Citrus australasica (Red Champagne Finger Lime) Plant

Description

Citrus australasica, known as Finger Lime, are an Australian native citrus prized for its unique caviar-like pulp and attractive colour, which can vary between yellow, green, pale pink and crimson. Finger Lime trees are a thorny understorey shrub or small tree with small rounded deep green foliage and stems which bare thorns. They are native to lowland subtropical rainforests of Northern NSW and Queensland.

The fruit is high in vitamin C and the skin can be used to heal cuts and wounds. Finger Lime fruit doesn’t ripen well off the tree, so pick only fully ripe fruit – these will feel full and detach easily. When opening the fruit, avoid getting oil from the rind onto the pearls, as this can affect the flavour.

Red Champagne Cultivar.

Red Champagne is a select commercial finger lime variety that has a dark red skin and pinkish coloured pearls. It is selected for it’s flavour and long fruiting season. Red Champagne is often referred to as the Rainbow finger lime because the same tree will produce fruit in the colours green, maroon, red, yellow and orange.

It’s dense growth creates a thick and thorny hedge for security and year round fruit. This is unique amongst finger limes and can enable supply throughout the year.

About the Fruit.

Taste – A sweeter variety, often described as somewhere between a grapefruit and a Tahitian lime
Colour – Red to maroon skin with light green to pink pearls.
Size – 5-8cm, 20-30g
Season – Year round fruiting with flushes in February and April
Shelf Life – 3-4 weeks refrigerated
Uses – Best with desserts, yogurt, salads, champagne or cocktail rims.

• Specifications.

50mm Pot Size
Cutting Grown Plant

Ideal Growing Conditions.

Finger Limes prefers warm, subtropical to tropical climates. Tolerates mild frost but may need protection in cold areas. Can be grown in pots in cooler climates and moved indoors during winter. Thrives in full sun (6+ hours daily). Keep soil moist but not soggy. Water deeply once or twice a week, more in hot weather. Avoid overwatering to prevent root rot.

Pests and Diseases: Monitor your plant for pests.

Aphids, mites, and scale: These sap-sucking pests can be controlled with organic sprays. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap, Eco Oil or Neem Oil 

Fruit flies: These pests lay eggs in ripening fruit, so it’s important to collect and dispose of fallen fruit 

Citrus gall wasps: These wasps lay eggs in young branches, causing swollen lumps to appear 

Soil: You need a high quality potting mix, not a pre-bagged product such as you find at Bunnings etc, try a landscaping place. However, as I am not local to you I still can’t say if they have good quality or not. You are looking for well composted pine bark and large particles. This ensures air flow to the roots and good drainage. We recommend Yates Nutricote Standard Black 270 Day for a fertiliser, which can be found in our store, however any good quality slow release fertiliser will do. When time to re-pot, select a pot one size up ONLY and ensure it has many holes for good drainage.

Fertiliser: 

Yates Nutricote Standard Black 270 Day Controlled Release Fertiliser

The Plant Runner Indoor Plant Food

We cannot send plants to Western Australia & Tasmania due to restrictions.

We cannot ship this species Internationally.

We strongly recommended to select Express Post shipping for all plant orders to minimise the transit time.

Want to see more Finger Lime cultivars? Have a look at these

Citrus australasica (BXL Finger Lime) Plant

Citrus australasica (GPL Finger Lime) Plant

*Traditional uses and general information on products are provided for educational purposes only. We do not make any therapeutic claims. Nothing contained in this site is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional’s advice.