Kumquat

Citrus japonica

Family Rutaceae

TreeZones 8-11

Botanical illustration of Kumquat

Kumquat rewrites the rules of citrus: you eat it whole, sweet peel wrapped around tart flesh, a two-bite sweet-sour candy straight off the branch. The fruit ripens through fall and winter and holds for months, which means fresh citrus from your own tree in January.

Hardiest of the citrus clan, it takes a light frost outdoors and thrives at three to five feet in a pot everywhere else, summering on the patio and wintering at a sunny window where its blooms perfume the room. Self-fertile, so one tree suffices. Adopt the overachiever.

Where to buy kumquat — 3 nurseries compared

  • Full Sun / sunniest window
  • Moderate water
  • Slow-Moderate growth
  • Excellent edible
  • Attracts bees
  • None winter chill
Kumquat — a print from the Plant Library collection

From the print shop

Growing kumquat? Hang it.

Our Plant Library collection carries kumquat — Citrus japonica, print Nº 265, “Kumquat.”

526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed

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Will it fruit where you are?

Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what kumquat actually needs.

Life cyclePerennial zones 8–11, annual elsewhere
Winter chillNone
PollinationSelf-fertile

Kumquat · Common problems

Common kumquat problems

Pests, diseases and weather to keep an eye on.

Pests

3 problems on file

Diseases

1 problem on file

Kumquat · Growing & propagation

Growing kumquat

Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
What it needsThe details
Light
Full Sun / sunniest window
Water
Moderate

Even; hates soggy

Soil
Citrus mix · pH 6.0 - 7.0
Fertilizer
Citrus fertilizer monthly Feb-Sep
Pruning
Spring

Light shaping; remove below-graft sprouts.

Spacing
Container or 8-12 ft

How to plant & propagate kumquat

Propagate
Grafted, or from cuttings/layering

Seed won't come true

Kumquat · Harvest & keeping

What you get from kumquat

How long before it bears, how much it gives, how you know it is ready, and how long it keeps once picked.
Botanical illustration of Kumquat
Years to first harvest
2 to 3 years
Typical yield
10–30 lbs
What you eat
Fruit (eaten whole)
How to tell it is ready
Fully orange and fragrant

You eat the peel, so wait for full color

How long it keeps
2 weeks at room temperature

A month refrigerated

Kumquat · Seasonal care & spray guidance

The kumquat growing playbook

Field-tested instructions for every job kumquat asks of you, compiled from university extension guidance — in the order the season brings them.

When to spray kumquat

Growing season. Horticultural oil for scale.

Kumquat · Calculators & field guides

A little help in the garden.

Calculators for the figures. Field guides for the hands-on work.

Kumquat · Yearly calendar

The kumquat year, month by month

What kumquat asks for, month by month.

Jan

HarvestSeptember to February

MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Bloom
Prune
Harvest

BloomJune to August

PruneMarch to May

HarvestSeptember to February

What each band means

  • Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
  • Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
  • Harvest — picking time — check ripeness every few days.

These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.

Kumquat · Ecology & uses

Ecology & uses

What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Botanical illustration of Kumquat

Citrus japonica

Kumquat in the garden system

  • Understory layer tree
Attracts
Bees
Moisture
Facultative / average
Deer
Browsed

Protect young plants

Origin
Introduced

What kumquat is grown for

✓ Commonly eatenSkin oils mild pet irritant

Use
Whole-fruit snacking
Use
Marmalade
Use
Winter blooms
Edible value
4/5

Harvesting & storing kumquat

Fruit ripens fall-winter, holds for months — eat WHOLE, sweet peel + tart flesh.

Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.

Kumquat · Varieties & cultivars

Best kumquat varieties & cultivars

There are far more than these — the ones below are the named varieties of kumquat people actually plant.

Named varieties of kumquat differ in winter-chill needs, ripening time, hardiness, and whether they set fruit on their own — pick one that fits your climate.

5 varieties

Nagami

Also known as Oval Kumquat, Fortunella margarita

Self-fertile

Ripens
Nov-Feb
Zones
8-11
Disease
good (notably canker/CBC tolerant)
Size
dwarf, 8-12 ft in ground; keeps to 3-5 ft in a pot

tart pulp, sweet edible rind; eaten whole, great for marmalade — The most widely sold kumquat and among the most cold-hardy citrus (to ~18-20F once established), making it a top pick for the coldest citrus zones or container growing up North. Self-fertile; no pollinizer needed. No winter-chill requirement.

Where to buy ‘Nagami’verified

Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.

WoodlandersNagami Kumquat$48.00↗EtsyBrowse growers↗

Sources & plant identity

Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.

Botanical illustration of Kumquat

Kumquat

Citrus japonica

The plant, at a glance.

Botanical name
Citrus japonica
Plant family
Rutaceae
Growth habit
Tree · Tender Perennial
Origin
Introduced
USDA plant symbol
FOJA
Invasive risk
Low
Every garden is different.

Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.

Rooted in research.

University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.

Explore Kumquat’s sources6 reference links
for Kumquat

Research from these sources

ASPCATexas A&M AgriLifeUniversity of FloridaUniversity of California ANRUniversity of MarylandUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison

Publisher marks identify sources, not sponsorship or endorsement.

Questions

Kumquat questions, answered straight.

Do I need two kumquat plants to get fruit?

No — kumquat is self-fertile, so a single plant will set a crop. A second one usually improves yields, but it isn't required.

Is kumquat safe for kids and pets?

Kumquat is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. One caveat on this one: Skin oils mild pet irritant. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.

When do you harvest kumquat?

Fruit ripens fall-winter, holds for months — eat WHOLE, sweet peel + tart flesh.

How do you propagate kumquat?

Grafted, or from cuttings/layering (seed won't come true).

Elsewhere

Where kumquat sits in the library.

Where kumquat sits in the library

Cold-hardy citrus9Houseplants59Fruit trees31Self-fertile fruit trees20Fruit trees for zone 822Fruit trees for zone 921All collections

Grows in the same world

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