Red Finger Lime

Native to the rainforests of eastern Australia, Red Finger Lime is a distinctive citrus prized for its unusual, colourful fruit. Compared with the typical Australian Finger Lime, Red Finger Lime is distinguished by its pink to red juice pearls and red to deep burgundy skin, giving the fruit an especially colourful appearance. Slender fruit are filled with pink to red, pearl-like juice vesicles often called "citrus caviar." The juicy pearls burst in the mouth with an intensely aromatic, tart lime flavour and are excellent for garnishing drinks, desserts and savoury dishes or anywhere a fresh burst of citrus is desired.

Plants form dense, evergreen shrubs with small leaves and naturally thorny, twiggy growth. They grow best in full sun in rich, well-drained soil and can be pruned to maintain a compact size. They are well suited to growing in containers, though ensure drainage is excellent. In colder climates, plants should be overwintered in a bright, protected location and kept from hard freezes.

Common names: Red Finger Lime, Red-Fleshed Finger Lime, Red-Pulp Finger Lime

Edible: Fruit
Harvest timing: Fall - winter

Scientific name:  Citrus australasica Sanguinea Group (formerly Microcitrus australasica var. sanguinea)
Light requirements: Full sun (6+ hours)
Full-grown size: 6-10' tall x 4-6' wide
Hardiness: Zone 9 (will need winter protection in B.C.)
Pollination: Self-fertile 
Wildlife: Flowers support bees and other pollinating insects.
Origin: Native to rainforests of northeastern New South Wales and southeastern Queensland, Australia.
Noteworthy: Famous for its "lime caviar": tiny, juice-filled pearls inside the fruit that burst with tangy flavour.