Calamondin Orange Tree Live Plant – Dwarf Citrus, 2 Gallon Pot, 3 Feet Tall, Full Sun

Overview

Cultivate your own delicious citrus with a beautiful calamondin orange tree. This versatile and attractive dwarf citrus tree (Citrus microcarpa) is renowned for its small, tart, and highly aromatic fruit, which resembles a miniature tangerine. Perfect for both culinary and ornamental use, the calamondin orange tree is a fantastic addition to any garden or indoor space for citrus enthusiasts. It’s a productive live plant, offering fragrant white blossoms in spring and summer, followed by a bountiful harvest of fruit throughout the year. Originally from the Philippines, the calamondin is a hybrid citrus, believed to be a cross between a kumquat and a mandarin orange, making it a unique and rewarding plant to grow.

This particular offering is a vibrant, healthy live calamondin plant, ready to thrive in its new home. Its compact size makes it an ideal choice for container gardening, allowing it to be moved indoors during colder months, ensuring fresh citrus is always within reach. The glossy green foliage provides an attractive backdrop to the bright orange fruit, adding a touch of tropical elegance wherever it is placed.

Key Benefits

Growing a calamondin orange tree offers a multitude of benefits, from its aesthetic appeal to its practical uses in the kitchen. This dwarf citrus provides continuous enjoyment and a rewarding gardening experience.

• Year-Round Fruit Production: Unlike many citrus varieties, the calamondin orange tree can produce fruit almost continuously, providing a steady supply of its unique tart fruit for your culinary adventures.
• Compact Size for Versatility: As a dwarf variety, this citrus tree is perfect for container gardening, making it suitable for patios, balconies, or even as an indoor plant in a sunny window, especially when considering growing calamondin indoors.
• Fragrant Blooms: Enjoy the intoxicating aroma of its small, white flowers, which can fill your home or garden with a delightful citrusy scent, especially during its peak blooming seasons of spring and summer.
• Culinary Delight: The tart juice and zest of calamondins are highly prized in cooking and beverages. They can be used to make marmalades, pies, juices, cocktails, and as a substitute for lemons or limes in many recipes.
• Ornamental Appeal: With its lush green leaves and vibrant orange fruit, the dwarf calamondin citrus makes a striking ornamental plant, adding a pop of color and life to any setting.
• Relatively Easy Care: Known for being more forgiving than some other citrus varieties, the calamondin is a great choice for both novice and experienced gardeners looking for a productive and beautiful plant.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Proper care is essential for a thriving calamondin orange tree. These plants prefer warm climates and plenty of sunlight to produce abundant fruit. For the best results, aim to replicate their natural growing conditions as closely as possible, whether you are growing them outdoors in suitable zones or focusing on growing calamondin indoors.

Sunlight Requirements: Your calamondin orange tree thrives in full sun, meaning it needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. If growing indoors, place it near a south-facing window or supplement with a grow light to ensure it gets adequate light. Insufficient light can lead to poor fruiting and weak growth. When outdoors, ensure it’s in a spot that receives morning sun and some afternoon shade in extremely hot climates to prevent leaf scorch.

Watering and Soil: Use a well-draining soil mix, such as a sandy loam or a potting mix specifically formulated for citrus plants. The soil should be acidic to neutral. Water regularly, allowing the top inch or two of soil to dry out slightly between waterings. Avoid letting the soil stay soggy, as this can lead to root rot. Good drainage is paramount for the health of your dwarf calamondin citrus. Water more frequently during hot, dry periods and less often in cooler, dormant seasons.

Temperature and Hardiness: Calamondins prefer temperatures between 70 degrees Fahrenheit and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. They are hardy in USDA Zones 9-11. In colder climates, it’s crucial to bring the plant indoors when temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Protect from frost. Fertilize regularly during the growing season (spring to fall) with a balanced citrus fertilizer, following the product instructions. Pruning can be done to maintain shape and encourage bushier growth, typically after fruiting or in early spring. Understanding calamondin tree care involves paying close attention to these environmental factors.

Size & Details

This healthy calamondin orange tree is supplied as a live plant, approximately 3 feet tall from the base of the pot, and comes in a 2-gallon nursery pot. This size makes it an excellent starter plant, already established and ready to continue growing in your home or garden. Calamondin trees are known for their relatively fast growth rate when provided with optimal conditions, typically reaching a mature height of 6 to 10 feet if planted in the ground, or staying smaller and more manageable in containers.

The plant will arrive carefully packaged to ensure its safety during transit. With proper calamondin tree care, you can expect it to produce its first fruits within 1-2 years of planting. The fruit themselves are small, typically 1 to 2 inches in diameter, and ripen to a vibrant orange color. This particular specimen is ideal for those looking for a robust and productive citrus plant.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this plant get? A: This calamondin orange tree is approximately 3 feet tall when shipped in a 2-gallon pot. In the ground, it can reach 6-10 feet, but when grown in a container, its size can be managed through pruning to remain a more compact dwarf calamondin citrus.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The calamondin is versatile. It can be grown outdoors in USDA Zones 9-11. In colder climates, it is best grown in a container and brought indoors during winter, making growing calamondin indoors a popular option.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: A calamondin orange tree requires full sun, which means at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day for optimal growth and fruit production.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your live calamondin plant will arrive in a 2-gallon pot, carefully packaged to ensure it is healthy and ready to plant upon arrival. It will be a well-established plant, ready to thrive.
• Q: Can I use calamondin fruit in cooking? A: Absolutely! Calamondins are highly valued for their tart juice and aromatic zest. They are excellent for making marmalades, pies, juices, and can be used as a substitute for lemons or limes in many recipes.
• Q: How often should I water my calamondin tree? A: Water regularly, allowing the top inch or two of soil to dry out between waterings. Avoid overwatering, as consistent soggy soil can lead to root rot. Good drainage is key for proper calamondin tree care.
• Q: When does the calamondin tree bloom and produce fruit? A: Calamondin trees can bloom and fruit almost continuously throughout the year, with peak blooming usually occurring in spring and summer, followed by fruit development.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Compared to some other citrus plants, the calamondin is considered relatively easy to care for, making it a good choice for both beginners and experienced gardeners interested in citrus. Consistent sunlight, proper watering, and feeding are the main requirements.
• Q: What type of soil is best for a calamondin tree? A: A well-draining soil mix, such as a sandy loam or a specialized citrus potting mix, with an acidic to neutral pH is ideal for your calamondin orange tree.
• Q: What is the ideal temperature range for this tree? A: The calamondin thrives in temperatures between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. It should be protected from temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.