Red Finger Lime Tree – 5 Gallon Live Plant, 3-4 Feet Tall Citrus

Overview

Bring the exotic taste of Australia into your home garden with a premium red finger lime tree. This live plant, provided in a generous 5-gallon container and standing 3-4 feet tall, is ready to thrive and produce its unique, elongated fruits. Often referred to as “citrus caviar” due to its pearl-like vesicles filled with tangy juice, the finger lime (Citrus australasica) is a gourmet ingredient prized by chefs and home cooks alike. This particular red variety offers a beautiful reddish-purple skin and vibrant pink-red pulp, adding both visual appeal and a burst of flavor to dishes. Growing your own red finger lime tree allows you to enjoy the freshest possible fruit, free from pesticides and picked at peak ripeness. It’s an excellent choice for those looking to expand their edible landscape with a distinctive and rewarding citrus variety.

The finger lime is native to the rainforests of Australia, making it a resilient and adaptable plant. While it can be grown in the ground in warmer climates, its compact size and adaptability to container growing make it an ideal candidate for patios, balconies, or even indoors in colder regions. This 5-gallon specimen provides a significant head start, ensuring a robust plant that will establish quickly and begin fruiting sooner. The elegant, somewhat thorny branches and small, glossy leaves add an ornamental touch to any garden space, even when not in fruit. Discover the joy of harvesting your own unique citrus with this beautiful and productive red finger lime tree.

Key Benefits

Investing in a red finger lime tree offers a multitude of benefits for both the avid gardener and the culinary enthusiast. This remarkable plant not only provides a unique edible fruit but also adds significant aesthetic value to your garden or indoor space. Here are some of the key advantages:

• Gourmet Culinary Delights: The primary benefit is access to fresh “citrus caviar.” The individual vesicles pop in your mouth, releasing a burst of tart and aromatic lime flavor, perfect for seafood, cocktails, desserts, and salads. Growing your own ensures you have a constant supply of this specialty ingredient.
• Ornamental Appeal: With its attractive foliage, unique fruit, and potential for beautiful blooms, the red finger lime tree serves as an excellent ornamental plant. It adds a touch of exotic elegance to patios, decks, or even as a distinctive indoor plant.
• Container Friendly: Despite being a tree, finger limes are well-suited for container gardening. This makes them versatile for smaller spaces or for bringing indoors during colder months, protecting them from frost and extending their growing season.
• Relatively Low Maintenance: Once established, finger lime plant care is straightforward. They are quite hardy and tolerant of various conditions, making them suitable for gardeners of all experience levels. Consistent watering and occasional feeding are usually sufficient.
• Unique Conversation Starter: The unusual appearance and flavor of the fruit make the citrus caviar plant a fascinating topic of conversation. Impress your friends and family with homegrown gourmet ingredients.
• Health Benefits: Like other citrus fruits, finger limes are a good source of Vitamin C and antioxidants, contributing to a healthy diet.
• Year-Round Enjoyment (with proper care): In suitable climates or with indoor protection, finger lime trees can produce fruit for a significant portion of the year, offering a continuous harvest.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Proper finger lime plant care is essential for a thriving and productive tree. These citrus plants, while resilient, benefit greatly from specific environmental conditions and regular attention. The red finger lime tree prefers a warm, sunny location. Aim for at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day if grown outdoors. If you’re growing it indoors, place it near a south-facing window or supplement with a grow light to ensure it receives adequate light. Insufficient light can lead to sparse foliage and reduced fruiting. Protecting your plant from strong, harsh winds can also prevent damage to the branches and fruit.

When it comes to watering, consistency is key. Keep the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged. Allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out slightly between waterings, especially for container-grown plants. Overwatering can lead to root rot, a common issue for citrus. Good drainage is paramount; ensure your pot has drainage holes and the soil mix is free-draining. A well-draining potting mix specifically formulated for citrus or a blend of potting soil, perlite, and pine bark is ideal. Fertilize your citrus caviar plant with a balanced citrus-specific fertilizer during the growing season (spring through fall), following the product’s instructions. Reduce or stop fertilizing during winter when the plant’s growth slows.

