Although the kumquat plant appeared on our market quite recently, it immediately fell in love with its beauty, healthy and tasty fruits. His homeland is Southeast China, although in the wild it was not found there. It is only known that cultivated varieties of kumquat grow there, that this plant was mentioned by the ancient Chinese in the second century BC.
But in Europe, mention of him appeared only in the seventeenth century. And I must say that it has not received much fame so far.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the botanist from Algeria Trabyu made the first botanical description of kumquat. That this is an evergreen branching dwarf tree has been known in Europe for a long time. Its ovoid fruits ripen from February to mid-March and have a golden yellow, fiery orange or orange color. Their flesh is juicy and sour. The peel is smooth, with a sweet and spicy taste. Usually in the fruit from 4 to 7 lobules and several seeds.
Different countries have their own names for kumquat: golden orange or kinkan in Japan, golden mandarin or Japanese quince in Europe. It is also called fortunella, or golden bean. The plant is interesting not only for its appearance, but also for its contents. This is just a storehouse of nutrients!
Firstly, it contains many essential oils, which are successfully used in the treatment of colds, runny nose and cough. Eating the fruits of kumquat (what you already know), you can get rid of nervous tension, improve the digestive system. Furocoumarin contained in the fruits will help to cure fungal diseases. And, of course, the presence of vitamins of group C, B and P will also bring tangible benefits.
Eat it with the peel. Special connoisseurs of this fruit use only its peel. In addition, it is used as an additive to sauces, salads and snacks. It is baked with meat or fish. It is popular in dried form. And they dry it not only with slices, but also whole, in the form of candied fruits. Europeans are happy to use this fruit as an appetizer for martini, replacing them with olives. It is worth knowing another useful property of kumquat - that it is an excellent remedy for a hangover. After a good feast, it is enough to eat a few fruits, and in the morning you will not have to remember the amount of drink.
If you decide to have such a plant, you need to know the following. Firstly, kumquat does not need particularly careful care. He loves hot summers and cold winters. This evergreen tree is best grown outdoors. On hot days, its roots need to be protected from overheating. To do this, it should be planted in soil with sand, sawdust, peat or moss. If you still decide to grow it indoors, first of all, provide the plant with moist air. Otherwise, it loses its foliage, especially in the winter. It must be sprayed with settled warm water and put dishes with water on the battery.
In the cool season, the plant is watered every other day, in the winter at least twice a week, and in the summer every day. Kumquat responds well to top dressing. And you need to know that the smaller the pot in which it grows, and the larger the plant, the more often it should be fertilized. From the first days of spring to the fall, it is fed several times a month, and the rest of the time it is enough once every 30 days.
In any case, it is worth trying to grow this exotic beautiful and healthy plant. After all, it was not without reason that from ancient times it was called the little pleasure of the Chinese sages.