Wonderful properties of kumquat. What is this plant, what is its use?

Although kumquat plant appeared on our market very recently, it immediately fell in love with its beauty, useful and tasty fruits. His homeland - South-East China, although in the wild it was not found there. It is known only that there grow cultivars of kumquat, that this plant was mentioned by the ancient Chinese in the second century BC. But in Europe, mention of it appeared only in the seventeenth century. And I must say that it has not received much fame until now.

A botanist from Algeria, Trabiu made the first botanical description of kumquat at the beginning of the 20th century. That this evergreen branchy dwarfish tree, in Europe has been known for a long time. Its ovoid fruit ripens between February and mid-March and has a golden yellow, fiery orange or orange color. Their flesh is juicy and sourish. The rind is smooth, with a sweetish-spicy taste. Usually in the fetus from 4 to 7 lobules and several seeds.

In different countries there are different names for kumquat: golden orange or kinkan in Japan, golden mandarin or Japanese quince in Europe. He is also called Fortunella, or a golden bean. The plant is interesting not only for its appearance, but also for its contents. It's just a storehouse of useful substances! Firstly, it contains many essential oils, which are successfully used in the treatment of colds, colds and coughs. Using the fruits of kumquat (which is what you already know), you can get rid of nervous tension, improve the digestive system. Contained in fruits furokumarin will help to cure fungal diseases. And, of course, the presence of vitamins C, B and P, too, will bring tangible benefits.

Eat it together with the peel. Special connoisseurs of this fruit use only its peel. In addition, it is used as an additive to sauces, salads and snacks. It is baked with meat or fish. It is popular in dried form. And they dry it not only with lobules, but also whole, in the form of candied fruits. Europeans are happy to use this fruit as a snack for martini, replacing them with olives. It is worth knowing one more useful property of kumquat - that it is an excellent remedy for a hangover. After a good feast enough to eat a few fruits, and in the morning you do not have to remember the amount drunk.

If you decide to have such a plant, you need to know the following. First of all, kumquat does not need very careful care. He likes hot summer and cold winter. This evergreen tree is better to grow on the street. In hot days, its roots must be protected from overheating. To do this, it should be planted in the soil with sand, sawdust, peat or moss. If you still decided to grow it indoors, first of all provide the plant with moist air. Otherwise, it loses its foliage, especially in winter. It should be sprinkled with warm water and placed on a battery with water.

In the cool season, the plant is watered every other day, in winter at least twice a week, and in the summer on a daily basis. Kumquat responds well to top dressing. And you need to know that the smaller the pot in which it grows, and the larger the plant, the more often it should be fertilized. From the first days of spring and until autumn, it is fed several times a month, and the rest of the time it is enough once in 30 days.

In any case, it is worth trying to grow this exotic beautiful and useful plant. After all, it was not for nothing that it was called the little pleasure of the Chinese wise men from ancient times.