Australian Red Pulp Finger Lime Budwood

Microcitrus australasica.

The 'Australian finger lime', a citrus relative also known as Microcitrus australasica, is one of six different species of citrus considered to be native to Australia. This VI is one of 7 different accessions of Microcitrus australasica in the Citrus Variety Collection, and was imported from Sydney, Australia, in 1965. 

Depending on the type of rootstock used (The CVC has used several: Schaub rough lemon, Cleopatra mandarin, C-35 citrange, Carrizo citrange, Calamondin, Citrus macrophylla), the 'Australian finger lime' can be a very small (about 5 feet on Schaub rough lemon) to large-sized tree.

The leaves are tiny at approximately one-half inch long and the branches become very dense and spiny with about 1 thorn set in every leaf axil.  New growth is purple in color and the one-quarter inch wide flowers are white and pink during the main flowering season of February to April.

The finger limes are about three inches long and roughly the size of an average person’s index finger, but fruit from juvenile trees can be less than one inch long. The skin of the finger lime is usually a greenish black to very dark purple and thin, but durable.

Once the fruit is cut open the tiny round juice vesicles will slowly seep out of the fruit without squeezing, and resemble what we like to call “citrus caviar”.  The round vesicles are usually a clear-green, but can be very light pink. The juice is very tart, much like a Mexican lime. 

Although the tree produces fruit year round, the main fruiting season in California is November-December when the fruit falls off in your hand. The fruits are technically edible, but this is not commonly done. Its most common use is as a garnish or flavour component in culinary creations.

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