A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 Calamondin Tree

I need help. I just bought a calamondin tree from a local hardware store. I know they are the not the best place to buy plants from, but this is the only place I've found dwarf citrus trees so far and I've always wanted a calamondin tree since it reminds me of my childhood.
At the store, it was fine, but when I took it home, the leaves were all curled up. I looked up "leaf curl" but it said something about a peach pest and also sometimes that the leaves curl from transplant shock. Well I haven't transplanted it. I wanted it to stay the same size, so I didn't bother changing pots. The temperature is the same outside my apt. as it was in the store. It wasn't like it was in a greenhouse. Is there anything else I can do? Other than just the leaves curling, its perfectly healthy! Lots of buds are coming out and I am just waiting for them to open so I can manually pollinate them.
Can anyone help me?

Lady J,

I am not an expert at all, so maybe someone else will confirm this, but I also bought a calamondrin from a hardware store (Lowes I believe). It seems to be doing just fine. Every once in a while, I notice if I do not water it enough, the leaves start to curl up. Once I water it, the leaves go back to normal. I think I have figured out how much water the plant wants now so it does not do it anymore. So maybe more water, just a thought. Can anyone else confirm this?

Big Jim

I know this is real late but since it's still on the page I thought I't might help conferm.
Mine kind of curls if I don't water enough. the sides of the leaves come more together but don't and some almost roll up as if they'r aspireing to be pine needles. I've been told that in an apartment they are hard to keep because they need so much humidity but mines still OK. This I guess kind of conferms the few leaves of mine that curled up alot but they cause they do seem to start to if I water less and when the heaters on in that room. If you can find a big humidity pan that might help. I've found the best watering for it is to keep it pretty moist, when the top looks really dry you stick your finger on it and wiggle it a bit, not really stick it into the dirt and it feels moist not wet, that's when I usualy water it.
Also something I've noticed. the leaves will bend and fold in ways so that they are reflecting the light better when they are not getting enough light. They need as much sun as
possible.
Josh

Thank you everyone for your response! =) I did water it and now its not curling anymore. But I did notice that the leaves at the top started to lose their dark green color and some of the flowers have died and left what look like small bulbs, ready to be fruit. I highly doubt that its ready to bear fruit since its still chilly here in Cali, but can anyone confirm or explain the leaves and the flowers?

Thanks again!!!

Well here is what i can say, first I am not a Citrus grower and therefore am not an expert, however I think what we have here is cultural. OK for what it is worth first off "Leaf Curl" is almost always used in reference to "Peach Leaf Curl" which is a fungual blight that is devistating, but effects Peach and NOT Citrus.

As to the specifics of what is effecting your tree. I think the other comments where correct in that I do think it is a water issue. As was pointed out by one respondent Citrus like their humidity (that is generally what limits what we can grow indoors). I would suggest a tray of rocks filled with water under your plant. The water in the soil and the water in the air are both important but independent, flooding the soil will kill the roots.

As to your last post about loss of color and leaves this may be do to lack of light (most likely I think) or possibly water (too much). Citrus need LOTTS of light to thrive.

I hope this is of some limited assistance. Best of luck and happy gardening!

you can create humidity in the house.you can use a humidifier& a smaller room would be easier to control that,but thats usually the bathroom(though mine is 12x12,not really small) you could mist your tree& you can give extra light buy useing grow lights.I know the type you chose does tolerate cold well(I've been reading up on um)If I was to grow a dwarf variety.I'd use a south faceing window turn it every 3 days& keep out of drafts(so would need something to block air from window sometimes that was easy to lift on*off.piece of cardboard)My bedroom stays around63-68 but some days the sun warms it pretty good.I do have a row of milk jugs with water in them along wall under window& keep plants close together.I wish the windows were larger,but he probably did that for a reason....ME I grow a ponderosa lemon tree.sometimes the leafs curl on it when low on water or temps drop& freezes will have it loose some younger leaves.I don't have a humidity problem here.ours is too much,the woods just makes it worse cause of all the trees,so my plants are happy,but electrical tools ain't.


This is page I saved

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/calamondin.html

When I looked around on those type.I found "changsha" to be the cold hardiest.its took temps to -5& recovered in Rio grand valley TX& is sometimes used as rootstock.Course I'm checkin into TX type grown.I think you have less humidity there. It mentions a shipping temp in dark storage of 53 for 2 weeks.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/homefruit/citrus/citrus.html

That one is more TX stuff but has some great growing& preventive measures.I couldn't find any pics of fruit setting,But grapefruit gets a dot growing when loses the flower and a fruit forms.