Kumquats, despite their funny-sounding name, are very tasty fruits. Visually, they look like small oranges that are the size of olives. The taste is somewhat similar to an orange but without the bitterness that sometimes comes with it. The reason why kumquats don’t have the bitter bite that oranges have is due to the lack of pith (the white inner skin). You can also eat the rind of the kumquat, in fact, most of the sweetness of the kumquat comes from its rind as the flesh is quite tart.
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Order: Sapindales
- Family: Rutaceae
- Genus: Citrus
- Species: C. japonica
- Binomial name: Citrus japonica
Kumquat Trivia
- The name Kumquat is taken from the Cantonese word which means “Golden Orange” or “Gold Tangerine”.
- Unlike many citrus plants, kumquats can withstand both hot and cold growing temperatures.
- The earliest mention of the Kumquat is from 12th century Chinese literature.
- Kumquat seeds, unlike other citrus seeds, are edible and crunchy.
- Kumquats are the only citrus fruits that you can eat entirely.