The Kumquat is a unique small tree bearing tiny oval fruits. The tree has dense branches and deep green leaves. Its flowers grow white, resembling the citrus flowers, before turning into the miniature kumquat fruit.

Kumquat has been cultivated in China and Japan for centuries. It was brought to Corfu by the English botanist, Merlin, in 1924. Merlin was a great traveller and used to bring exotic products back from his trips. He discovered the kumquat on a visit to Japan and brought some plants to cultivate on Corfu. There are now thousands of trees on the island.

The kumquat fruit resembles an oval tiny orange about three to four cm long. It is the only fruit of the Citrus family that is eaten with the peel, which is rich in essential oils and vitamin C. Its distinctive bittersweet zesty flavour makes it the perfect ingredient in deserts and salads and is a favourite for marmalades, sugary and other traditional sweets as well as liqueurs.

Corfu is virtually the only place in Europe where kumquat is cultivated. It mainly grows on the northern part of Corfu in Nymphes, where the mild climate, rich soil and abundance in water make it the ideal place for the kumquat trees to thrive. It blooms in March and April and the fruits are picked in May.