until set number of vertical leaf nodes and when that is reached it sends a message though out the tree it is safe to flower and the tree does so. Could I grow a key lime from seed and when it flowers I could graft it to my kumquat tree so that the safe to flower signal is sent though out my kumquat tree.

I believe your premise is wrong. What is in bold above is not what I understand happens. My understanding is that it will only flower on wood that is 'x' number of nodes away from the seed or 'ground level'-- ever.

So once the tree starts to flower up on that mature growth, other branches that have a lesser 'node count' (they may be higher or lower) will still not flower until they have grown out to the required linear node count (from the ground level).

Some watersprouts, for example, grow very vertically and very quickly with long node spaces, so they may actually be higher, but 'younger (node-wise) than other growth.

Sometimes side-growing braches get so long that they eventually hand down, giving the appearance that lower branches are flowering, when in fact they have just reached their magical node count.

If you graft mature, fruiting wood from one variety (let's say sweet orange) onto a young seedling rootstock (let's say Citrumelo), but leave some citrumelo branches to grow, that citrumelo will never bear until its own wood has reached the proper node count for citrumelo -- and that could be over ten years.

This is why some people who have let their rootstock take over the scion often wonder why their sweet orange has stopped blooming. Upon closer inspection it is discovered that their entire tree consists of trifoliate leaves, but no fruit. If the scion had 'triggered' a bloom message, the trifoliate would have bloomed (and produced terrible fruit).

It would be very cool if that 'bloom message' did occur though!

This post was edited by dave_in_nova on Mon, Oct 28, 13 at 10:12

dave_in_nova

You appeared to have answered my question to a shortcut to a fruiting seed grown tree like grapefruit. a tree that would have a very long juvenile period. Your analogy of root-stock taking over and not fruiting is probable all that need to be said. The other idea I was wondering, if thew tree doesn't flower till It 7 feet tall can one cut off the flowering top and graft it down below. Would I effectively reduce the height. Perhaps the best way would be to take a vacation down south where I can get some grafted tree at a good price. Plantfolks, McKenzie are only 500 miles away. Hello Hilton Head

Typical spring day here in Cincinnasti. Look below

This post was edited by poncirusguy on Mon, Oct 28, 13 at 19:08

Poncirusguy,

Yes, you are absolutely correct.

I should be able to take a cutting (or scion wood) high off the top of my citrumelo tree (grown from seed) -- which is now 13 feet tall and STILL has not flowered (!) -- and either root it, or I could graft it very low onto its own trunk or onto a trifoliate rootstock.

Then if it survives and grows, it will 'remember its node count' and continue on from there. Depending on the variety and how low you want to keep it, you may end up having to do yet another graft from the top of a 6 foot tree....like in the case of my poor citrumelo. LOL!

I grew a mandarin from seed and it got to 7 feet and I no longer had room for it. I could have taken a cutting from the top, chopped the tree down to a foot high and bark grafted the scion onto what was left of the trunk.

Limes, kumquats, mandarins, finger limes and some others should not take near as long as my citrumelo, nor need to get quite as tall from what I've read.

Yes, if you could somehow find some mature budwood or scion wood, and graft that to any of your rootstocks, that would be away to go.

Purchasing a plant is so much easier. You'll save years of time. With the cost of gas,mail order would likely be cheaper than driving south.

3 year old meiwa said NO NO NO

Don't waiste your time growing from seed

GET A GRAFTED KUMQUAT TREE

Steve

Looks like cold damage?

Blanket blew of vent hole at -9F leaving a 5 foot by 2 inch opening. We will se what happens in June. She came out of dormancy late June last year.

Steve

Steve, looks like it was doing quite well before it froze.

Why are you saying 'Don't waiste your time growing from seed' GET A GRAFTED KUMQUAT TREE.

I'm not following you. Freezing can happen to a grafted tree too.

It grows so well each year then dies back more than Half. grows real good then dies back. then it grew real good and frost. The lower trunk of meiwa is splitting open. When this tree does grow it grows at about 1/3 of a tangerine tree. On the right rootstock it would grow twice its current speed. I also suspect the roots provide the defenses needed for insects and the kumquat roots don't do their job. If you wish to grow from seed I would suggest using a 5-1-1 mix and keep it on the 6ish side PH. If my tree had not died back each year I would have a 3-4 foot tree now and it would likely be producing fruit. If you don't mind fooling around with seed grown kumquat I would go ahead an do it. Everything to gain and nothing to lose. I got my Meiwa kumquats from Florida kumquat growers inc. They are in season now.

http://www.kumquatgrowers.com/retail.html

Damp off was their big killer taking 297 of 300 seedling plants leaving me with 3 trees. 2 died from under watering

The freeze just happen when my pants were down. My fault

I have 4 seed grown Meiwa kumquat trees 1 year 8 months old, 3 have flowered, 1 set fruit that is

now about 1/2 inch diameter.

GO AHEAD AND GROW IT FROM SEED.

Kumquat is a lot more precocious than a lot of other citrus varieties. I wouldn't be surprised if a fruit appeared in the first one or two years if it was grown under optimal conditions.

I hope my meiwa seedlings are listening to you. Nagamis, too. No pressure, tho.

