Although the kumquat plant appeared on our market quite recently, it immediately fell in love with its beauty, he althy and tasty fruits. Its homeland is Southeast China, although it was not found there in the wild. It is only known that cultivated varieties of kumquat grow there, that this plant was mentioned by the ancient Chinese in the second century BC.
But in Europe, mention of it appeared only in the seventeenth century. And I must say that it has not received much fame so far.
Trabu, a botanist from Algeria, made the first botanical description of the kumquat at the beginning of the 20th century. That this is an evergreen branchy dwarf tree has long been known in Europe. Its egg-shaped fruits ripen between February and mid-March and are golden yellow, fiery orange or orange. Their flesh is juicy and sour. The peel is smooth, with a sweetish-spicy taste. The fruit usually contains 4 to 7 lobules and a few seeds.
Different countries have their own names for kumquat: golden orangeor kinkan - in Japan, golden mandarin or Japanese quince - in Europe. It is also called fortunenella, or golden bean. The plant is interesting not only for its appearance, but also for its contents. This is just a storehouse of nutrients!
Firstly, it contains many essential oils that are successfully used in the treatment of colds, runny nose and cough. Eating the fruits of kumquat (what it is, you already know), you can get rid of nervous tension, improve the functioning of the digestive system. The furocoumarin contained in the fruits will help to cure fungal diseases. And, of course, the presence of vitamins C, B and P will also bring tangible benefits.
Eat it with the peel. Special connoisseurs of this fruit use only its peel. In addition, it is used as an additive to sauces, salads and snacks. It is baked with meat or fish. It is popular in dried form. And they dry it not only in slices, but also as a whole, in the form of candied fruits. Europeans are happy to use this fruit as a martini snack, replacing olives with it. It is worth knowing another useful property of kumquat - that it is an excellent hangover cure. After a good feast, it is enough to eat a few fruits, and in the morning you will not have to remember the amount you have drunk.
If you decide to have such a plant, then you need to know the following. Firstly, kumquat does not need particularly careful care. He loves hot summers and cold winters. This evergreen tree is best grown outdoors. On hot days, its roots need to be protected.from overheating. To do this, it should be planted in soil with sand, sawdust, peat or moss. If you still decide to grow it indoors, then first of all provide the plant with moist air. Otherwise, it loses its foliage, especially in winter. It must be sprayed with settled warm water and put dishes with water on the battery.
In the cool season, the plant is watered every other day, in winter at least twice a week, and in summer every day. Kumquat responds well to feeding. And you need to know that the smaller the pot in which it grows, and the larger the plant, the more often it should be fertilized. From the first days of spring until autumn, he is fed several times a month, and the rest of the time, once every 30 days is enough.
In any case, you should try to grow this exotic beautiful and useful plant. After all, it was not for nothing that it was called the little pleasure of the Chinese wise men from ancient times.
