Lemon & Limes

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Lemon and Lime Varieties

Lemon (Citrus limon)

This fruit belongs to the small evergreen tree in the flowering plant family Rutaceae. It is native to South Asia, mostly Northeastern India.

VARIETYSEASON OF MATURITYSEEDS/FRUITFRUIT SIZECOMMENTS
Eureka (similar to Lisbon, Sicilian, Harvey) Citrus limon var. EurekaEverbearingFew 0 – 5Small 2” – 2½”Moderately vigorous, spreading growth habit, thorny. Very juicy, acidic, excellent for cooking. Common commercial variety. Similar to grocery variety. Cold sensitive.
Meyer Lemon × orange or mandarin Citrus limon meyeriEverbearingMany 10Medium 2½” – 3”Yellowish orange rind. Pulp is usually dark yellow, very juicy and tender, less acid than a real lemon. Exceptionally smooth, soft, and thick but lacks the typical lemon peel oil aroma; purple blooms. Small compact growing habit. Most cold tolerant of all lemons. This one is popular for dooryard planting.
Ponderosa Lemon × citron Citrus limon var. ponderosaEverbearingMany 7 – 15Large 3” – 5”Moderately juicy, fair in acid. Very large, white, and fragrant blooms. Thick, bumpy, fleshy rind. Small growth habit, used in California for garden ornamental, large leaves and very thorny. Small to medium-sized tree (10 to 25 feet). Good for cooking. Cold sensitive.
Sambo (Sweet) lemon × tangerineNov – DecManyLarge 3” – 3½”Rough skin, oval-shaped like Orlando tangelo. Good tasting, peel orange color, easily peeled. Moderately juicy, lemon-like flavor. Origin Japan. Sweet (no acid). Cold hardy.
Variegated Pink Lemon Citrus limon var. variegataNov – MarFew 0 – 6Small – Medium 2½” – 2¾”Foliage and fruit are uniquely variegated. Flesh is pink in color. Cold sensitive.

Note: Nothing requires a pollinator; if it did, it may produce more fruit.
< 25‑30°F, need to protect all citrus. Hard freeze: 28°F > 4 hrs.

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Lime

It is usually round in shape and has a green color. This citrus fruit has a size of 3–6 centimeters in diameter and contains acidic juice vesicles.

VARIETYSEASON OF MATURITYSEEDS/FRUITFRUIT SIZECOMMENTS
Indian Sweet (Palestine) Citrus limettoides Lemon × orange × Mexican limeFew Medium 1¾” – 2½”Not acidic, referred to as sweet. Medium-sized tree with irregular, thick, and thorny branches, while the leaves are cupped or rolled. Round fruit with a small nipple, very juicy, mild-flavored white juice with a hint of orange flavor. Rind smooth or faintly ribbed, light yellow changing to orange-yellow when fully mature. Tree similar to Persian in appearance. It is believed to have special medicinal properties in India and Egypt. Used for rootstock in Middle East and India.
Kaffir Citrus hystrixJan – AprVery Seedy The tree is small. Fruit has real rough, bumpy, and thick peel; dark green fruit with strong lime aroma. Used for the rind oil and leaves to enhance the flavor of Asian cooking (curries, soups, and salads). The leaves and rind can be kept in the freezer for up to one year.
Key (Mexican, “true lime”) Citrus aurantifoliaEverbearingFew 3 – 10 (very small)Small 1¼” – 1¾”Very acidic and juicy. Flesh is greenish-yellow to yellow. Peel turns greenish-yellow when ripe. Excellent for cooking and pies. Fairly vigorous, medium size, bushy growth with slender branches. Cold sensitive. Thorny more fruit production than thornless. Thorny leaf elongated whereas thornless more rounded.
Limequat Citrofortunella floridana Marumi kumquat × West Indian LimeEverbearingFew 0 – 7 (very small)Small 1¼” – 1¾”Oblong. Cross round kumquat and key lime. Small tree size. Very heavy producer. Acidic, very juicy. Yellow fruited, white flesh color. Key lime flavor. More cold tolerant than other limes.
Persian (Tahiti~Bearss~Sicilian) Citrus latifoliaEverbearingNone 0 – 1Medium 1¾” – 2½”Harvest while still green; mature fruit greenish-yellow. Flesh is pale yellow. Very juicy and acidic. Most commonly grown for commercial use. Similar to lime found in grocery. Vigorous growth and thornless, large, dark green leaves. Spot picked while green. Cold sensitive.

Note: Nothing requires a pollinator; if it did, it may produce more fruit.
< 25‑30°F, need to protect all citrus. Hard freeze: 28°F > 4 hrs.