Calamondin is one of the easiest citrus to grow; it does well in many climates and certainly in containers. It produces prolifically and almost all year; and is also decorative. Calamondin is the primary "lemon" in the Philippines; it has a mountain of seeds,,,,almost more seeds than juice. My manager at my lemon farm has one at his dooryard and uses it for cooking every day.

Calamondins are among the easier citrus to grow in pots indoors.. I would be inclined to grow something much better than a calamondin. The fruit of the calamondin is inedible due to taste. If you are just wanting to grow a foliage tree I would suggest a grapefruit from seed. I am growing 2 Fukushu kumquats from seed, 2 Meyer lemons from cuttings 3 tangerine trees from seed, a Meiwa kumquat tree grafted to Kuharske Citrange and a lemonade tree grafted to a poncirus hybrid

Also calamondins have little or no thorns and that's what I want because I don't want to get pricked when watering, fertilizing, repotting...

It is much easier to get a pound of small citrus than a pound of big citrus fruit so you have the right idea. Harris citrus, Brightleaf sell good trees for a good price

http://www.harriscitrus.com/store/

http://www.briteleaf.com

Go with a Meiwa on flying dragon.

Hi meyergrower88. I've had success growing calamondin in containers in lower NC for years now. In my opinion they make one of the best (if not the best) indoor citrus. Of all the citrus tress I grow, I think I've enjoyed calamondin the most and it has had the fewest problems. They're almost always doing something (flowering or fruiting), pretty, smell good, and put out a good amount of fruit. The fruits are sour, but the skin is sweet and is edible when eaten together (if you like sour). I happen to like sour. They are great squeezed in drinks, smoothies, boiled into marmalade, and they make a very delicious pie. I've had little trouble bringing them in the house for winter. They have held up with indoor life better than my other citrus trees.

Here's a little calamondin I just picked up very cheaply at a local nursery. It needs a little care. I've set it aside from my other citrus for now till I can be sure it's ok. The fruits on this may make it into my calamondin pie for Thanksgiving.

By the way, thanks to all the forum members here for sharing your tips. I have learned a lot from the members here.

- Dave

That's a nice tree you got. How big are the calamondins on that? They look about the size of a orange but I've read they only get to about 3 cm

That's correct, 3cm is the average size for calamondins. Sometimes they get golf ball size. I've had some before large enough to pass as a small clementine. The ones on the above tree are around 3cm. I picked one of them and took this picture beside a quarter for comparison.

Now I get to eat it. :)

- Dave

Wow my calamondins are tiny compared to that, about the size of a quarter but they are very pretty and abundant. I like to eat them, they may not be as delicious as true oranges etc but they are a fun pick me up in the morning, I just had one today zing! I also love to play tricks on my husband by convincing him to try my "super sweet mini orange". Hilarious!

There are almost as many fruitlets as leaves on this thing! I think I need to pot up soon.

Lol, I hope those top branches don't break after the fruitlets develop and grow bigger. Do the flowers pollenate themselves or do you have to pollenate them by hand? Thanks to everyone for helping me. I've learned a whole lot about citrus:)

I never had to pollinate them by hand. Calamondins are a hybrid (mandarin x Fornunella..., aka., kumquat). There is a reason they are popular. They are small, do fine in containers, are relatively hardy (both in cold hardiness and house hardiness), not as prone to bugs as other Citrus, have very aromatic flowers, and I do also use their fruit in some secret recipes (skin and all).

Since they don't get very big weight hasn't been an issue for the branches but that's why I think I need to pot up so the tree can grow a stronger canopy (I think). Nope it pollinates itself but I do have a fan that probably helps. Practically no fruit drop either. I think you would enjoy one!

It doesn't get much prettier than centennial kumquat.

Wow I'm surprised that you can grow citrus up in zone 2b, I thought I was pretty much at the coldest place for citrus at zone 6 considering they're hardy to zone 8-11

Well they are inside in my grow room under high output t5s for probably 7-8 months a year but they do go out in summer. Gotta watch those night time lows though! I'm in the sunniest province in Canada so I'm ahead of the game in that respect and it does get quite hot in summer.

I used to live in Canada too, but I was in zone 3a. I had tons of houseplants but no citrus. I didn't have a grow room either. I agree that the summers are very hot.

meyergrower88: Hope you enjoy your calamondin. It's what got me into citrus. Still my favorite...

pip313: I agree with that, centennial kumquats are a very pretty citrus. I've been wanting one - nearly ready to order one from four winds. Haven't been able to find one local..

hobbyartisan: I hear ya. Nothing like that calamondin zing! Wow - growing citrus way up there is no small feat. How old is your tree?

I picked the rest of those calamondins today and made the pie..

Hmm I'm not sure how old it is but I've had it about a year and it has been fruiting the whole time so at least 3 I would say? However I had no idea what I was doing until this summer and had it in a dark house all last winter so I think it's growth was kind of stalled until this summer. Now we're back on track!

It seems to be the hungriest of all my citrus but I am amping up the fert slowly so as not to burn it.