Citrus Pages / Limes

Finnish

Lime and its relatives
Citrus aurantiifolia

	Introduction Uses Cultivation Mexican lime (Common lime, Key lime) Persian lime (Tahiti lime, Bearss lime) Kaffir lime (Kuffre lime, Kieffer lime, Makrut) Rough lemon Italian lime (Limetta, Sweet lime) Millsweet limetta Indian lime (Palestinian lime) Mary Ellen sweet lime Mandarin lime (Canton lime, Mandarin lemon) Rangpur lime Otaheite lime Calamondin Variegated Calamondin
Persian lime Citrus latifolia © C. Jacquemond / INRA

Introduction

This is a varied collection of some of the most acid types of citrus fruit. Only the first few are actual limes. Others are citrus types that share many of the qualities and culinary uses of lime. Limes are some of the smallest of commercially grown citrus fruit. Their thin skin sits very tightly, so peeling a lime can be a laborious task. Limes have few seeds, some are seedless. The flesh and juice of lime often show a nice shade of spring green. There are also limes with an orange or golden colour both in the fruit and on the rind.

Uses

Limes are seldom eaten as fresh fruit, although exceptions are mentioned below. Limes are pressed for juice, which can be used in cooking and when sweetened and diluted with water can be enjoyed as fresh juice or be mixed with other beverages to produce tropical punches and cocktails. The zest of lime is used especially in oriental dishes that are prepared quickly. Lime loses its freshness when boiled too long. All parts of the Kaffir lime used in Indonesian and Thai cuisine enhance the taste of food. When the rind and juice as well as the fresh leaves are used the Kaffir lime releases the strong citric and often pungent aroma so many cherish. Red and orange limes are best when fully matured. The more familiar limes are best when medium ripe, with some green colour still showing on the skin. As the fruit matures and the rind begins to turn yellow the fruit loses some of its fresh taste and becomes less juicy. When you shop ordinary Mexican, Persian or Kaffir limes (see below) make sure you buy fruit that are still as green as possible.

Citrus limonia var. rangpur, Rangpur lime

Cultivation

Limes grow in a warm subtropical or tropical climate. The main producers of lime are India, Egypt, Mexico and the Caribbean islands. The biggest lime plantation in Colima, Mexico has more than two million trees. The skins and solids left over from juice production are an important source of lime oil. The oil is produced from the fruit pulp by vapor distillation and serves as a source of citrus flavour in a large variety of internationally marketed mixers, soft drinks, essences and flavourings.


LAT	Citrus aurantiifolia (Christm.) Swingle
Syn	Citrus lima Lunan Citrus medica var. acida Brandis Cultivated varieties: ’Everglade’,’Palmetto’ and ’Yung’
	Mexican lime is the most acid of the common citrus fruits. This is the round lime grown especially in Mexico, Florida and the West Indies. The colour varies from dark green when immature to a yellowish green when ripe. For food and drinks it is best medium ripe, when still green. This is the Key lime of food recipes. The Key Lime Pie familiar from American cooking is made of graham crackers and condensed milk flavoured with lime. There is no specific variety called Key lime. Limes have long been grown on the islands of south Florida called The Keys. Hence the name.
ENG	Mexican lime, Lime, Common lime, West Indian lime, Key lime
FRA	Limette acide, Lime mexicaine
GER	Limette, Saure Limette, Limettenzitrone
I TA	Limetta mexicana
SPA	Lima ácida, Limón agrio, Limón criollo
Photo		© C. Jacquemond / INRA


LAT	Citrus latifolia Tanaka
	Cultivated varieties: ’Bearss’, ’Idemor’ and ’Pond.’
	Persian lime is the elongated or ovate seedless lime, often with beautiful spring green flesh and juice. It is less acidic and often juicier than the Mexican lime (Citrus aurantiifolia) and likes a warmer climate. Thrives in the tropics where it can produce fruit all year around. In most favourable conditions fruit are picked once a month throughout the year. In the absence of colder seasons or colder nights yellow colour does not always develop in the skin and the fruit can remain fully green also when ripe. The Persian or Tahiti lime is grown neither in Iran nor in Tahiti.
ENG	Persian lime, Tahiti lime Seedless lime, Bearss lime
FRA	Lime de Perse, lime de Tahiti
GER	Persische Limette, Tahitilimette, Tahiti-Limonelle
I TA	Limetta di Tahiti
SPA	Lima persa, lima da Persia, lima Tahiti (fruit), limero de Tahiti (tree)
Photos		© C. Jacquemond / INRA © UCR Citrus Variety Collection