1 year 8 moth 5 day old Meiwa kumquatfrom seed

5/8-3/4 inches

1/2-5/8 inch

Steve

poncirusguy, so you did get a little kumquat fruit after only 1 year and 8 months from seed (looking at the above pictures).

I have lost track but I believe that it flowered when it was 1 year 1 month old. I know what a kumquat grown on Kuharske Citrange roots taste like. I will see soon what a true blooded Meiwa taste like. 2 other MK trees have produced 1 bud each and one flowered. The other bud fell off while it was the size of a pin head. That same tree is starting on a new bud to flower. 3 out of 4 seed grown Meiwa trees have flowered so this is not a fluke.

This is the tree with the 2 fruits

the 3 pictures above are the same tree as of today

My biggest Meiwa kumquat produced 1 flower and it fell off just as it was opening.

My second biggest meiwa above has yet to flower.

I have not taken measurements. I am guesstimating my smallest Meiwa has 5+ feet of trunk and twig growth. The next on maybe a foot more. Number #2 about 10 feet and my largest one over 10 but less than 13 feet. These are just guesses.

Steve

Steve, are those mentioned heights from soil line to the very top of the canopy or you are including height of the container as well?

sunshine

Neither. This is measuring the length of each branch and trunk and adding them up to get a total length. ex. 1.5 foot trunk + 9 inch branch + (3) 8 inch branches + 6" +5.5" +4.25" + 6 branches around 3 inches =84,75 inches =7.0625 feet total growth.

This is just an example. I have only used my hand length to measure out each twig and trunks to add up to get a guesstimate.

Not one of my trees reaches 2 feet hight from the soil line and 3 don't top !8 inches.

Actual measurements on the smallest Meiwa tree give me between 7.5 feet to 8 feet of total linear twig branch, and trunk growth. It has put out a total of 6 flowers with 2 forming fruits on 1 branch of the tree.

There are 2 more flower buds on a different trunk of the tree. This makes # 7 and 8 for this tree. I tried measuring the linear twig and trunk length of my largest Meiwa. I gave up but guesstimate over 20 feet. Heights from soil surface. 17", 23", 24", and 26".

Steve

Thank you, Steve! You are a wonderful tree parent :))

in regards to all successful Meiwa seedlings, are y’all planning to graft them onto rootstock? Why or why not? I would love to learn more on the subject

After 40 tries of grafting Meiwa I have only ended up with dead buds after 4 days. I will not try any grafting. Anyway the Meiwa kumquat grows much beter on its own roots than on My Kuharske Citrange roots.

Steve

Thanks Steve. I ll buy the Meiwa seed. Saved me from trying to buy and grow regular kumquat from seed.

Ariel Did you mean to say "I ll buy the Meiwa 'tree'. Saved me from trying to buy and grow regular kumquat from seed." If you live in the USA and buy a Meiwa tree get it from onegreenworld.com They use the best rootstock for meiwa.

Steve

sigma3 I have now successfully grafted buds from a seed grown Fukushu kumquat to Flying dragon root stock.

Steve

Hi Steve. I saw YouTube movie that Meiwa kumquat seed can grow successfully and fruit within 18 months. Where I live a tree, would cost a fortune. Local oriental stores have calâmansi but not kumquat. Thanks for the quick reply.

I bought a box of Meiwa kumquats @ $40 for 10 pounds from Florida kumquat growers inc.' onegreenworld.com sells Meiwa kumquat trees on Flying dragon roots.

Steve

I now have Fukushu kumquat trees on flying dragon.

Yoooo this is such a cool thread. I have a 3 or 4 year old Eureka? Lisbon? Grocery store lemon tree, its super tall now, just started developing branching structure over these few years by heavy pruning, any ideas when it might start flowering? I also have a few Starfruit trees, they should fruit in 2 more years.

My kumquat trees on the other hand ARE TINY, like they are almost a year old now and are only a few inches tall :/

Kumquat trees need a lot of food and light to get going.

yeah, I'm just scared of fertilizer burn, I'm getting some air layers of my trifoloate orange rn, going to aproach graft my kumuats to it, keep the kumquats root system and benefit from a much thicker stem of the trifoliate and the more vigorous root system

Approach graft of a Flying dragon to Meiwa kumquat to replace its incompatible Kuharske rootstock.

Now

Yoooo thats so epic! Wait ru growing citrus in Ohio in ground?

Steve, that's really incredible. You used to claim to have little grafting success, and now you're doing wild grafts that even I don't attempt!

Tom. I shaved each stem to the cambiums an tied them together for 18 months then untied. I waited another 6 months before terminating the old rootstock

is the node count of 80-ish similar for Nagami kumquats? I assume as it's about the same size as Meiwa it should be about the same? I know Calamondins and key limes are commonly cited as only taking 3 years, or basically staying as a very small tree when they flower and fruit. I'm really hoping I can get these kumquats to fruit soonbc kumquat trees are soooo expensive, I can get satsumas by getting (possibly contaminated so I quarantine it) budwood from Asian grocery stores, but kumquats are just hard to get :/

All mine flowered before reaching node 80. I think my first 1 flowered before node 35