WorldFloraDB - Citrus australis

Characteristics

Slender tree to 18 m high, spreading by suckering roots; spines 5–10 mm long, solitary; twigs quadrangular. Leaves: petiole 2–3 mm long, not winged, articulated with lamina; lamina obovate to obcordate, (20–) 30–40 (–60) mm long, (10–) 20–30 mm wide, cuneate at base, entire or distally undulate, emarginate to obtuse. Flowers solitary, bisexual, 4-or 5-merous. Calyx lobes c. 1.5 mm long. Petals linear-oblong, c. 6 mm long, white. Stamens 16–20, free. Ovary 6-locular. Fruits globular, 25–35 (–50) mm diam., rough-skinned, becoming yellow on tree. Seeds c. 3 or 4 per locule, flattened.

More

A tall shrub. They grow 9-18 m tall and spread 2-5 m across. It has a dense canopy of leaves. The branches are thorny. The leaves are 0.5-5.5 cm long by 0.5-3 cm wide. They are oval and leathery. They are dark green above and paler underneath. The edges are wavy towards the tip. The flowers are 1 cm across. They are white or pink and have a scent. They occur singly in the axils of leaves. Fruit are 2.5-8 cm across. They have rough greenish yellow skin. The pulp of the fruit is pale green. The skin is up to 7 mm thick.

Life form	perennial
Growth form	tree
Growth support	-
Foliage retention	evergreen
Sexuality	hermaphrodite
Pollination	-
Spread	-
Mature width (meter)	2.0 - 5.0
Mature height (meter)	13.5 - 18.0
Root system	-
Rooting depth (meter)	-
Root diameter (meter)	-
Flower color
Blooming months	-
Fruit color	-
Fruiting months	-
Nitrogen fixer	-
Photosynthetic pathway	-

Environment

It occurs naturally in south east Queensland in Australia. It grows in lowland subtropical rainforest. They need excellent drainage. They can tolerate light frosts.

More

Found in Araucaria vine forest, especially at the forest edge.

Light	-
Soil humidity	-
Soil texture	-
Soil acidity	-
Soil nutriment	-
Hardiness (USDA)	-

Usage

The acid pulp of the fruit can be used to make drinks or marmalade.

Uses	-
Edible	fruits
Therapeutic use	-
Human toxicity	-
Animal toxicity	-

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seed. They can be grown from cuttings on a heat bed but rooting is slow and can take 6 months. They can be budded onto citrus rootstocks. Because the buds are small this takes some skill to be successful.

Mode	cuttings seedlings
Germination duration (days)	-
Germination temperacture (C°)	-
Germination luminosity	-
Germination treatment	-
Minimum temperature (C°)	-
Optimum temperature (C°)	23 - 30
Size	-
Vigor	-
Productivity	-