LAT	Citrus hystrix DC
Syn	Citrus torosa Blanco Papeda hystrix
	Kaffir lime is the strong spice used in Indonesian and Thai cooking. The zest and juice as well as the leaves are used. All parts of the plant are strongly aromatic. Especially the sometimes pungent aroma of the leaves is appreciated. Many consider the leaves of the Kaffir lime to have a stronger scent of citrus than lemon grass, but to retain the aroma, don't over boil. The leaves are gathered, several at a time, to form a tube-like shape. This tube is then turned to an (45 degree) angle and cut with a sharp knife into very thin slices. Cut in this manner you will get longish thin stripes that can be added to food during cooking to release their aroma. Best results are obtained when some of the stripes are added at the start of cooking, some when the liquid is added and the rest only a few minutes before the dish is done. In the tropics Kaffir lime is often sold still attached to a twig (see photo) or some leaves are added to your bag. In Europe frozen Kaffir lime leaves can be found in oriental specialty food shops. “Kaffir” means infidel in Arabic, from “kafara”. G. C. Whitworth’s Anglo-Indian Dictionary (1885) states that not only was the term applied by Muslims to unbelievers, but “in Western India the word is a common term of abuse.” When Arab slavers first came to the east coast of Africa they applied the word to the inhabitants, and it is best known today as a derogatory term once used by South African whites for blacks.
ENG	Kaffir lime (Aust.), Mauritius papeda (UK), Kuffre lime (US), Kieffer lime (SE Asia), Leech lime.
FRA	Combava, Limettier hérissé, Lime kaffir
GER	Indische Zitrone, Kaffir Limette
SPA	Lima kafir
Photos		© UCR Citrus Variety Collection (2,3) © C. Jacquemond / INRA


LAT	Citrus jambhiri Lush.
	Cultivated varieties: ’Estes’ and ’Milan’
	Rough lemon is a cross of mandarin and citron. It is discussed in >> lemons.
ENG	Rough lemon,
FRA	Citron verruqueux,
GER	Rauhschalige Zitrone
I TA	Rugoso
SPA	Limón rugoso
Photo		© CINHP / G. McCormack, with permission


LAT	Citrus limetta Risso

	Italian lime, the sweet lime of the Mediterranean basin. Widely used in drinks and cocktails in the same way as limes. Often called Italian lime in southern European countries. The French name 'mamelon' means nipple and refers to the shape of the fruit. Sometimes classified as a lemon and called Limetta.
ENG	Italian lime, Sweet lime, Limetta, Sweet limetta, Mediterranean sweet lemon
FRA	Limette à mamelon, Limette d’Italie, Limon doux
GER	Echte Limette, Süsse Limette, Süsse Zitrone
I TA	Limetta
SPA	Lima dulce, limón dulce
Photo		© Home Citrus Growers
Link	Home Citrus Growers


LAT	Citrus limetta Risso 'Millsweet'

	The Millsweet limetta comes originally from the Mediterranean region. It came through Mexico to the US where it was named Millsweet in 1943. The fruit is low in acidity so the juice is sweet. The Millsweet flowers and produces fruit throughout the year but the main flowering season is in the spring. Often classified as a lemon.
ENG	Millsweet limetta, Mexican sweet limetta
FRA	Limette millsweet
I TA	Limetta millsweet
SPA	Lima dulce millsweet
Photos		© UCR Citrus Variety Collection
Link	UCR Citrus Variety Collection


LAT	Citrus limettioides Tanaka
	Cultivated varieties: ‘Indian’, ‘Columbia’, ‘Soh Synteng’ and ’Palestine’
	Indian lime is a sweet lime often thought to be a hybrid of limetta and lime. One of the few limes that can be enjoyed fresh. In India the fruit are also cooked whole and eaten as a dessert or preserved either pickled or as a jam. The Palestinian coast and Egypt have also long been areas where this sweet lime is traditionally grown. Also known as the Palestinian lime.
ENG	Indian lime, Indian sweet lime, Palestinian lime, Palestine sweet lime
FRA	Lime douce de l'Inde, Lime douce India, Limettier doux
GER	Palästinische Limette
I TA	Limetta dolce dell’India
SPA	Lima dulce india, lima de Palestina
IND	Mitha nimbu, mitha nebu, mitha limbu
Photos		© C. Jacquemond / INRA © UCR Citrus Variety Collection


LAT	Citrus limettioides ’Mary Ellen’

	Mary Ellen, an originally Mexican sweet lime variety grown and developed in the United States for commercial use. Another lime that can be eaten fresh.
ENG	Mary Ellen Sweet Lime
FRA
GER
I TA
SPA	Lima dulce Mary Ellen
Photos		© UCR Citrus Variety Collection

Citrus x limonia
LAT	Citrus limonia Osbeck	Citrus limonia 'Kona Lime'
Syn	Citrus limonelloides Hayata Citrus limon x Citrus reticulata
	Citrus x limonia is a group of several closely related types of citrus trees. All are crosses between lemon and mandarin. They resemble the mandarin in appearance but taste more like limes. The mandarin lime is thought to have originated in China, where it is called the Canton lime. Although botanically closer to mandarin the mandarin lime owes its name to its many lime-like uses and because most types are not suited for eating fresh due to their high acidity. The mandarin lime has three well known varieties. Two of them, Rangpur and Otaheite, are described below. The third is called kusiae. When discussed as a cross of lemon and mandarin a variant of this type is described in lemons as a variety called mandarin lemon.
ENG	Mandarin lime, Mandarin lemon, Lemandarin Canton lime, Chinese lemon,
FRA	Lime de Canton
SPA	Lima de Cantón, limón cravo, limón mandarina
Photos	The lime in the pictures is a Hawaiian Citrus limonia variety called 'Kona Lime'	© Ken Love / Hawaiifruit.net
Links	Fruits of Warm Climates HawaiiFruit.net


