Here is a bit of a mystery. We all know that MOST citrus flower and fruit after a certain node count is reached. At that time, the flowering will begin on the top branches where the node count is the highest.

Bring into play the Faustrime. I have multiple seedlings & all of them start flowering from the lowest branch on the tree, not the top. Anyone have any opinions on this? Below is one of the trees, it is two years from seed & only the first few branches from the ground are flowering. Nothing on the top of the tree.

Close up of the blooms.



This is the same branch as the first photo.



Complete tree

On the bottom branch right next to the tree's trunk is node #1, the next leaf down the branch, (on the same bottom branch) is note #2, then 3,4,5,6,7,......., as you count toward the end of the branch.. Count the leaves (nodes) from the trunk to the first flower on the bottom branch, this must be the mature node count for a Faustrime. Evidently the bottom branch (the oldest branch on the tree), has grown longer than the newer branches above it, so it has the most nodes. A tree that has the ability to flower in just two years, would of course have a very low mature node count. The same thing happened on a seedling Key Lime that I grew, which will also flower in 1-1/2 to 2 years. - Millet (178 BO-)

But, the farther up the tree you go, the higher the node count. There are no flowers or fruit higher in the tree.

I did just graft some up, so I will have some available soon if anyone is interested.

Its true the farther up you go, the higher the node count. But what is also true, the farther out you go on a branch the higher the node count gets. On the lowest branch of your tree, as you count toward the end of the branch, all the nodes on that branch are not node #1, the count gets higher the further you go out the branch.. On the second branch the same thing is true, only the second branch node count starts with 2 and proceeds 3,4,5....until the end of that branch. The 3rd branch's node count would begin with 3, and down that branch would be 3,4,5,.. On citrus varieties with very high node counts, the branch just will not grow long enough to ever reach the maturity node count. - Millet .

Very strange. Every tree I have grown from seed always started flowering at the top. This is the only variety that has done this.

Millet is right.

It seems the branches from lower portion of the tree have reached higher node count earlier than its straight upward growth.
Side branches from the lower portion of the tree (its nodes) do not share node count of their branching node at the main stem. Actually they increase that node count.
That explains why virtually any of the branches from lower portion of the tree can easily overcome the node count of the other, possibly higher, nodes from the tree. Of course, if allowed to branch out. In your case you have a lot of branching in the bottom portion of the tree, and literally no branching at the top. Therefore the bottom branches have practically taken over the highest node count of the tree and hence, they're in bloom whilst its higher branches still didn't reach the maturity point.

I think this one gives a in-depth explanation...



Igor

This almost never happens because most varieties of citrus have very high node count numbers. But a few such as Key lime, Procimquat, and evidently Faustrime have a mature node count number so low a bottom horizontal branch can reach that number and flower. I now recall that beside the seedling Key Lime I grew, I also had flowers on a lower branch of a seedling Clementine. Unfortunately the Clementine flowers did not result in fruit that year. I once had a Faustrime, that was given to me by Citrus Joe, but I eventually tossed it out. - Millet

Very cool citrus & very good with seafood. Much better than fingerlimes if you ask me.

I am going to try & cross them with a blood orange to see what I can come up with.

Some types of fruit trees are not very fruitful on vigorous water sprouts. I don't know if this applies to any citrus trees but it might.

Australian Citrus form first a bush for some years.
Then they shoot new stems to build a tree.

It seams logically that the tree do not want to flower on these new stems, for putting all power into growing fast.

I saw wild finger limes growing in Australia.
Their habitat is temperate forest which is surprisingly low in light at ground level. I believe they have developed the characteristic of seedlings producing much long, low growth in order to collect enough energy before sending out their main stems. This bush of growth at ground level was very obvious, and quite different from other citrus.
Citrange/Mike

or maybe develop a wide root system first.
gaining water and other resouces and be small and not interesting to animals.
Also not investing much in growth below where it can be destroyed easily and when have stored enough resouces growing very fast out of reach of kangoroos and other animals ...

My kangaroos never touch them.

well, they surely do not have spikes for a decoration ...