How to Grow Cumquat in Australia

Updated September 2026

The toughest little citrus, happy in a pot anywhere in the country

Cumquats are the small, hardy end of the citrus family. The fruit is about the size of a large olive and is eaten whole, sweet skin and sharp flesh together, or turned into marmalade, candied fruit and preserves.

The tree is compact, handsome in a pot for years, and takes more cold than any other common citrus. It is the one citrus the site lists as suited to every one of its ten regions, from Darwin to Hobart, with the planting window shifting to suit each climate.

When to Plant in Your Region

Cumquats go in as potted grafted trees when the weather is mild and roots can establish before extremes of heat or cold. Plant from March to September in South East Queensland, Northern Rivers NSW, Sydney & Coastal NSW and Perth & WA. Plant from September to November in Melbourne & Victoria and Tasmania. Plant from March to April or September to October in Adelaide & SA. Plant in November in Canberra & ACT. Plant from May to September in North Queensland. Plant from May to August in Darwin & Top End. Choose your region below for the local calendar and any regional note.

Your region

Climate and Where It Grows in Australia

Cumquats grow slowly and go almost dormant in cool weather, which is where their cold tolerance comes from. They still need warmth to ripen sweet fruit, so give them the sunniest spot you have.

In South East Queensland, the Northern Rivers, Sydney and Perth they can be planted from autumn right through to early spring. Further south the window moves to spring, once frosts have passed: September to November in Melbourne and Tasmania, and November in Canberra, where young trees still need cover on frosty nights. Adelaide has two windows, one in autumn and one in spring. In North Queensland and the Top End, plant in the dry season and keep watering until the wet arrives. Anywhere winters are harsh, a pot is the easy answer, because the tree can sit against the warmest wall.

South East Queensland: plant from March to September.
Northern Rivers NSW: plant from March to September.
Sydney & Coastal NSW: plant from March to September.
Melbourne & Victoria: plant from September to November. The hardiest citrus for Melbourne. Plant Sep to Nov in a sunny bed or a large pot.
Adelaide & SA: plant from March to April or September to October. Plant Mar to Apr or Sep to Oct. Thrives in a bed or a pot; keep pots watered through heatwaves.
Perth & WA: plant from March to September.
Tasmania: plant from September to November. Plant Sep to Nov in a warm sheltered bed or a pot. After Meyer lemon, the most reliable citrus in Tasmania.
Canberra & ACT: plant in November. The hardiest citrus for Canberra. Plant in November after the last frost in a sunny sheltered spot or a pot, and cover young trees on frosty nights.
North Queensland: plant from May to September. Plant May to Sep in the dry and water regularly until the wet arrives. Grows well in a large pot.
Darwin & Top End: plant from May to August. Plant May to Aug in the dry and water regularly through to the wet. Grows well in a large pot.

Choosing a Variety

Nagami

Oval fruit with tart flesh and a sweet skin. The classic cumquat for marmalade and for preserving in syrup.

Marumi

Round fruit with a sweeter skin and slightly milder flesh. A good choice for eating straight off the tree.

Meiwa

Round, fleshy fruit and the sweetest of the three, best eaten fresh. Less often sold than Nagami, but worth hunting for.

Planting

Choose full sun and shelter from strong wind. Like all citrus, cumquats hate wet feet: they want free-draining soil with a pH of about 6 to 7.5, and on clay they are best planted on a mound or in a raised bed.

In the ground. Space trees about 2 m apart. A cumquat grows to about 1.5 to 3 m.
In a pot. Use a pot at least 40 cm wide with good drainage holes and a premium potting mix, and raise it slightly off paving so water drains freely.
Depth. Plant at the same level the tree sat in its nursery pot, with the graft union well clear of the soil or mix. Water in and mulch, keeping mulch off the trunk.

Care

Watering

Water deeply when the top few centimetres of soil are dry, and more often while flowers and fruit are forming. Potted trees dry out fast in summer and may need water every day or two in hot weather. Uneven watering, dry then drenched, is a common cause of fruit drop.

