Yes, that's what my wife says.
I know it's tiny, and I know it tastes horrible, but I think it's wonderful!
Microcitrus inodora, or Citrus inodora, native to Queensland, has produced its first fruit. Almost certainly a UK first too!
These photos are greatly enlarged, so don't get too excited - it's only about half an inch long.





As usual, more information on my website page:-
Citrus inodora

Mike (aka Citrange)

Mike:

Congratulations on growing a fruit of a rare citrus
that most of us have never even heard of,
much less seen growing.

Citrange, you are truly a Citrus Guru!

Hi Mike,

your are right useless, but wonderfull and it seems to be juicy...
I am sure something extremly healty must be in it, as most of he healty food is tasting awful.

I fear non of the native (or breed from native) australian citrus will produce really edible fruits, however from ornamental point of view they are the most exiting citrus.

regards

Andy

That's exciting. Thanks for sharing.
I have some one year old Microcitrus inodora seedlings. How long did it take yours to fruit? Is it grafted?
Terry

Citrange, I hear you. I have a Green Finger Lime, a Red Finger Lime, two Inodoras, and a Sidney Hybrid growing in my greenhouse. Your wife must know my wife, as my wife ask why I waste my time with them. BTW she also throws in Kumquats, most all cold hardy citrus varieties and Etrogs for condemnation. She says, "Why are we paying the heat bill to grow that stuff." Such is life to a collector. BTW, I have spent many hours on your wonderful web site. Thanks for all the good times. - Millet

Millet, it is a good time to hybridize these when they come into bearing age. And when you have "hybrid" seeds, put some my way and I will test them for you and report back. Hopefully we will have newer cultivars with radically different tastes. This will be all to your credit. I can only take in seeds but not budwood.

Usually, drought tolerant species like these would have the same mechanism for cold tolerance, so most likely these are cold hardy too, but not in the range of sudachi, perhaps in the range of limequats.

Terry,
The fruiting Citrus inodora is from a seed planted in 2001, and then budded on to citrange rootstock in 2004. So that's really quite fast for citrus seed to fruit - especially in the cooler UK conditions.
Do your seedlings have paired thorns? If not, then you are probably growing a hybrid. Seeds sent to me from the Riverside collection in 1997 definitely produced hybrids, but they haven't flowered yet.
Mike aka Citrange

Mike, I have 4 or 5 Inodora's and they all have duel spines. As soon as I can I'm going to graft them to a trifoliate.
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I think you can see the duel spines in the pic. What do you think of the leaf shape?
Terry

Yes, leaf shape is correct for inodora - slightly 'scalloped' or holly shaped.
And the zig-zag young stem is right too.
Mike.

I don't understand what the expected advantage is of budding an immature scion onto trifoliate rootstock, or any rootstock for that matter. - Millet

It is sometimes said that the Australian native citrus 'don't do well on their own roots'. This is of-course a bit odd because they've presumably done alright for the past few million years to survive until now. Perhaps, however, they are a bit fussy about their exact soil requirements and conditions.
So, budding a seedling onto something like a citrange, provides a good vigorous rootstock with known requirements which is unlikely to suddenly fall victim to foot-rot or similar problem.
It also means you have propagated and multiplied what may have been a single rare seedling.
Finally, some books say it may reduce the number of years to flowering and fruiting.
So, those are my reasons. None completely neccessary, but it certainly does no harm and may be useful.
Mike.

Thank you Mike. I see the reasoning behind most of what you say. The additional propagation of a rare plant certainly makes sense. I am a little dubious that budding an immature bud onto a rootstock may reduce the number of years to flowering and fruiting. However, I must admit that I have never looked into grafting or budding immature scions of any type. Take care, and thanks again. -Millet