As far as I am aware, the citrus known as Bush Lemon in Australia is the same as Rough Lemon, Citrus jambhiri. Although its fruit has little value, it has been widely used as a rootstock and is one of the few kinds of citrus that is self-seeding and so has become naturalized to a limited degree -- which is why it is called 'Bush' Lemon.

Have a look at this web page, reproduced from the classic text 'The Citrus Industry', which has an amazingly comprehensive account of all cultivated citrus varieties. Search within the page on 'jambhiri'.

I rather doubt that seed of C. jambhiri is available commercially. There are very strict quarantine barriers to international trade of citrus plants and seeds, because of viruses etc, some of which can even be transmitted with the seeds. But I get the impression there are few restrictions against bringing them into southern Asian countries, maybe because this region is the original home of both the plants and the diseases.

Here is a link that might be useful: Citrus varieties

Thank you for that interesting information Tony. Yes, you are right, there are few restrictions here. And I am not seeking commercial quantities. I would be happy with a handfull of seeds if anyone has them.

have you had fruit from this tree as yet?

the bush lemon as i know it is not overly noted for its juice at times they can be very low in juice and woody, and often always a much stronger tasting flesh than other lemons.

just wondering if maybe you should try and source some of the other lemon varities with thinner skins and more juice? they will be grafted, or maybe get some slips from a known good qulaity lemon and graft to your root stock?

also not so sure that citrus grown from seed produce to type??

someone has given me a seedling lemon so in time i will see if the fruit is as good as the tree the seeds came from.

len

Here is a link that might be useful: len's garden page

Thanks for your good advice Len. Unfortunately I don't have a lot of choice when it comes to lemons. The lemons grown here in Cambodia are small, green and bitter. They look like small limes. Yellow lemons are all imported, not very fresh and can only be bought in supermarkets that cater to honkies like me. Most lemon trees probably won't grow here in this climate; I was interested in the bush lemon because it is hardy and grows okay in northern Queensland. It will be a couple of years before my little tree bears fruit. I know (from Tony's attachment) that there are likely to be big variations from "type" in the fruit but to me that just makes it more interesting.

mmmm ok,

what are you like at grafting?

those such talented people say it isn't hard!!

maybe get your seedling growing, and get some slips from the local variety(s) and graft them on and see what you get no need to remove all or any of the bush lemon i don't think, you could have a multi fruiting tree?

not sure of cambodias climate, but would guess very tropical and wet in the wet season?

if so then plant your citrus in raised format, to provide the drainage for them, and if you can where they can get full sun would guess as they do well on western slopes here that may be another option?

len

i thought i indicated that i most likley don't realise the growing conditions in the tropics, but that doesn't mean they can't have success if the approach the matter the right way.

all i said was if the bush lemon does well then try some grafts of other citrus from the area. and if they do have limes that do well why not make that the root stock?

and at the end of the day it matters not what we want to grow if want success then we need to replicate the growing conditions suited to that plant.

len

Yes Giacomo, they will grow from seed and in fact self seed. I can tell you which roads in northern NSW to go on to find them on the side of the road or in public reserve.
OR
I can send you some seeds when I next harvest some. We love them, and remark that 1 bush lemon is equal to 2-3 normal lemons....

Hello! I know there is a seller on eBay selling jambhiri Bush lemon seeds on eBay right now if you are interested still. Also, if you want to graft other lemons to jambiri root stock I hear it does well. The record nagami kumquat harvest was between 3,000 and 3,500 kumquats on one tree, it was grafted on jambhiri root stock. I'm interested in Bush lemons for the novelty and my collection. I live in extreme cold. -40℉ in winter, so none of my citrus live outside...

Bush lemons taste substantially better than other varieties of lemon commonly available. In my experience they typically provide less juice, but the fruit is 1000x better tasting so just use a couple. Furthermore they grow well in subtropical/tropical areas so probably best to just stick with them! As I percieve it there is no point in growing them just for rootstock as most people in South East Asia just use Kaffir Limes for that purpose with much success.

Hi Giacamo, those little green citrus sound like the 'calamansi' here in the Philippines. They are picked small and green, but if left on the tree they will go yellow inside, and eventually the skin will go orange - but Filipinos prefer most of their fruits under-ripened, or totally green! I've not been to Cambodia, but have been to Thailand a few times, and the climate here is very much the same. Minimum temperature I've experienced here was +24 C, and it felt really cold!! We do have lemon trees that grow here, but nobody knows what variety they are. I'll be buying one when I come back from Australia in February or March. I'd be happy to send you a few cuttings if your are up to grafting? Or some seeds, but there is a great risk they won't fruit to type, and you'll have to wait several years for them to bear fruit.

As others have commented, for rootstock use local species grown from seed. e.g. Kaffir Lime. Seedlings of local species are the best in my opinion.