If it's not what you absolutely want, don't get it. The world is too small and life too short. Besides, if you're like the rest of us you are probably going to have too many citrus plants to take care of already.

I grew a few kumquat trees from seed. (The supermarkets around here have kumquats every once in a while in the right season) Don't know if this is too advanced for you but maybe you can learn how to grow from seed and then graft onto trifoliate rootstock. Seedlings grow best and fastest inside an indoor enclosure under artificial light (helps hold humidity and heat).

I don't particularly care for the variegated look myself. The plants look kind of sickly. One seedling I grew turned out to be variegated so I sent it to someone else. He was ecstatic to receive it.

I wouldn't buy another plant that came from Record Buck Farms. Mine was a cutting and found it not to be as vigorous as a grafted tree.

kumquats are extremely hard to grow. The Fukushu is the only exception and grows well from seed. The Meiwa is the hardest to grow if not near impossible. It can be grown from seed with great difficulty. Unless you are particularly fond of kumquats I would strongly suggest not grow them.

Steve

Kumquats make great container plants though and are extremely fruitful.

Meiwa is probably the best tasting variety.

I grow quite a few containerized citrus and tried Centennial kumquat. Finally gave up on it. Too hard for me to grow and there are many other varieties I much prefer to eat.

I've never had the meiwa or nagami, but my 4 winds grafted Fukushu gives me the least trouble of all and I like the taste....I found if you pull the seeds and slice out and white pith inside they are a interesting chew and the juice is not sour....the peel is a bit boring

I was planning on getting a meiwa kumquat this year, had not heard they were on the more difficult side to grow.....oh well, I'm always up for a challenge!

Ken The Meiwa kumquat will only grow on Poncirus trifoliata or Flying dragon rootstock. It will not grow on anything else that is worth trying.

meiwa rootstock trials

Read carefully and consider a Marumi kumquat instead.

Interesting responses.

Steve I am so disheartened by your sentiment. I DO love kumquats, and I know you've been growing them for a good bit now.

Laura, I had the same experience - plants right next to each other and one drops leaves. Really perplexing. And considering my losses of late, I'm really discouraged, because I don't think citrus are finicky or difficult.