The red finger lime tree is relatively cold-sensitive. It thrives in USDA hardiness zones 9-11. If you live in a colder climate, it’s best to grow your tree in a container so you can bring it indoors when temperatures drop below 40°F (4°C). Pruning can be done to maintain shape, remove dead or crossing branches, and encourage bushier growth. Watch out for common citrus pests like aphids, scale, and spider mites, and treat them promptly with appropriate organic insecticidal soaps or horticultural oils. With consistent care and attention to its needs, your growing finger limes will flourish and provide you with delicious fruit for years to come.

Size & Details

This offering is for one robust red finger lime tree, supplied in a 5-gallon nursery pot. The tree stands impressively at a height of 3-4 feet tall from the base of the pot to the top of the foliage, providing a well-established plant ready for immediate enjoyment. The 5-gallon container size ensures a strong root system, which contributes to quicker establishment and earlier fruiting compared to smaller plants. These trees typically have a moderate growth rate, and with proper care, can reach mature heights of 6-8 feet, though they can be kept smaller through pruning, especially when grown in containers. The fruit of the citrus caviar plant usually matures in late summer to fall, depending on your climate and growing conditions.

Your red finger lime for sale will arrive as a live, healthy plant, carefully packaged to minimize stress during transit. It is a grafted tree, which ensures desirable fruit characteristics and vigor. Expect the tree to have a natural, somewhat bushy habit, with small, glossy green leaves and potential for small, fragrant white flowers. The fruit itself is elongated, typically 2-4 inches long, with a unique cylindrical shape. This size is ideal for planting directly into a larger permanent container or into the ground if your climate permits, allowing the plant ample space to grow and develop its root system. With its significant size, this red finger lime tree offers a substantial addition to any garden or patio.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this red finger lime tree get? A: This red finger lime tree is currently 3-4 feet tall and shipped in a 5-gallon pot. With proper care, it can grow up to 6-8 feet tall, but can be maintained at a smaller size through regular pruning, especially when grown in containers.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The red finger lime tree can be grown both indoors and outdoors. In USDA Zones 9-11, it can be planted directly in the ground. In colder climates, it’s best to grow it in a container so it can be moved indoors during winter.
• Q: How much sunlight does the citrus caviar plant need? A: Your citrus caviar plant thrives in full sun, requiring at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. If grown indoors, place it in the brightest possible location, ideally a south-facing window, or use supplemental grow lights.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, finger lime plant care is considered relatively easy for a citrus tree. They require consistent watering, good drainage, and occasional fertilization. They are quite hardy once established.
• Q: What condition will the red finger lime for sale arrive in? A: Your red finger lime for sale will arrive as a live, healthy plant in a 5-gallon nursery pot, carefully packaged to ensure its safety and minimize stress during shipping. It will be ready for planting or placement upon arrival.
• Q: How long until it produces fruit? A: Since this is a 3-4 feet tall, grafted red finger lime tree, it is already quite mature. You may see fruit production within the first year or two after planting, especially with optimal growing conditions.
• Q: Can I use red finger lime in cooking? A: Absolutely! The unique pearl-like vesicles, often called “citrus caviar,” are highly prized in gourmet cooking. They add a burst of tart, aromatic lime flavor to seafood, salads, desserts, and beverages.
• Q: What’s the best soil type for growing finger limes? A: For growing finger limes, a well-draining soil mix is crucial. A good quality potting mix designed for citrus plants or a blend of standard potting soil with perlite and pine bark works well to ensure proper drainage and aeration.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone if I live outside USDA 9-11? A: If you live outside USDA Zones 9-11, you must protect your red finger lime tree from frost. Grow it in a container and bring it indoors to a bright, cool location when temperatures are consistently below 40°F (4°C).
• Q: Is this red finger lime tree grafted? A: Yes, this red finger lime tree is a grafted specimen. Grafting ensures the plant retains the desired fruit characteristics and provides a stronger, more vigorous plant.