LAT	Citrus limonia var. rangpur Osbeck

	This is an Indian Citrus limonia variety called Rangpur lime. It has many closely related cultivars. The colour range varies. In spite of its mandarin-like appearance the taste is closer to lime and because of this it is sometimes thought of as a possible cross of mandarin lime and lime. The trees bear a lot of fruit from November to early spring. In India 20 - 40 % of Rangpur juice is added to mandarin juice to improve its flavour. The Rangpur lime is most valuable as root stock for other citrus varieties. In addition, the Rangpur lime is considered a superior fruit for marmalade in the regions where it is grown. The flavour is said to surpass the flavour of both the Seville orange 'Sevillano' and the bittersweet orange as a marmalade ingredient. In Florida and California the Rangpur lime is grown as an ornamental variety flanking front doors and in containers on patios.
ENG	Rangpur lime
FRA	Lime Rangpur
GER	Rangpur Mandarinenlimette
SPA	Lima rangpur
IND	Sylhet lime, surkh nimboo, sharbati
Photos	Two different colour variants, yellow and red, growing on Corsica, links below.	© C. Jacquemond / INRA


LAT	Citrus limonia Osbeck 'Otaheite'
Syn	Citrus limonia Osbeck var. otaitensis Tanaka Citrus taitensis Risso Citrus otaitensis Risso & Poit.
	Otaheite lime is considered a sweet form of the Rangpur lime. In many languages it is called Otaheite orange or Otaheite Rangpur. The tree resembles the Rangpur but is thornless, grows slower and less tall. The fruit is often seedless. The Otaheite lime is thought to have originated in India as are many other varieties of the mandarin lime. To Europe it arrived via Tahiti and Risso described it in Paris as a citrus from Otaite (Tahiti) in 1813. The tree blossoms beautifully in winter and in the citrus belt and Central Europe it is grown in containers as a house plant. In small pots it grows in a dwarfed form but thrives all the same. The flowers are tinted purple on the outside and have a fresh and agreeable scent. At Christmas time the tree bears flowers and fruit simultaneously.
ENG	Otaheite lime, Otaheite orange, Otaheite Rangpur, Tahiti orange
FRA	Orange Otaheite
GER	Otaheite-Orange
Photo		Photo courtesy of Logee's
Link	Fruits of Warm Climates


LAT	Citrus madurensis Loureiro
Syn	Fortunella margarita x Citrus reticulata var austera Citrus microcarpa Bunge Citrus mitis Blanco X Citrofortunella mitis J. Ingram & H. E. Moore X Citrofortunella microcarpa (Bunge) Wijnands
	Calamondin is a Fortunella (kumquat) hybrid most likely of Chinese origin but introduced to the western world from the Philippines. It is here listed under Limes because of its many lime-like food uses. Much has been written about the correct classification of the Calamondin. W.T. Swingle recognized the plant as a valid species in 1914 but, as R.W. Hodgson notes in The Horticultural Varieties of Citrus, Chapter 4 of The Citrus Industry, Swingle failed to give it a specific rating in his The Botany of Citrus (1943). More recently, Tanaka (1954) has classed it as Citrus madurensis Loureiro, a practice followed by Hodgson. Calamondin is a cross between a mandarin type (Citrus reticulata var. austera) and the Nagami Kumquat (Fortunella margarita). Calamondin has inherited more qualities from the mandarin than the kumquat. Whereas the rind of kumquats is usually edible, the rind of Calamondin resembles those of the genus Citrus in being often too sour for consumption especially in the larger fruits (3 - 4 cm in diameter). The inner parts of the flower (pedicel and ovary) are also more like those of the Citrus. Calamondin can be used in the kitchen instead of lime. It was used in mixing drinks before lime became popular. It is good for marinating fish and in sauces for fish dishes. It is used in marmalades and jams. Calamondin can be pickled whole or in slices like cucumbers. The taste of Calamondin is best when it has fully matured. Depending on the climate and other conditions, in potted houseplants and in cooler growing areas maturation is sometimes not achieved before late winter or early spring of the following year.
ENG	Calamondin, Golden lime, Kalamansi lime, Panama orange, Musklime, Philippine lime
FRA	Calamondin
GER	Calamondine, Zwergapfelsine
SPA	Calamondin, Lima de las Filipinas, Lemonsito
Photos		(1) © UCR CCPP (2,4) © UCR Citrus Variety Collection (3) © Trade Winds Fruit


LAT	Citrus madurensis var. variegata

	The fruit show off especially well against the beautiful bi-coloured leaves and thick foliage. Much used as an ornamental in gardening and in containers. The fruit is edible. It can be used like the ordinary Calamondin above.
ENG	Variegated Calamondin
FRA	Calamondin panaché
Photo		© Trade Winds Fruit