Lime

Excellent small ornamental tree for courtyards and containers with glossy evergreen foliage, fragrant white flowers, and decorative fruit year-round. Creates tropical ambiance in warm climates, suitable for espalier training against walls, and makes an attractive hedge or screen plant.

Lime juice is rich in vitamin C and citric acid, traditionally used for scurvy prevention. Essential oil from peel has antimicrobial and antifungal properties. In folk medicine, used for digestive issues, fever reduction, and sore throat relief. Lime water aids kidney stone prevention.

Essential in Latin American, Southeast Asian, and Middle Eastern cuisines. Juice used for marinades, dressings, cocktails (mojitos, margaritas), and ceviche. Zest adds bright flavor to baked goods. Leaves (especially kaffir lime) used in Thai curries and soups. Preserved limes are a Persian specialty.

Native to tropical Southeast Asia, thrives in USDA zones 9-11. Provides nectar for bees and butterflies through fragrant flowers. Fruit feeds various birds and small mammals. Susceptible to citrus pests like scale, aphids, and citrus leaf miners. Requires well-draining soil and frost protection.

Small evergreen tree 6-13 feet tall with thorny branches. Leaves are ovate, glossy green, 2-3 inches long. White five-petaled flowers, highly fragrant. Fruit is round to oval, 1-2 inches diameter, green when ripe (unlike lemons), thin-skinned, very acidic, seedless in some varieties.

Wood is hard, close-grained, and pale yellow but rarely used for timber due to small tree size. Occasionally used for small turned items, tool handles, or carved objects. In some regions, wood used for small furniture pieces or inlay work. Limited commercial timber value.

British sailors called 'limeys' due to mandatory lime rations against scurvy. Key limes are named after Florida Keys, not keys. Finger limes contain caviar-like pearls. Some cultures believe lime repels evil spirits. Lime leaves placed in wallets supposedly attract money in Southeast Asian folklore.