Limequat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Limequat |
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| A Eustis Limequat | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Citrus
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| Species: |
× floridana
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The limequat is a special type of citrus fruit. It's a hybrid that was made by crossing a Key lime with a kumquat. A scientist named Walter Tennyson Swingle created this interesting fruit in 1909.
Contents
About the Limequat Plant
The limequat plant is a small tree. It grows into a bushy shape. Its leaves look like those of other citrus plants. Even when the plant is young, it grows lots of fruit!
The fruit itself is small and oval. It's a greenish-yellow color and has seeds inside. The skin of the limequat tastes sweet. The inside, called the pulp, has a bitter-sweet flavor. It tastes a lot like limes.
You can eat the whole limequat fruit. Or, you can use its juice and skin to add flavor to drinks and food. Limequats have a lot of vitamin C. They are also very acidic, which means they are quite tart!
Where Limequats Grow
Today, limequats are grown in many countries. You can find them in Japan, Israel, Spain, Malaysia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. In the United States, they grow in California, Arizona, Florida, and Texas.
You can usually find limequat fruit in stores during the fall and winter months. This is true for the United States, India, and Japan.
Growing Limequats
Limequats can be grown inside or outside. They like temperatures between 10 °C and 30 °C (50 °F to 86 °F). Since they are fairly small, you can plant them in containers or pots. They need soil that drains well and is fertile.
These plants grow slowly. They flower and produce fruit for about 5 to 7 months. Then, they rest for another 5 to 7 months before starting again.
Limequats are tougher in cold weather than limes. This means they can handle cooler temperatures better. However, they are not as tough as kumquats when it gets cold.
How to Use Limequats
Limequats are used in many tasty ways. People put them in cocktails and fruit salads. You can also candy them whole, which makes a sweet treat.
If you cook with limequats, it's a good idea to remove the seeds first. The seeds can make the food taste bitter. You can also make them into conserves, which are like jams or jellies.
Types of Limequats
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There are three main types, or cultivars, of limequats. A cultivar is a plant type that people have grown for specific traits.
- Eustis (Citrus japonica × Citrus aurantiifolia) - This is the most common type of limequat. It's a mix of a Key lime and a round kumquat. It was named after the city of Eustis, Florida.
- Lakeland (Citrus japonica × Citrus aurantiifolia) - This type also comes from a Key lime and a round kumquat. It's from the same parent plants as the Eustis, but from a different seed. Lakeland limequats are a bit bigger and have fewer seeds than Eustis ones. It was named after the city of Lakeland, Florida.
- Tavares (Citrus japonica 'Margarita' × Citrus aurantiifolia) - This limequat is a mix of a Key lime and an oval kumquat. Some people think it might actually be a lemon/kumquat mix. Tavares fruits are larger and more stretched out. When they are ripe, they are more orange than other limequats. It was named after the city of Tavares, Florida.
See also
In Spanish: Limequat para niños
