Buddas hands

Bushland, TX(Zone 6a)

Anyone taste these fruits?
Heard they weren't edible.
Why?

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Barnesville (Charle, GA(Zone 8b)

From what I understand, they use them like an orange or lemon zest in recipes.
They do not have pits. It is an interesting plant.
There is nothing to eat. no fruit just zest.

Saint Petersburg, FL

Great for making candied citrus rind, if you're so inclined, though, since there's plenty of rind.

Bushland, TX(Zone 6a)

Thanks
well not quite all the way ripe yet.

Marin, CA(Zone 9b)

I hear the pith ( the white stuff under the peel that tastes bitter) isn't bitter on this one, so you can grind until your heart's content!
I just planted one, when I have a mature fruit I'll be back to report from experience!
Christie

Bushland, TX(Zone 6a)

We will be waiting!!!!

Marin, CA(Zone 9b)

Pfff, don't get your hopes up, he's a finicky fellow this Budda's Hand! :-)

But my school has mature ones, I could take one of those fruits maybe, if I would be allowed.
Christie

Bushland, TX(Zone 6a)

Still waiting for the fingers to unfold,as I recall I crossed pollinated these with a orange flowers,so these might have a little taste,and if I'm lucky maybe a little juice,if I squeeze it hard enough!!!LOL

Barnesville (Charle, GA(Zone 8b)

How do they get the tree? do they propagate it by air layering it?
There are no seeds. I'm curious as can be.
RRM

(Debra) Derby, KS(Zone 6a)

Happy ThanksGiving, Tropicman, to you and your family. Congrats on the buddah hand fruit!

Bushland, TX(Zone 6a)

Back Atcha and Happy Holidays to you and your Family!

Chickenville, FL(Zone 9a)

Mine usually fall off before they get very big. I wonder if it because it is in a pot? I heard that people in the orient hang them up in thier homes as air fresheners ...kinda give them a little squeeze when they walk by to release a lemony fragrance.

I know they can be rooted from cuttings because Logees sells them and a lot of thier citrus that way. The problem with cuttings on thier own roots on most citrus is they are more susceptible to disease and less cold hardy. Most citrus do not come true from see. I may be wrong but I think key lime is one exception and will come true from seed although many are grafted as well now.

Most citrus growers will graft a cutting onto a hardier rootstock so it is a more disease resistant tree and a little more cold hardy. Flying dragon is a dwarf rootstock that is being used in some places.

This message was edited Dec 10, 2009 9:53 AM

Bushland, TX(Zone 6a)

Lot of good info there
Thanks
I'm still waiting for the fingers to unfurl
I wonder how long it takes before that happens?
Tried to squeeze them yesterday,they are a lot firmer now than 3 weeks ago.

Marin, CA(Zone 9b)

This is a painful thread right now, as we have had 3 nights of freeze and I had my Buddha's hand outside. I haven't had the courage to go outside and check the damage yet... So far I see droopy Brugmansias, translucent rubber-plants and melted lettuce...
I never expected such a freeze here!!! And therefor denied the weather reports...
Christie

Bushland, TX(Zone 6a)

We have been down to single digits the last 3 days,and haven't got out of the 20's for highs.
Ice has frozen my greenhouse door shut,but it still is over 60* inside.

Marin, CA(Zone 9b)

Wow Tropicman, you must have a powerful heater in there!

Bushland, TX(Zone 6a)

Just a 20,000 btu vent free heater with a fan.
Its the double poly tuf wall,with 3 inches dead air space.
Roof has a solar pool cover,over the regular greenhouse 6 mil poly plastic sheeting roof.
Warm enough to have hibiscus flowering today!

Marin, CA(Zone 9b)

Sounds lovely! How ingenious of you!

Bushland, TX(Zone 6a)

You learn from your mistakes!!!LOL

Pahoa, HI(Zone 10b)

I just tried a Buddas Hand the other day and yeah they do have fruit but it is almost nothing really. It has been cold here too...it got down to 63F...

