Calamondin or Calamansi in my Garden

I bought this plant at Wal-Mart about a year ago. It was less than $10. This is calamansi or Calamondin, a citrus plant. It is called "acid orange" when it was introduced here in Florida in 1900. Since it flourished in Panama, Florida, the calamondin was also called the Panama orange. According to seminolecountyfl.gov, calamondin might be originated from the Philippines. It might be true you know. There are many Filipinos living here in Florida and they could have brought some seeds here. Citrus thrives in Florida and we have variety of citrus fruits here including this Calamansi or Calamondin.

When I was young and summer time comes, I spent my vacation in Camiguin Island Philippines. I love to stay with my aunt and cousins because I love to wander in the woods looking for wild fruits such as berries and guavas. My aunt has a fruit bearing Calamansi tree. When my cousins and I hang out in a tiki hut, we always harvest a bowl of calamansi and make a refreshing calamansi juice. There were also occasions that we just sliced it in half and dip the calamansi to sugar or salt. Most houses in the rural have fruit trees in their backyard and calamansi is a common tree. When my cousins and I have the time, we gather all the ripe calamansi fruits and make it a calamansi jelly. It was so good.