Four Winds has info on your kumquat, Gary. Here's what they have to say:

This variegated sport of a Nagami Kumquat is an attractive finely textured tree with upright growth habit. Variegated pale yellow and cream leaves are complemented by yellow and green striped fruit which become quite large and turn orange at maturity. Ripeness occurs in late winter and fruit holds well on the tree into the summer.

Patty S.

Here is a link that might be useful: Four Winds Growers: Kumquats

Hi Gary,
I live in western NY. I bought one for my dad and he has now had it for little over a year. It came in a 10in. pot. The tree has a more bushy shape to it. It really hasn't grown too much but it blooms almost all the time! I would say every few months and it's in full bloom again!!

Most of the immature fruit drop. I may be wrong here but I think I have heard that citrus will drop all but 10% of the fruits that grow into maturity.

I have not tasted any of the fruits since it's still small. I want my parents to enjoy them.

It really has turned into a nice little tree and because the fruits are so small, they only take a fraction(compared to larger fruits say oranges, grapefruits) of the time to ripen.

I hope this info helps you. I didn't know too much about this variety when I got it. Patty does give you good advice. Go to the Four Winds website and email them. They have some really nice customer service people and they will be more than willing to help you out.

Andrew

Thanks Patty,

I had no idea that the fruit would change color when ripe.

I now have several little citrus type trees in pots, the Kumquat, Lemon Drop Mangosteen, Persian Lime, and a Calamondin which I hope will draw bees to my yard.

".... I'm thinking it's nearly ready to pick the fruit in say October? "

I think something to keep in mind is that the same variety of citrus can be at different stages of ripeness depending where it is located. The amount of heat, water, fertilizer, etc. can effect ripening time.

Also, the color of the fruit is a good, but not perfect indicator of ripeness. Cold evenings make for brighter colors of skin, but the inside of an orange fruit and a yellowish green fruit may be at a similar stage of ripeness.

I have two Satsuma mandarin trees in my front yard in the North Georgia mountains. Last year I waited until the fruit was bright orange to taste it. It was watery and bland- TOO ripe!
This year I have been eating one or two fruit a week to determine the rate of change, the level of acidity to sweetness,etc.
As far as I am concerned, the yellowish / mottled green fruit on my trees right now have the perfect amount of acidity compared to the sweetness. The fruit have a rich full flavor and the flesh is a bright orange color. As far as I am concerned, they are ripe, however someone else might prefer a sweeter less acid fruit, and they would wait to harvest till later.

A month or so ago I even used some of my green mandarins as "lemons" because of their acid bite.