Australian Native Citrus: Sustainable, unique flavors for food and agriculture.
This post highlights the unique qualities of six native Australian citrus species: unique flavors, high nutrients, and natural resistance to diseases and harsh climates. This presents an 'emerging product' category within sustainable agriculture and gourmet food. Opportunities exist in: 1. Food and beverage product development (e.g., unique jams, beverages, culinary ingredients). 2. Agricultural investment in commercial cultivation of these resilient species. 3. Research and development into their nutritional and medicinal properties. 4. Eco-tourism and educational initiatives promoting sustainable native food sources. This aligns with growing consumer demand for natural, healthy, and sustainably sourced ingredients.
Origin Reddit Post
r/science
Australia has six unique native citrus species that are not only packed with unique flavors and nutrients but are also naturally resistant to diseases and tough climates, making them incredib
Posted by u/wise_karlaz•08/01/2025
Top Comments
u/WereLobo
Nah, they're the natural host of a really annoying parasitic gall wasp that will slowly take over and kill your citrus trees, or else require you to constantly cut out the galls as your tree
u/Ceilibeag
I long for the arrival of Kumquats; haven't seen them in the store for \*months\*.
u/squigglydash
I've tried finger limes. They're pretty nice, like popping lime flavoured fish eggs in your mouth.
I considered growing my own for a bit but apparently they take ages to mature
u/Crown_Writes
They do not have unique nutrients, maybe that was just poor grammar.
u/bill_b4
Australia to the rescue? Who’da thunk it! Are we sure they don’t have some surprise toxin we don’t know about?
u/ogodilovejudyalvarez
Seeing what selective breeding did for popular citrus fruits, I can see a bright future for lesser known citrus fruits as well
u/bill_b4
Australia to the rescue? Who’da thunk it! Are we sure they don’t have some surprise toxin we don’t know about?
u/auddii04
Perhaps they meant unique nutrient profile?
u/WereLobo
Nah, they're the natural host of a really annoying parasitic gall wasp that will slowly take over and kill your citrus trees, or else require you to constantly cut out the galls as your tree
u/Crown_Writes
The article mentions phytochemicals aren't nutrients. Not a big deal, its just easy to mislead people with nutrition info as people don't have any knowledge of nutrition generally.
u/ogodilovejudyalvarez
Seeing what selective breeding did for popular citrus fruits, I can see a bright future for lesser known citrus fruits as well
u/bill_b4
Thank you for the evolutionary back story! How ironic will it be when survivors of the nuclear holocaust will be done in by the poisonous spider-rabbit inhabiting the outback…that possesses d
u/WereLobo
Nah, they're the natural host of a really annoying parasitic gall wasp that will slowly take over and kill your citrus trees, or else require you to constantly cut out the galls as your tree
u/Academic_Coyote_9741
If you are interested in a detailed overview of the potential of Australian plants as crops, see [this](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-agricultural-science/article/review-
u/ogodilovejudyalvarez
Seeing what selective breeding did for popular citrus fruits, I can see a bright future for lesser known citrus fruits as well
u/squigglydash
I've tried finger limes. They're pretty nice, like popping lime flavoured fish eggs in your mouth.
I considered growing my own for a bit but apparently they take ages to mature
u/WereLobo
Nah, they're the natural host of a really annoying parasitic gall wasp that will slowly take over and kill your citrus trees, or else require you to constantly cut out the galls as your tree
u/squigglydash
I've tried finger limes. They're pretty nice, like popping lime flavoured fish eggs in your mouth.
I considered growing my own for a bit but apparently they take ages to mature
u/WereLobo
Nah, they're the natural host of a really annoying parasitic gall wasp that will slowly take over and kill your citrus trees, or else require you to constantly cut out the galls as your tree
u/bill_b4
Australia to the rescue? Who’da thunk it! Are we sure they don’t have some surprise toxin we don’t know about?
u/bill_b4
Thank you for the evolutionary back story! How ironic will it be when survivors of the nuclear holocaust will be done in by the poisonous spider-rabbit inhabiting the outback…that possesses d
u/WereLobo
<3
There may have been some bitterness.
I have actually started visiting my neighbours and pruning their citrus trees for them. They think I am being kind.
u/Condition_0ne
The reason we have some very venomous animals and these hardy plants is the same - it gets damn hot here.
That provides for a selection pressure on predators to kill their prey quickly (so t
u/Crown_Writes
They do not have unique nutrients, maybe that was just poor grammar.
u/Academic_Coyote_9741
As a person who spent some of the day pruning galls off my citrus while staring over the fence at my neighbours gall-infested tree, I feel your comment viscerally.
u/Condition_0ne
The reason we have some very venomous animals and these hardy plants is the same - it gets damn hot here.
That provides for a selection pressure on predators to kill their prey quickly (so t
u/ogodilovejudyalvarez
Seeing what selective breeding did for popular citrus fruits, I can see a bright future for lesser known citrus fruits as well
u/Condition_0ne
The reason we have some very venomous animals and these hardy plants is the same - it gets damn hot here.
That provides for a selection pressure on predators to kill their prey quickly (so t
u/bill_b4
Thank you for the evolutionary back story! How ironic will it be when survivors of the nuclear holocaust will be done in by the poisonous spider-rabbit inhabiting the outback…that possesses d
u/bill_b4
Australia to the rescue? Who’da thunk it! Are we sure they don’t have some surprise toxin we don’t know about?
u/Academic_Coyote_9741
If you are interested in a detailed overview of the potential of Australian plants as crops, see [this](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-agricultural-science/article/review-
u/bill_b4
Australia to the rescue? Who’da thunk it! Are we sure they don’t have some surprise toxin we don’t know about?
u/Academic_Coyote_9741
I put leaflets in my neighbors letterboxes that basically said ‘This is what gall wasp looks like. Either prune it off or remove your tree.’
u/squigglydash
I've tried finger limes. They're pretty nice, like popping lime flavoured fish eggs in your mouth.
I considered growing my own for a bit but apparently they take ages to mature
u/ogodilovejudyalvarez
Seeing what selective breeding did for popular citrus fruits, I can see a bright future for lesser known citrus fruits as well
u/Crown_Writes
They do not have unique nutrients, maybe that was just poor grammar.
u/Academic_Coyote_9741
As a person who spent some of the day pruning galls off my citrus while staring over the fence at my neighbours gall-infested tree, I feel your comment viscerally.