Beo
08-04-2008, 12:09 PM
I love kumquats, they are sweet and sour, and you can eat the peel and all. Do any of you like kumquats.
The kumquats or cumquats are a group of small fruit-bearing trees (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree) in the genus Fortunella related to the Citrus in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, often segregated as a separate genus, Fortunella. The edible fruit (which is also called kumquat) closely resembles that of the orange (Citrus sinensis) but is smaller and is often oval.
They are slow-growing, evergreen shrubs or small trees, from 2.5–4.5 metres tall, with dense branches, sometimes bearing small thorns. The leaves are dark glossy green, and the flowers pure white, similar to other citrus flowers, borne singly or clustered in the leaf-axils. The kumquat tree produces 80-100 fruit each year. The tree can be hydrophytic, and fruit is often found floating near the shore during the kumquat season.
Kumquats originated in China (they are noted in literature dating to the 12th century), and have long been cultivated there and in Japan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan). They were introduced to Europe in 1846 by Robert Fortune, collector for the London Horticultural Society, and shortly thereafter into North America. Originally placed in the genus Citrus, they were transferred to the genus Fortunella in 1915, though subsequent work (Burkill 1931, Mabberley 1998) favours their return to inclusion in Citrus.
Four or five species are currently accepted:
Fortunella crassifolia (syn. Fortunella crassifolia) - Meiwa Kumquat. Generally eaten fresh, skin-on, instead of cooked.
Fortunella hindsii (syn. Fortunella hindsii) - Hong Kong Kumquat
Fortunella japonica (syn. Fortunella japonica, C. margarita, F. margarita) - Marumi or Nagami Kumquat. Tart, prized for staying fresh on the tree longer, generally cooked or peeled.
Fortunella obovata (syn. Fortunella obovata) - Jiangsu or Fukushu Kumquat
Fortunella polyandra (syn. Fortunella polyandra) - Malayan Kumquat
Kumquats readily hybridise with other members of the genus Citrus and with the closely related Poncirus. These hybrids are known as Citrofortunella; examples include the limequat, orangequat, and calamondin.
In appearance the kumquat fruit (generally called simply "kumquat") resembles a miniature oval orange, 3–5 centimetres long and 2–4 centimetres wide. Depending on variety, peel color ranges from yellow to red. A Nagami kumquat has an oval shape, while a Marumi kumquat is round.
Kumquat fruit is generally in season from late autumn to mid-winter, and can be found in most food markets with other produce.
http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/5408/kumquatxd4.th.jpg (http://img382.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kumquatxd4.jpg)
The kumquats or cumquats are a group of small fruit-bearing trees (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree) in the genus Fortunella related to the Citrus in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, often segregated as a separate genus, Fortunella. The edible fruit (which is also called kumquat) closely resembles that of the orange (Citrus sinensis) but is smaller and is often oval.
They are slow-growing, evergreen shrubs or small trees, from 2.5–4.5 metres tall, with dense branches, sometimes bearing small thorns. The leaves are dark glossy green, and the flowers pure white, similar to other citrus flowers, borne singly or clustered in the leaf-axils. The kumquat tree produces 80-100 fruit each year. The tree can be hydrophytic, and fruit is often found floating near the shore during the kumquat season.
Kumquats originated in China (they are noted in literature dating to the 12th century), and have long been cultivated there and in Japan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan). They were introduced to Europe in 1846 by Robert Fortune, collector for the London Horticultural Society, and shortly thereafter into North America. Originally placed in the genus Citrus, they were transferred to the genus Fortunella in 1915, though subsequent work (Burkill 1931, Mabberley 1998) favours their return to inclusion in Citrus.
Four or five species are currently accepted:
Fortunella crassifolia (syn. Fortunella crassifolia) - Meiwa Kumquat. Generally eaten fresh, skin-on, instead of cooked.
Fortunella hindsii (syn. Fortunella hindsii) - Hong Kong Kumquat
Fortunella japonica (syn. Fortunella japonica, C. margarita, F. margarita) - Marumi or Nagami Kumquat. Tart, prized for staying fresh on the tree longer, generally cooked or peeled.
Fortunella obovata (syn. Fortunella obovata) - Jiangsu or Fukushu Kumquat
Fortunella polyandra (syn. Fortunella polyandra) - Malayan Kumquat
Kumquats readily hybridise with other members of the genus Citrus and with the closely related Poncirus. These hybrids are known as Citrofortunella; examples include the limequat, orangequat, and calamondin.
In appearance the kumquat fruit (generally called simply "kumquat") resembles a miniature oval orange, 3–5 centimetres long and 2–4 centimetres wide. Depending on variety, peel color ranges from yellow to red. A Nagami kumquat has an oval shape, while a Marumi kumquat is round.
Kumquat fruit is generally in season from late autumn to mid-winter, and can be found in most food markets with other produce.
http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/5408/kumquatxd4.th.jpg (http://img382.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kumquatxd4.jpg)