Finger lime (forum)

Janine starts with ...
Hi there
I'm hoping to purchase a finger lime tree for myself and also one for my mother
I live in Melbourne and my mum lives in castlemaine. I was wondering if you could please let me know which varieties would be best for me in Melbourne and mum in castlemaine
Thanks for your help
Janine

Time: 20th August 2012 8:58pm

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About the Author Janine2
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Linton says...
Hi Janine

I've already asked this question under Tropical fruit trees grown successfully in Melbourne, but got no replies so I guess that no-one is growing them down here.

Finger Lime is a tropical rainforest tree so probably not very suitable here. Daleys have many different cultivars but there are none that are supposed to be more cold tolerant than others, the only difference is in the fruit colour and the sweetness.

Anyway I got one grafted Red Caviar Finger Lime to see how it goes and so far it hasn't suffered from our cold winter although still in the pot. If you get one it would be best to go for a grafted one, but to answer your question there is no specifc variety that would be best for Melbourne. It'w worth trying any of them.

Time: 21st August 2012 6:47pm

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About the Author Linton
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Mike says...
Russell River limes are really sub tropical and should be ok in NSW.Finger limes are native from SEQ to central NSW and often at higher altitudes so should be alright in Melbourne.Castlemaine might be a stretch but you never know.

Time: 21st August 2012 7:01pm

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Cairns
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jakfruit etiquette says...
Finger limes(australasica) are naturally growing from about Ballina to about the Gold Coast, and up into the Border Ranges, as high as Binna Burra etc. Victoria is ok, the main thing to watch for is hard frost(Castlemaine). Round Limes(australis)
naturally found from around Brisbane, up to SE QLD, and are similarly tough.
Grafted Finger Limes should grow faster and come into fruit production earlier than seedlings.
As Mike says, the Russel River Lime(inodora) is native to FNQ(Harvey Creek, and up into the mountains) plus other spots, and is tougher than you would think.

Time: 23rd August 2012 7:05am

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M Nash says...
I bought a little pink finger lime from bunnings Tweed in July. Put it in the ground and it sprang to flower within weeks.
It is covered with little fruits and it would not be two feet high.
Question, I read somewhere that Red finger limes have five petel flowers. My pink has both three and four petel flowers.
How is this so?

Time: 24th August 2012 5:09pm

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Tommoz says...
My finger lime's leaves have gone from their trademark dark green to a light green, even yellow on the tips. Is this normal?

It was planted in spring last year with no special treatment as I was told they liked average soil and to be left alone.



Time: 30th January 2013 11:15pm

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About the Author Tommoz
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VF says...
If the yellowing on the tips started on older leaves, sounds like magnesium deficiency.Easily solved with an epsom salt treatment or two.

Citrus are greedy feeders, so do respond best to regular feeds (even finger-limes). If you think about it, finger-limes come from sub-tropical rainforests where there is rapid breakdown of leaf litter, and therefore are constantly fed.

Time: 31st January 2013 7:16am

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About the Author VF
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Birdy_booo says...
I purchased a red variety and green variety of finger lime (don't have the specific name on me) at the beginning of last year. They are about 40cm high and living in 40cm pots. The red variety had given me 12 large fruits and the green one just sprouted lots of new leaves. They don't seem to mind the cold temperatures or the 40+ degrees days that we been having in Melbourne (they are out in the open and uncovered). I got mine from bunnings, I think they only had the two red and green available on my area.

Time: 4th February 2013 9:46pm

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About the Author Birdybooo1
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David says...
Noticed yesterday IGA at Carindale selling two types of finger limes in the fruit and veg area.

Time: 5th February 2013 9:36am

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About the Author David
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VF says...
You seem to shop in a more cosmopolitan area than me David - the most of interest commercially that's sold locally is the odd Rambutan or Mangosteen (not available just yet), otherwise pretty standard. Better choices at growers market.

Time: 5th February 2013 11:19am

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About the Author VF
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David says...
Hi VF, noticed mangosteens available at James st markets in the valley 2 wks ago.

Time: 5th February 2013 8:33pm

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VF says...
Arrrrrgh!

Time: 6th February 2013 6:41am

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About the Author VF
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BJ says...
Rambutans are in most supermarkets now. They always look scungy though and I've never found one here without objectionable testa issues.

Time: 6th February 2013 9:27am

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About the Author Theposterformerlyknownas
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VF says...
I must look further afield next week...might be easier to drop back in to TFW.