Feeding

Citrus are hungry trees and underfeeding is the most common reason a backyard tree crops poorly. Feed with a complete citrus fertiliser in late winter, before the spring flowering, and again in late summer, spreading it under the canopy out to the drip line rather than against the trunk, then water it in. Pale leaves with green veins usually point to a shortage of trace elements, which a citrus food that includes them will fix. Top up the mulch each spring, keeping it clear of the trunk.

Pruning

Cumquats need very little. Rub off any shoots that appear below the graft, cut out dead wood, and trim to keep a neat shape after the main crop is picked. On a very young tree, removing some of the first fruit lets it put more energy into growing.

Pollination

Cumquats are self-fertile. A single tree flowers and fruits on its own.

Pests and Diseases

Citrus in Australian gardens share a short list of pests. None of them needs heavy spraying if you catch it early.

Citrus gall wasp. Swollen, lumpy growths on young stems, each one full of larvae. Cut the galls out in winter, before the adult wasps emerge in spring, and bag them for the bin rather than the compost.
Citrus leaf miner. Silvery trails and curled new leaves, worst on the late summer and autumn flush. It is mostly cosmetic on an established tree but sets young trees back. Horticultural oil on the new growth protects it, and avoiding pruning in late summer and autumn means less soft growth when the moth is most active.
Scale. Small brown or white bumps on stems and under leaves, often with black sooty mould and a trail of ants. Horticultural oil smothers scale, and keeping ants off the trunk lets the natural predators do their work.
Bronze orange bug. Large shield bugs that suck on new shoots and flower stalks, so flowers and young fruit drop. Knock the young nymphs into a bucket of soapy water in winter while they are small. Wear gloves and eye protection, because they squirt a fluid that burns skin and eyes.

Melanose shows as small, raised brown specks on leaves and fruit that feel like fine sandpaper. The fungus lives on dead twigs inside the canopy, so cutting out dead wood is most of the cure.

The plant library also lists citrus canker, because it is one of the most serious citrus diseases in the world. It is not established in Australia and it is a notifiable disease. If you see raised, corky spots with a yellow or oily halo on leaves, stems and fruit, report it to the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881 rather than treating it yourself.

Harvest and Storage

Fruit colours to a deep orange through winter and holds well on the tree for weeks, so pick as you need it. Snip the fruit off with a short stalk rather than pulling, which can tear the skin.

Picked cumquats keep on the bench for about a week and in the fridge for two to three weeks. For marmalade, wait until the fruit is fully coloured. Our Jam and Jelly guide covers the setting point.

Track Your Cumquat Tree

Add cumquats to your garden in the Planting Season app and get reminders for planting, care and harvest, tuned to your region.

Open the App →

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I plant cumquats in Australia?

It depends on your region. Plant from March to September in South East Queensland, Northern Rivers NSW, Sydney & Coastal NSW and Perth & WA. Plant from September to November in Melbourne & Victoria and Tasmania. Plant from March to April or September to October in Adelaide & SA. Plant in November in Canberra & ACT. Plant from May to September in North Queensland. Plant from May to August in Darwin & Top End. Choose your region in the calendar on this page for the local window.

Can you eat cumquats whole?

Yes. That is the traditional way to eat them. The skin is the sweet part and the flesh is sharp, so eating the whole fruit balances the two. Remove the seeds as you go.

Can I grow a cumquat in a pot?

Yes, cumquats are one of the best citrus for pots. Use a pot at least 40 cm wide with a premium potting mix, water regularly in warm weather, and feed with a citrus fertiliser in late winter and late summer.

Why are my cumquat leaves turning yellow?

The usual causes are underfeeding, roots sitting in wet soil, or cold. Check the drainage first, then feed with a citrus fertiliser that includes trace elements. Some yellowing in a cold winter is normal and greens up in spring.