About Us
- Finger Lime
- About Us
years experience
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the story
In 2010, I encountered finger lime seedlings at a Sunshine Coast nursery. The small, prickly bush,
unlike any citrus I had seen before, piqued my curiosity. The nursery staff described the unique fruit
it would produce: small, finger-shaped fruits filled with citrus pearls that resembled caviar and
offered a burst of citrus flavour when eaten. I was immediately intrigued and purchased a tray of
baby plants that day to bring back to my home in Melbourne. Despite being cautioned that this
subtropical plant might struggle in Melbourne’s cooler climate, I was determined to give it a try.
Upon returning home and conducting further research, I learned that this Australian native finger lime species has been thriving for millions of years. This insight led me to believe that if the finger lime had successfully adapted to the cooler climates of Southeast Queensland and Northern New South Wales over millennia, it must possess genetic traits that enable it to survive colder environments. I was eager to test this theory and find a way to cultivate these subtropical finger limes in Melbourne’s cool climate.
Not long after, I obtained grafted finger lime trees and began planting them on a property near Wangaratta in Northeast Victoria. I wanted to observe how they would respond to the harsh climate, characterised by hailstorms, scorching heat, temperatures dropping to minus 8°C, and almost three months of daily frost during winter. Although the young plants occasionally struggled with the extreme weather, they generally thrived. As the trees matured, the harsh conditions posed no significant challenge.
process
Over the following years, I planted 24 different varieties of finger lime varieties on this block. These were grafted onto various combinations of rootstock and cuttings, in addition to growing seedlings from the fruit. My goal was to gain a deep understanding of each variety and its optimal growing conditions, right down to the smallest detail. I learned how to manage pests, irrigate the orchard during periods of extreme dryness, and establish the best fertilisation schedules. The low humidity in Victoria meant lower pest and disease pressure, reducing the need for chemical treatments across the orchard. I also discovered that the finger lime fruiting season in Victoria was shorter than in the northern regions. This shift in growing conditions led me to pivot away from competing in the fresh fruit market with earlier growers from Queensland and New South Wales, towards investing in frozen finger lime fruit sales and creating finger lime products.
The cool nights during late summer and autumn also revealed some fruit with distinctive colour profiles, such as Pink Ice finger lime, a feature I recognised from my background in viticulture. I saw an opportunity to leverage this uniqueness and decided that extracting the citrus pearls as a product in their own right was the way forward.
finger lime varieties
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Looking for Premium Finger Limes Packed with Flavor?
Discover a wide variety of finger limes grown with care in our Melbourne nurseries and Wangaratta orchards, offering exceptional taste and quality to elevate your culinary creations.
