Australian Finger Lime - Grafted & Matured
Australian Finger Lime (Citrus Australasica)
Finger limes are considered a gourmet bushfood and are sought after by top restaurants around the world. Finger limes are a hardy shrub to small tree and in cultivation plants usually grow around 2 to 5 metres but can be pruned to a manageable height to make them easy to harvest. Leaves are significantly smaller than regular citrus, and they have thorns and slender finger-like fruit from 6 to 12 centimetres long.
Our plants are 3 years old grafted onto trifoliate rootstock. Very hardy and frost tolerant. Grafted plants will fruit much faster than the seedling or cutting grown.
You can use your finger limes with seafood, in salads, drinks, desserts, sauces or marmalades. Fruit can be frozen whole or the rind can be dried and crushed to be used as a spice.
To open, cut the fruit crossways and squeeze out the lime caviar. The oil from the skin can affect the flavour of the pulp, so it’s important to avoid getting excess oil from the skin on the pulp.
Plants are healthy and bushy, some have flowers.
Plant Care
- Soil: Prefers well-draining, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
- Watering: Water deeply and regularly, allowing the soil to dry slightly between waterings.
- Temperature: Thrives in temperatures between 15°C and 30°C. Protect from frost.
- Light: Full sun is essential for optimal growth and fruit production.
- Fertilising: Use a citrus-specific NPK fertilizer with micronutrients, typically a ratio like 6-3-3, every four to six weeks during the growing season.
- Pruning: Prune to shape, improve airflow, and remove dead or diseased branches in late winter or early spring.
- Mulching: Apply a layer of organic mulch around the base to help retain moisture and suppress weeds, but keep it away from the trunk.
- Pest Control: Monitor for citrus pests such as scale, mites, and citrus leaf miner. Treat with appropriate insecticides or natural remedies.
- Flowering and Fruiting: Blooms in spring with fruit development continuing through summer and into fall, depending on the variety.
- Potting: Suitable for container growing, especially dwarf varieties. Ensure containers have good drainage.
- Feeding Regime: Increase feeding frequency during peak growing and fruiting periods.
We ship our plants and garden supplies throughout New Zealand. Due to the increased costs of shipping and packaging, we now apply a minimal delivery charge. After offering free shipping for three consecutive years, we find it necessary to adjust this policy to align with current market conditions. However, we have lowered our prices to help offset this change.
Please note, we do not ship plants or garden supplies internationally from New Zealand. We do export plants and tissue culture materials from our overseas nursery, which requires a minimum order. Please contact us at hello@exoticanz.com to discuss your specific requirements.
Shipping (per plant)
Auckland & Northland: $20
Rest of North Island: $25
South Island: $45
Rural Address: Additional $5
Shipping Garden Supplies
Auckland & Northland: $10
Rest of North Island: $15
South Island: $20
Rural Address: Additional $5
Delivery
- Our plants are available for shipment throughout the year, depending on stock levels. Typical delivery times range from 5 to 7 business days, although they can take up to 10 business days depending on the destination.
- We take extra care in packaging; most of our plants are secured in bespoke inserts and shipped in individual boxes to ensure they arrive undamaged.
- Deliveries are scheduled once a week, typically on Monday. If you place your order over the weekend, we aim to dispatch your plants on the following Monday. This scheduling allows our team to prepare your order thoroughly and ensures the courier has sufficient time to deliver your plants safely, avoiding any unnecessary delays over the weekend.
- All orders are shipped via courier track and trace service (not signature required)
- We cannot deliver to PO Box addresses.
- If you have a rural address, please contact us beforehand to discuss the best delivery options and avoid any potential issues.
Additional Delivery Information
- We dispatch our plants year-round, as most are shipped with soil. During the winter months, we closely monitor weather conditions and may temporarily delay shipments if the weather is particularly severe. Our packing process includes adding insulation when necessary to protect the plants against temperature extremes.
- In summer, we ensure that plants are thoroughly watered before they leave our nursery. Occasionally, we may need to ship plants bare-rooted, particularly when they cannot be comfortably re-potted into smaller packaging for shipping. We will always discuss this with you in advance if your plant needs to be shipped in this manner.
- It's important to note that shipping can be a stressful experience for plants, often due to spending several days in a dark, confined space. While most plants withstand this with little to no stress, some may experience leaf drop. However, they generally recover quickly with some additional care, including proper watering and gradual reintroduction to light after arrival.
