Citrus 'Lime' (Citrus × latifolia (Yu.Tanaka) Yu.Tanaka, also known by other common names such as seedless lime, Persian lime, Bearss lime and Tahiti lime, is a citrus fruit species of hybrid origin, known only in cultivation. The Persian lime is a triploid cross between key lime (Citrus × aurantiifolia) and lemon (Citrus × limon). The tree is nearly thornless. The fruit is about 6 cm (2.4 in) in diameter, often with slightly nippled ends, and is usually sold while green, although it yellows as it reaches full ripeness. It is also widely available dried, as it is often used this way in Persian cuisine. It is larger, thicker-skinned, with less intense citrus aromatics than the key lime (Citrus aurantifolia). The advantages of the Persian lime in commercial agriculture compared to the key lime are the larger size, absence of seeds, hardiness, absence of thorns on the bushes, and longer fruit shelf life.
The grower instructs that the fruits are more for decoration than consumption.
The English word lime was derived, via Spanish then French, from the Arabic word ليمة līma, which is, in turn, a derivation of the Persian word limu. Key is from Florida Keys, where the fruit was naturalised. The earliest known use of the name is from 1905, where the fruit was described as "the finest on the market. It is aromatic, juicy, and highly superior to the lemon.
The grower instructs that the fruits are more for decoration than consumption.
The generic name originated from Latin, where it referred to either the plant now known as citron (C. medica) or a conifer tree (Thuja). It is related to the ancient Greek word for cedar, κέδρος (kédros).
Citrus × latifolia 'Lime'
Citrus 'Lime is ca. 80 cm tall and comes in a 22cm pot.
