Lime Trees

About

Three lime trees cover almost every Australian kitchen. The Tahitian lime and its grafted Persian form give seedless, thornless fruit for juicing, while the Kaffir lime is grown for its fragrant double leaves and knobbly zest rather than juice. All three stay a manageable 3m to 3.5m, thrive in pots and fruit best in full sun. Warmth matters: they are happiest from warm temperate gardens north, and in frosty districts a pot you can shift is the sensible route. Choosing the right lime for your cooking Start with what you actually squeeze, slice or shred. The Tahitian Lime ( Citrus latifolia 'Tahitian') is the everyday juicing lime: seedless, thornless and generous, reaching about 3.5m tall by 2.5m wide. The Persian Lime is a grafted selection of the same species, near identical in the glass but a touch broader at 3m across, and the most reliable of the three in cooler coastal gardens. The Kaffir Lime ( Citrus hystrix ) is different: you grow it for the fragrant double leaves and knobbly zest that anchor Thai cooking, not for juice. It stays about 3m by 2m. Where lime trees grow well All three are heat and humidity tolerant, so they perform from tropical and subtropical gardens down through warm temperate areas like Sydney and Perth. The Tahitian and Persian limes also suit Mediterranean climates around Adelaide and coastal Western Australia, and will shrug off a light frost once established. The Kaffir lime is frost tender, full stop. Where winter frost is regular, grow your lime in a pot against a warm north facing wall, or shift it under cover for the coldest weeks. Six hours of full sun is the minimum for good fruit anywhere in the country. Planting, pots and spacing In the ground, give each tree free draining soil and about 3m of space so the canopies stay open and fruit colours evenly. On heavy clay, plant into a mound or raised bed rather than a hole that holds water. In pots, start with a container at least 50cm to 60cm wide, use a premium potting mix and lift