Kumquat trees are native to China and have been grown in both Europe and North America since the mid-19th Century. A lot of the trees are used on patios as they make great container plants.

The kumquat tree is compact, slow growing and looks like a shrub. It grows 8 to 15 feet tall, and the branches are small leaves around 1 1/4 to 3 3/8 inches. The kumquat tree blossoms are very fragrant white flowers and the kumquat fruit is mainly oval in shape, growing from 5/8 to 1 1/2 inches.

The following varieties are the most popular kumquat trees and their fruits used mostly for cooking.

Varieties

Hong Kong – This is a very thorny shrub whose fruit is 5/8 to 3/4 inches wide. The peel of these kumquats is thin and not very fleshy and the pulp is only 3 or 4 segments. The seeds are plump.

Marumi – This slightly thorny tree was introduced to the United States in 1885 from Japan. The fruit is round, slightly oval in shape and about 1 1/4 inches in length. The peel is golden yellow and smooth, very aromatic, and spicy. The pulp is in 4 to 7 segments with 1 to 3 seeds.

Meiwa – This dwarf kumquat tree is a rare find in the United States. The fruit is oblong to round in shape, and about 1 1/2 inches wide. The peel is orange-yellow in color, very thick, and sweet. The pulp comes in 7 segments and is often seedless.

Nagami – This tree is the most often cultivated kumquat tree in the United States. This fruit is oval shaped and up to 1 3/34 inches long and 1 3/16 inches wide. The pulp is divided into 4 or 5 segments, and contains 2 to 5 seeds. The tree can grow to be 15 feet tall.

Most kumquats can be eaten fresh from the trees, raw and whole. Kumquats are also great for making marmalade, being pickled, and made into a sauce.