Variegated Buddhas Hand

This unusual variegated Buddha’s hand lemon tree (Citrus Medica var. Sarcodactylis) produces many fingered variegated green and white fruits. Citrus medica are of the oldest members of the citrus family the fruits are highly perfumed and prized for their zest. The lemon fingers can be finely sliced or grated for use in salads and desserts and commercially they are used in perfumes and to flavour vodka. These variegated version are slightly more demanding but can still bring pleasure for years, with the right care.

Citrus trees need lots of light. A conservatory is ideal, but they will also be happy near a window in a cool, bright room. In the summer and autumn, your citrus will thrive outdoors in full sun or partial shade. However, these trees are not hardy and will need to come inside as soon as the outdoor temperatures are near 5 degrees Celsius. When indoors, try to keep your plant away from cold draughts and any heating source.

Citrus are best kept in small pots here in the UK, they will need to be monitored regularly to check when the top of the soil is dry. It is best not to have them on a routine water and let them tell you when they are next ready for a drink. When the top of the soil is bone dry, remove the pot from the outer pot cover and water thoroughly from the top until excess water drains right through the pot and out of the bottom. Sometimes if the soil is very compact this may take several waterings and is easiest to do in a kitchen sink.

In the winter you should expect to water thoroughly still, making sure to soak the soil, but you might only need to do this infrequently. We normally receomend every 1 to 4 weeks, depending on how quickly the soil dries out. In the summer months you may need to water as often as every other day, but do not stand your plant in water for more than a few minutes. Don’t worry if the soil feels dry between waterings, but if the leaves start to droop or curl you know it is thirsty, so water straight away. If you are having gradual leaf drop where you have a few leaves falling off each day, your plant is being overwatered.

In the summer, citrus trees will benefit from summer citrus feed every week to encourage growth, We recommend our Summer citrus fertiliser from March until the end of September. Through winter, from October until the end of February, we recommend using the winter citrus fertiliser every time you water.

Citrus grow quite slowly; if you need to, repot in the spring only going up 1 pot size using a fast-draining compost suitable for container plants. Buddha’s Hands don’t follow a strict season and can fruit or flower at any point during the year. The fragrant flowers will give way to small green knotted looking fruit that will slowly uncurl and ripen to large hand shaped fruits.

Buddha’s hands and particularly these variegated varieties do not like our winter months so can look a little sorry for themselves without sunshine. Keep them in the sunniest spot you can and they should perk up in spring time.

Problem solving

Citrus trees are not the easiest of plants but they are very rewarding. Look out for signs of trouble and try to treat problems early. The most common problem is leaves dropping due to over or under watering. If leaves are crisp when they drop, this is due to underwatering; if they are leathery the chances are it has been over watered. A return to a regular and thorough watering routine should lead to recovery.

If new growth is very light in colour or has mottled markings your plant may be lacking trace elements. A good dose of citrus feed should soon green up the leaves.

Over time the variegation on these trees can change, if you have branches that start to come through all green when you want to keep the variegation, just snip of these reverting branches to encourage more stripy growth over time.

Our citrus trees are grown in a pesticide-free environment. In the unlikely event that you find pests, e.g. aphids, these can be removed by hand or with a soap and water spray. Check our recommended organic plant pest treatment for other pests here

We also have several pages and a video on more detailed citrus care here