Bushland, TX(Zone 6a)

I'm only growing it for the fragrant flowers,the fragrant fruit,and that they bring in the bees for pollinators,I just might use one for cooking some stir fry for lemon flavoring.
Heck thats why I grow just about everything I grow,and the enjoyment,Hmm I guess to me thats priceless!!
I'm lucky to keep the greenhouse above 60* when it is 0* outside,and the windchill is even lower than that.
But what fun I'm having!!!

I grow some things just because I hate them,---joking!!! I love gardening, brings surprises and joy, or such terrible sadness when there's a freeze, or what we have here, hurricanes that wreck everything.

Bushland, TX(Zone 6a)

Yep mother nature can be surprising at times!
The freeze here has brought the outside gardening to a end,and now the beginning of the inside gardening continues once again!

Peachtree City, GA(Zone 8a)

I grew a buddha's hand a couple of summers ago. I used it to fragrance a room at work. My co-workers loved it. The fruit grew very large. All of my blooms dropped off this past summer.

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Peachtree City, GA(Zone 8a)

Another picture of it ripe.

Thumbnail by weeding

so the fruit is fragrant, on the tree? Or the flowers, I know the flowers are heavenly


Bushland, TX(Zone 6a)

Weeding,I crossed pollinated mine with a orange and the fruit is yellow and has been for months but the fingers refuse to open,the fruit is very fragrant,I see in your picture the fingers are open on the green fruit.before it has ripened,was it that way on all your fruit?

Glover, VT

I have a client for whom I planted a Buddha's Hand citrus 4 years ago, It's become quite large and has borne well in years past. This year, all 14 of the fruits have reverted to spheres (no 'fingers'). They are not growing on any branches that may be below a graft - I cannot even see any graft scars, and must assume it's on its own rootstock. All are on branches at least 4' above the ground level, some as high as 10'.

Any theories about this interesting development?

Barnesville (Charle, GA(Zone 8b)

How hardy are these Buddah's hands?? I have an Orange tree that is hardy, but have others in home that isn't hardy at all. What makes them form fingers?? They really are pretty and unusal. I am just curious about them.
RRM

Bushland, TX(Zone 6a)

Mine too are above the 4ft level as well,over all tree maybe 7ft or more tall.
This is my 2nd winter,with it,but first fruit borne on it.
Not sure how hardy they are,I believe they come from China,zone 9 or higher.
My oranges on my orange tree are finally starting to ripen.
I have a Yuzu lemon tree I grew from seed,4 yrs now,planted in the ground this summer,I have it protected with plastic sheeting and Xmas lights,it's about 4ft tall now,they say it is hardy to zero,I have it planted next to my hardy orange tree,which has made it fine thru to winters now unprotected.Although it has yet to flower,it is about 6ft tall now,and is 7 years from seed now.

Barnesville (Charle, GA(Zone 8b)

Sounds like you got it going. The trees are happy and protected enough
tostay with you and that is main thing. Thanks

Bushland, TX(Zone 6a)

Yep,so far so good,lemon tree still has it's leaves,up to Xmas day,haven't checked since then,hasn't got above freezing to look to see.

Peachtree City, GA(Zone 8a)

My buddha fruit has fingers as a young fruit. The fruit is very fragrant when ripe. All of my citrus is placed in the basement or a greenhouse when it gets cold. I wish we could get more than one picture in a post. Here is the fruit at about 2 to 3 inches long.

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Peachtree City, GA(Zone 8a)

Here it is a little larger.

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Peachtree City, GA(Zone 8a)

bigger.

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Peachtree City, GA(Zone 8a)

Ooops!

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Peachtree City, GA(Zone 8a)

Almost there!

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wonderful photos, thanks!!!!

Peachtree City, GA(Zone 8a)

This is when it started to yellow.

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Bushland, TX(Zone 6a)

Great photos!
My fruit is still pretty firm,do they get soft when ripe?

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