This Tree of the Week was chosen by Julie, our technical support specialist! She has chosen the Calamansi orange tree (Citrus x citrofortunella mitis). The Calamondin trees produce fragrant, white flowers, followed by small, round oranges. They are a hybrid between a mandarin orange and a kumquat, offering a unique sour taste and visual appeal. It is native to the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei, as well as Taiwan, and parts of southern China. Calamansi is ubiquitous in traditional Philippine cuisine. It is naturally very sour, and is used in various condiments, beverages, dishes, marinades, and preserves. It is not a fruit that you typically eat right off the tree, although you can! In sub-tropical and parts of warm temperate North America, the Calamansi orange tree is grown primarily as an ornamental plant in gardens, and in pots and container gardens on terraces and patios. It has a high vitamin C content and the juice is a natural remedy used in the Philippines and Malaysia. The Philippines is the only major producer of calamansi. It is primarily grown for its juice extracts which are exported to the United States, Japan, South Korea, Canada, and Hong Kong. The Philippines exports between 160,000 and 190,000 metric tons of calamansi juice each year!