Finger lime for suburban backyard and varieties (forum)

Amanda6 starts with ...
I have done a lot of research on the finger lime and have gathered that the Ricks Red and Collette versions are superior in flavour over the Rainforest Pearl. Is this correct and should I not bother with the Pearl?

I want to grow either one or two (in same spot) behind a 3m tall Camelia tree I have as this will give it shade. I have purposely planted dwarf fruit trees in my yard to reduce the likelihood of them growing too tall. You have grafted versions of finger lime. Are any of these dwarfing or is the Pearl the only dwarf variety? I read somewhere online the pearl was a smaller tree. How large would the Ricks Red and Collette grow to? I want a maximum of 2-3 metres in height. Do you plant any finger lime on dwarfing rootstock?

If I only planted the one finger lime, which one would you recommend?

Thank you.

Time: 5th April 2013 11:56am

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About the Author Amanda6
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BJ says...
Hi Amanda, this is the public forum for growers. If you wanted to contact Daley's you have to go back to the contact button and click that its about an order, or else you get directed here, and not to the nursery.

I can answer a few questions for you. Pearl is awful. Its great if you want a tall, vigrous, impenatrable fence with nasty thorns that are great for spiders, birds and mantids. The fruit have a high skin oil content which destroys the flavour. I understand they are now grafting them on Flying Dragon rootstock, which may dwarf them, but I've heard that there may be compatibility issues in the long term.

I would suggest pruning a superior variety to size. There are videos on the Finger Lime page of a Colette that is pruned to size and looks like a hedge and produces well. In the shade a number of varieties will grow fairly tall looking for the sun. Ricks Red and Collette are two good ones. I've een a pretty big Rick's Red, but I believe it is the living apical ancestor of all the otehrs...

Whatever you go, remember to do any work, like staking, early as they are thorny and you wont want to have to get back into the trunk two or three years down the track when the tree will have a very spiny core. And always plant out of the way well away from paths.

Time: 5th April 2013 1:43pm

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About the Author Theposterformerlyknownas
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Tommoz says...
My Collette isn't looking very healthy and hasn't grown much. Seems to have lost quite a few leaves. I fertilised it in Spring but was told they are quite hardy anyway.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 23rd December 2013 10:12pm

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About the Author Tommoz
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sternus1 says...
Tommoz it is either getting too much water or not enough. It is very hard to have them do well in the ground, they just seem to do a lot better in pots. They also like a sheltered spot. The collette will be on trifolate which can be a problem in some soil types.

Time: 23rd December 2013 10:22pm

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About the Author sternus1
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BJ says...
Remove the rootstock sucker. It has the mystery finger lime dieback disorder. The dpi docs mention it as being an unknown reason for dieback in the species. I'd clean up the messy lower branches, just keeping one on either side and pruning off the dieback areas,. Hopefully it will force the strong top branches to become dominant.

I saw fingerlimes going for $80kg today. Maybe I should just farm finger limes and retire?

Time: 23rd December 2013 10:53pm

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About the Author Theposterformerlyknownas
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sternus1 says...
The best fingerlimes ever produced aren't worth 80$kg. They are nice enough, but even the best I've tried wouldn't make it anywhere near my top 5 preferred fruits. I do grow a lot of them, but this has more to do with them having a lot of utility than anything else.

Rick's red is overrated, as are the other reds I've tried, with champagne/ red tide being the best red I've experienced.

Green Alstonville and Collette are probably the best. I hear wauchope is good.

Time: 23rd December 2013 11:08pm

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Original Post was last edited: 23rd December 2013 11:06pm

About the Author sternus1
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