Tavares Limequat

Tavares Limequat

(Citrus × floridana 'Tavares')

Documented by Léo — grown in the ground, USDA zone 8b

Tavares limequat (Citrus × floridana 'Tavares') is a fruiting hybrid of West Indian lime and oval kumquat. W. T. Swingle obtained it in Florida in 1909; the name was published in 1913. The French growers Vessières and Agrumes de Provence report 16°F (−9°C) for the tree; this commercial indication does not guarantee survival under a prolonged freeze. Vessières gives an evergreen tree of 7 ft (2 m) with moderate growth. The small oval fruits turn yellow to yellow-orange and provide a fragrant, sour juice, with few seeds according to this grower. Their peel can also be used in cooking. Ripening can be spread over the year, depending on the climate. Juice, sauces, and candied fruit are its main uses. USDA zone 8b is an equivalence calculated from 16°F (−9°C), not an official classification of the clone. In France, grow in sun, in well-drained soil and sheltered from wind, with protection for young trees.

Identity

OriginFlorida, United States

Genetic originHybrid of West Indian lime and oval kumquat, obtained by W. T. Swingle in 1909

USDA zone8b

Cold hardiness16°F (−9°C)

GrowthModerate

Height7 ft (2 m)

HarvestJanuary, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

SeedsFew

UsesCandied fruit, Juice, Savory cooking, Sweet cooking

FlavorsSour, Highly aromatic

History & Description

Origin

Tavares belongs to the limequats obtained by W. T. Swingle in Florida in 1909, then named in 1913. The UCR notice describes a parentage between the West Indian lime and the oval kumquat, unlike Eustis and Lakeland, which are associated with the round kumquat. The USDA record identifies the current reference accession as CRC 4048 / PI 654837. An older accession, CRC 3172, had been misidentified and corresponds to a lemon hybrid: its characteristics are not imported here. This record therefore distinguishes a precise fruiting cultivar among the limequats.

Tree description

Vessières gives a small evergreen tree of 7 ft (2 m) and moderate growth, suited to garden or container growing. Development depends on rootstock and pruning. The threshold of 16°F (−9°C) comes from the French announcements of Vessières and Agrumes de Provence, with no published experimental protocol. The UCR says only that limequats resist better than the lime and less well than kumquats. A young specimen or a potted rootball may require earlier protection. USDA zone 8b is an equivalence calculated from the reference of 16°F (−9°C) announced by the nurserymen, in the band 15 to 20°F (−9.4 to −6.7°C): no source classifies Tavares itself, and it is not a guarantee of in-ground growing without protection.

Fruit quality

The fruit is small, elongated, and oval, with thin yellow to yellow-orange skin at maturity. Tavares keeps a sour, aromatic juice usable in place of lime, but with a kumquat influence. The skin is enjoyed along with the fruit and the French grower indicates few seeds. Ripening can be spread over the year depending on conditions; this does not guarantee a harvest every month in every French garden. The resistance of the fruits to freezing is unknown.

Flavor and ornamental interest

Tavares brings a lime and kumquat flavor to sauces, marinades, desserts, and drinks. The fruits can also be candied; their small size suits whole use in the kitchen. Its modest habit is interesting when space is limited. Vessières also notes uses in cocktails, in jams, and in lacto-fermentation. The USDA zone 8b reference remains an order of magnitude: see the reservation on the calculated equivalence above.