Maroon Gem Australian Finger Lime Budwood

Microcitrus australasica.

Open-pollinated seedling of 'Blunobia pink crystal'. The tree is rated small in size with a dense canopy and spreading growth habit. Budunion with Citrus macrophylla as rootstock is smooth and no suckering has been observed. 

The fruit set is considered moderate year round, peak fruit production is October to December in California with flowering season being February to April. Branches bear many single spines, typical of Microcitrus australasica, averaging 9.87 mm in length. Mature leaves average 14.25 mm x 6.80 mm. The leaf shape is obovate, with a cuneate base. The leaf apex is retuse. The leaf margin is unevenly dentate. Flowers and fruit are borne singly in leaf axils on short stout pedicels 1-5 mm long. The fruit shape is slightly curved.

Mature fruit have an external color ranging from medium red to dark red and weigh an average of 17.97 g at maturity. Mature fruit ranges from 6.88-8.02 cm in length and 1.95-2.12 cm in width at maturity. The number of locules per fruit range from 5 to 6. Pulp vesicles are pink-red to red. Seeds are numerous.

Prepared by the Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection at The University of California Riverside.