Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets Citrus australasica

Edible : Fruit

A shrub or small tree. It grows up to 4-8 m high and spreads 2-5 m across. The bark is dark green. Young growth is often pinkish. The branches are thorny. The leaves are 2-4 cm long by 0.5-1.5 cm wide. They are oval or sword shaped. They are dark green and glossy but paler underneath. The edges of the leaves can be entire, scalloped or have teeth. The tip is blunt. The flowers occur singly in the axils of leaves. They are white or pinkish and about 1.2 cm across. Fruit occur on the previous seasons growth. Fruit are long and finger shaped. They are about 6-12 cm by 1.2-2.4 cm. Fruit colour can be yellow, red, black, or green. The pulp of the fruit is most commonly red but can be yellow or green. The fruit have 5-7 sections. These cells burst open with pressure.

It occurs naturally in Australia in Northen New South Wales and Southern Queensland. It grows in subtropical rainforest as an understorey tree. It grows on a range of soil types. It can tolerate light frosts. In Brisbane Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 10-11. Mt Cootha Botanical Gardens. Arboretum Tasmania.