{"product_id":"citrus-buddhas-hand-lime-citrus-medica-sarcodactylis","title":"Buddha’s Hand Citron - Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrice includes everything:\u003c\/strong\u003e the plant, free delivery and professional installation by our planting team. One price, whole job done.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBuddha’s Hand Citron - Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNobody plants a citron for juice. \u003cem\u003eCitrus medica\u003c\/em\u003e var. \u003cem\u003esarcodactylis\u003c\/em\u003e carries fruit that splits into long yellow finger like segments made almost entirely of fragrant rind and pith, with no pulp and no seeds, and the perfume from a single ripe fruit will fill a room. It is a small, open, thorny shrub rather than a tidy orchard tree, and it is the most cold sensitive citrus in cultivation, so siting matters more than with a lemon or a mandarin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eWhy Buddha’s Hand Citron\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFingered Fruit\u003c\/strong\u003e: Each fruit divides into curling yellow segments, ripening from autumn into winter and holding on the tree for weeks.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIntense Perfume\u003c\/strong\u003e: The rind is heavily loaded with oil and is used for candied peel, zest and infusions rather than for juice.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCompact Frame\u003c\/strong\u003e: It stays genuinely small, so it suits a courtyard or a large pot where a citrus tree would outgrow the space.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePurple Flushed Flowers\u003c\/strong\u003e: The buds and flowers are tinted purple, which is characteristic of citrons and unusual in the citrus group.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArmed Wood\u003c\/strong\u003e: Stiff thorns along the stems make it an effective deterrent planting under a window.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eIdeal Applications\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeature pot at a doorway\u003c\/strong\u003e: The fruit is the whole point, and a pot puts it where people see and smell it.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWarm sheltered courtyard\u003c\/strong\u003e: A north facing courtyard with masonry to radiate heat suits it better than an open garden.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdible garden curiosity\u003c\/strong\u003e: It anchors a kitchen garden as the plant everyone asks about.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEspalier on a warm wall\u003c\/strong\u003e: Trained flat against brick it gains reflected warmth and the fruit sits at picking height.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eSpecimen \u0026amp; Installation\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing (screening\/hedge):\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.5m to 2m centres\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing (feature\/avenue):\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5m to 3m centres\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBest Planting Season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spring to early summer once soil temperatures have risen\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil \u0026amp; Drainage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sandy loam with sharp drainage, pH 6 to 7. Wet feet in winter will kill it faster than cold will, so plant on a slight mound in heavier ground.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEstablishment Care:\u003c\/strong\u003e Keep moisture steady through the first two summers without ever letting the soil stay saturated, and feed with a citrus food in early spring and again in late summer. Mulch generously but hold it 100mm clear of the trunk, and protect from frost entirely, as this is the least cold tolerant of the citrus.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003ePlant Details\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2m to 3m\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWidth:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.5m to 2.5m\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Slow to moderate\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFoliage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Evergreen\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun, sheltered from cold and drying wind\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNative to:\u003c\/strong\u003e The citron group originates in north-eastern India and southern China\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlower Colour:\u003c\/strong\u003e White, flushed purple in bud\n\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nursery Direct","offers":[{"title":"100L","offer_id":59795302482206,"sku":"ND-0450-100L","price":3250.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/2536\/8862\/files\/OzMZkTNZXEHkUmaqEmrxo_SrCzc6vK.jpg?v=1787313112","url":"https:\/\/nurserydirect.com.au\/products\/citrus-buddhas-hand-lime-citrus-medica-sarcodactylis","provider":"Nursery Direct","version":"1.0","type":"link"}