Buddha's Hand
Also known as: Fingered citron · Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis
What's special about Buddha's Hand
Splits into finger-like segments; no juice or pulp, but the rind is intensely fragrant. Used for zest, candying, and infusing spirits.
Growing this variety
Buddha's Hand follows the same growing basics as Citron. Variety-specific maturity above; everything else below applies to the whole Citron family.
Germination
Spacing & depth
How to plant
Best from a grafted nursery tree. Very frost-sensitive — grow in a large container in cold climates. The huge thick rind is the crop, used for zest, candying, and (for etrog) ritual use.
Grower's tip
Citron is grown for its thick fragrant rind, not its scant dry pulp. Buddha's Hand splits into finger-like segments and is used for zesting and flavoring.
Woody plant facts
Soil preferences
Deep, rich, well-drained soil with high organic matter.
6.0–6.8 for most; strawberries and blueberries prefer 4.5–6.0.
Compost annually; mulch with wood chips for perennial fruits.
Watering
1–2 in per week; deeper as plants establish.
Soak the root zone, not the foliage. Drip irrigation is ideal for long-lived plantings.
Overwatered: fruit split, root rot, mushy fallen fruit. Underwatered: shriveled berries, dropped flowers, sunscald.
Prefers top-watering — Trees are always top-watered — deep slow soak at the drip line, never at the trunk. Bottom-watering only makes sense for nursery seedlings.
Temperature tolerance
70–85°F (21–29°C)
55–70°F (13–21°C)
Tropical fruits (passionfruit, pepino, naranjilla) frost-tender. Temperate fruits (pomegranate, fig, sea buckthorn) tolerate hard freezes once established.
Container growing
Possible with the right cultivar
10+ gal (38 L) for tree fruit; 3–5 gal for berry canes; 12 in deep for strawberries
Choose dwarf or patio cultivars for containers; overwinter tender types indoors.
Detailed harvesting
Pick fully ripe — fruit sweetens on the plant, not the counter. Test with a gentle tug; ripe fruit releases easily.
Post-harvest storage & preservation
Refrigerate soft fruit unwashed 3–7 days. Freeze on trays, then bag. Dehydrate slices at 135°F. Jam or preserve surplus.
Culinary, medicinal & other uses
Fresh eating, jam, wine, syrup, drying. Use imperfect fruit for cooking; keep the best for the table.
Medicinal or traditional uses are shared for interest only — this is not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before using any plant medicinally.
Seed saving
Most perennial fruit are insect-pollinated and often not true-to-type from seed.
Named cultivars must be propagated by cutting, division, or graft to stay true.
Rinse seeds from ripe pulp; dry 1–2 weeks. Many need cold stratification before sowing.
Your zone's planting calendar
Pick your USDA hardiness zone and we'll estimate the key dates for citron in your area. These are regional averages — always check your own last-frost forecast before sowing.
My Buddha's Hand Citron notes
Buddha's Hand Citron seeds on hand
Track packets and loose seeds you already have. Private to your account.
Par level — leave at 0 for no alert. Anything below par shows on Seed Starting and your shopping list.
From your kitchen — grow citron from what you already have
For fleshy fruits (tomato-family, melons, ground cherries), ferment the seed out. For dry-seeded fruits (roselle, hibiscus family), just let capsules dry on the plant.
- 1Fleshy fruit: scoop seeds and pulp into a jar of water; ferment 2–4 days until it molds; rinse, dry.
- 2Dry-seeded fruit: let capsules turn brown on the plant, then split and tap seeds out.
- 3Perennial fruits (fig, pomegranate, sea buckthorn): far easier from cuttings, division, or suckers than seed.
- 4Store all seed cool, dark, and dry in labeled envelopes.
Storage: 3–6 years dry.
Order more seeds
Running low? Reorder from one of these seed stores.
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Other Citron varieties
Etrog
Yellow smooth-rinded citron used in the Jewish festival of Sukkot. Highly aromatic rind.
Diamante
Italian smooth-rinded citron from Calabria; used in candied peel and liqueurs.
Spadifora
Southern Italian citron cultivar; large fragrant fruit.
Temoni
Small aromatic citron cultivar used for religious and culinary purposes.
Corsican
Old French citron cultivar; sweet-tasting rind, used for candying.