Time: 7th February 2013 6:52am

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About the Author VF
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Linton says...
Tasty Green Finger Lime having fruits - how do I know when they're ready to pick?

This Finger Lime I got from Daleys only six months ago is aready producing about half a dozen fruit, even though the plant is only 1 foot high.

How can I tell if they're ready to eat?

Thanks.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 14th March 2013 9:58am

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About the Author Linton
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MaryT says...
Linton that is most impressive. Mine is not doing anything possibly because it does not get enough light (though I didn't think it WANTS a lot of light). Maybe I should move it.

Time: 14th March 2013 2:32pm

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About the Author MaryT
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Linton says...
Hi Mary

My Finger Lime in the picture with fruit doesn't get much light as it's against a brick wall under the shade of larger trees.

But it's a grafted one so that's probably why it has fruited so young. I have 3 other varieties in pots in more sunlight that haven't fruited yet, only the Tasty Green has.

Could you tell me if your plant is the same variety and is a grafted Tasty Green?

Time: 14th March 2013 7:19pm

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About the Author Linton
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Sean says...
Line healthy looking plant there Linton but be careful, I think I can see a nice healthy Trifoliata sucker coming out of the base and growing right through the middle of the tree. I would cut it off ASAP.

Time: 14th March 2013 8:04pm

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MaryT says...
Linton mine is a Ricks Red from Daleys and I must have had it for a couple of years or more. It's healthy enough but though it did get a flush of flowers no fruit resulted. Hoping for next year.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 14th March 2013 9:30pm

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Db says...
I got 'Collette' from Daleys roughly 6 months back.. It flowered crazily after I planted it in big pot - around 100 flowers.. All but one dropped.. Then it again flowered immediately, but not many like first time but it has set 4 limes which are now 2inch size now.. Plant is just 1 ft tall... It is VERY slow growing plant..

MaryT - Next time apply Epsom salt when yours flower, it helps to set fruit..

Time: 14th March 2013 10:42pm

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About the Author Db
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MaryT says...
Thanks, Db; yes it is slow growing. My friend gave me a rooted cutting from the bush and it is still about six inches tall after three or four years. I'll try the Epsom salt when I see flowers again. Good to know that others have fruit on their trees.

Time: 15th March 2013 8:01am

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About the Author MaryT
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Db says...
Good luck MaryT with your finger lime trees.

Recently I also got Rainforest Pearl variety which is 5ft tall now and I'm growing it in pot. Currently it's loaded with limes (total 20 fruits I think - tree had all these fruits at the time of purchase), all fruits are 4 inch size now, how big they grow? I'm not sure if mine are ready to pick, does anyone know how to decide if they r ready to pick?

Time: 15th March 2013 8:17am

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Original Post was last edited: 15th March 2013 8:19am

About the Author Db
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MaryT says...
Db, according to this :
http://www.australianfingerlime.com.au/buying.html
the fruit should fall off at light touch.

Time: 15th March 2013 8:42am

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About the Author MaryT
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Db says...
Thanks MaryT, that helps.

One more thing abt Epsom salt - You can apply it even when plant is not flowering, Finger lime loves it and flushes new growth...

Time: 15th March 2013 9:14am

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About the Author Db
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MaryT says...
Thanks, Db. I'll keep that in mind.

Time: 15th March 2013 9:45am

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Linton says...
Will check for the sucker, thanks.

Epsom Salts - how much do you use or what is the recommended concentration of Epsom Salts in water?

Time: 15th March 2013 10:20am

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About the Author Linton
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VF says...
MaryT's info for picking finger-lime is right - mine are cropping atm. I noticed they were ready when I found a couple had fallen off, and when checking the fruit on the plants, many just fell into my hand. If you have excess, the good thing about these fruit is that you can freeze them whole and their vesicles will remain intact. I don't know how long they store frozen for - I've only experimented to see if the freezing was good.

Re the epsom salts, in my soil, my Pummelo and Finger limes seem to need more magnesium than my other citrus - I use about 1tsp epsom salts per litre water, and apply about every 4-6 weeks in warmer months. If you follow the instructions on the packet though, you can't go wrong. I've definitely noticed better fruit set with the regular dosing.

Time: 16th March 2013 8:05am

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About the Author VF
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Linton says...
According to Fingerlimes International site, the juvenile fruit should be removed in the first year to promote plant growth.

From the second year onwards the tree will give you approx. 1-3 kg. of fruit.

Time: 18th March 2013 1:02pm

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About the Author Linton
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