Lime trees (Citrus aurantifolia) develop into small shrub-like trees with fruits smaller than lemons. Lime trees grow best outside in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11. With more growing tips, lime trees stay healthy and produce plenty of fruit, which is full of vitamins and citric acid.

Lime is believed to have originated in northern India and adjoining parts of Myanmar, or in northern Malaysia. The lime is now cultivated throughout the tropics and in warm subtropical areas. The sour limes were probably one of the first citrus fruits to be carried from the east by the crusaders.

Lime seeds can easily be grown as trees, but with the exception of key limes it’s hard to know what you’ll get. To grow limes from seed, pluck seeds from fruit, wash them, and then plant seed 1/4 inch deep in a sterile planting medium.

Increased Production in Mexico The major regions producing almost 80.0% of limes in Mexico are Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, and Oaxaca. On the other hand, Veracruz accounts for about 61.0% of the production of Persian lime and lemons, which are mostly concentrated in the Yucatán Peninsula.

In Spain, historically people have called limes limones verdes, or green lemons; in Mexico the term is limon or lima, depending on the person.

The lime fruits are borne singly or in 2’s or 3’s (or sometimes large clusters), at the twig tips. The pulp of the Mexican lime is greenish-yellow and the fruits are quite juicy, very acid and flavorful, with few or many small seeds which are also green in color.

Green limes are, in fact, underripe. When allowed to fully ripen on the tree, they turn pale yellow. The truth is that when you see a partially yellow lime, it’s yellow for one of two reasons: Either it’s ripe and less acidic (hooray!) or other fruits or leaves blocked its sunlight while it was still on the tree.

Lemons turn from green to yellow as the chlorophyll in the rind is replaced with anthocyanin as they ripen. Limes will turn a yellow color too when they are fully ripened, but they are often picked when under-ripe and green….What are the nutritional profiles?

Key limes (Citrus aurantifolia) are even smaller and far more acidic than the Tahitian variety. Limes are yellow when they are fully ripe and develop sugars that make them delicious at this stage. They are not sold when yellow because unripe fruit is easier to ship since it is harder, and stores longer when unripe.

Lime tree harvest generally takes place during summer. Limes take about three to four months until they reach peak flavor. However, in some regions (USDA plant hardiness zones 9-10), green limes can be harvested year-round.

How Can You Tell If A Lime Is Ripe?

1. Take a whiff – lightly scratch the skin and if the fruit smells distinctly lime-ish, it’s probably ready.
2. Give it a squeeze – the skin should give ever so softly, still firm but with a bit of.
3. Weight – a heavier lime indicates ripeness and will contain more juice.

CITRUS. Lemons and limes should stay fresh for about a week at room temperature if kept out of bright sunlight. For ideal storage, place lemons and limes in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. They should keep for up to a month.

Seedling trees begin to blossom and fruit in 3 to 6 years and reach full production in 8 to 10 years. Fruit is harvested during two periods each year, May–June and November–December.

One of the most noticeable differences between regular limes key limes is the size and color of the limes. More often than not, a key lime is smaller and more yellow than a regular lime. When sliced in half, you’ll also notice that the key lime has a thinner skin and contains more seeds.

Key limes are also known as Mexican limes or West Indian limes. Key limes are also thin-skinned and nearly spherical in shape. Green Key limes are immature fruits offering juice with higher acidity. As they ripen to a yellow hue, the juice loses its acidity and takes on a sweeter flavor.

They are not only great for key lime pie, but they are used in various drinks, teas, and desserts. Like lemons and regular limes, they are great for health and have similar health benefits. They are a good source of: Vitamin C, A, B, and D.

Key limes are great if you can get them! They’re from the Florida Keys, where they now grow wild. They are smaller and more tart than our standard Persian limes, and they have yellow centers and rinds. If you, like me, live nowhere near Florida, you can easily make key lime pie with regular limes.

Best substitutes for lime juice

1. Lemon juice (in baking & cocktails). The best substitute for lime juice?
2. Lime zest. If you’ve got an actual lime but no juice, here’s another substitute you can use: Lime zest. (
3. Orange juice. Same idea as lemon juice!
4. White wine vinegar (in savory recipes).

Key Lime is more tangy Key Limes have a bit more tangy-sweet taste compared to limes, and so, their inclusion in recipes makes it more on the sweet side of the tangy-sweet spectrum.

A: Yes, you can use Key lime juice. Look for it in the juice aisle or in the alcoholic beverage aisle. Key limes, also known as Mexican limes, have a bit more tartness than regular limes (called Persian limes) and are much smaller, around the size of a golf ball, with a smooth, thin skin.

Substitute for Limes OR – You can use 1-3 tablespoons bottled lime juice but the flavor is inferior to fresh. OR – Use 1 lemon which will vary the flavor.

Key limes are smaller and have a higher acidity (and a more tart, more bitter flavor) than regular limes. Our only complaint about the beloved Gourmet pie recipe was a hint of that characteristic bitterness—despite the saccharine quality of the condensed milk, that tannic Key lime flavor was still getting through.

One-two tablespoons of our juice are equivalent one key lime. Two-three tablespoons of our juice are equivalent to one regular lime. Do your products contain GMO’s, (Genetically Modified Organisms)? All our products are GMO-Free.

INGREDIENTS: Filtered Water, Cane Sugar, Lime Juice from Concentrate, Lime Oil. MIX THE PERFECT GIMLET: Combine 1 oz.

Key limes—also known as Mexican limes or West Indies limes—are small, spherical limes that grow in tropical and subtropical regions. You can use them in place of regular limes in any recipe, but they’re an ideal choice for sweetened-up desserts like Key lime pie, cupcakes or thumbprint cookies.

Lemon and lime juice are used to add citrus flavor to a variety of dishes. The average fresh lemon contains between 2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. The average fresh lime contains about 2 tablespoons lime juice.