The Persian Lime is the most popular lime fruit, and no wonder. These large fruits are packed full of tangy juice, ideal for cocktails, limeade, baking and Asian recipes. It is an easy tree to grow, and it is hardier than most other citrus fruits, growing easily in zone 9. In colder areas it makes a beautiful potted tree, brought indoors for winter. This tree flowers in late winter, and you can begin to harvest fruit as early as June or July. By early winter the crop will be fully-ripe, and the rich green skin will show some yellow coloring. This thornless tree has handsome, rich-green and glossy leaves, and your tree will always look attractive.
- Most popular lime tree grown
- White flowers in late winter
- Generous supply of lime fruits
- Grow in a pot in cooler climates
- Grow indoors in a well-lit place for winter
Grow your Persian Lime Tree in a sunny place. Outdoors it should be planted in well-drained soil, and plant it in fast-draining potting soil when growing it in a pot. Keep the potted tree outdoors in full sun from spring to fall, but bring it indoors when the night temperatures reach 45 degrees. Keep it in a cool, well-lit place that only needs to be a few degrees above freezing point. This is better than a hot room. Put it back outside as soon as the night temperatures are well above freezing. The warmer the inside temperature in winter, the warmer it should be when you move it outdoors.
Limes are one of the most useful fruits around, because they are used not only in great drinks like daiquiris, Cuban mojitos, and Brazilian caipirinhas, but also in pies, as well as in Asian cooking. You can also make your own delicious limeade as a refreshing summer drink. They are often more expensive than lemons, so having your own tree is a great way to save and enjoy your very own natural fruit straight from the tree.
The Persian Lime Tree is one of the most popular varieties of lime that is easy to grow and as hardy as the lemon tree. A big feature of this tree is the absence of thorns, which so many other citrus trees have. This makes handling your tree, especially if grown in a pot, much easier and safer. It grows into a lovely tree, with glossy evergreen leaves of a rich green, and it is beautiful all year round. The branches arch outwards slightly, giving this tree a graceful form. Smothered in blossoms, or laden with fruit, it is always a beautiful sight.
Growing Persian Lime Trees
Planted outdoors in zones 9 and 10, the Persian Lime Tree will grow 15 to 20 feet tall, but it is easy to keep it about 6 feet tall when you grow it in a pot. This tree is more cold-resistant than most other citrus, but even so it can only take a degree or two of frost for a few hours. If you live in a colder area, you can easily grow it in a large pot.
Growing in a Pot
If you will be growing your Persian Lime Tree in a pot, make sure it has drainage, and use a potting soil that is well-drained, preferably one designed for citrus trees. Otherwise mix 2 parts houseplant soil with 1 part of cactus soil. Water thoroughly every time the top two inches of the soil have dried out. Use a liquid citrus fertilizer regularly, according to the instructions of the brand you use. Keep the pot outdoors in a sunny place until the night temperatures reach about 45 degrees. Then move it indoors to a brightly-lit, but cool place. 50 degrees is a good winter temperature to grow at. Place it back outside when night temperatures return to 45 or 50 degrees.
Flowers and Fruits
Your Persian Lime Tree will usually flower between January and early spring, depending on the growing conditions. Fruit will develop steadily, and between June and September you should have fruit you can pick. The round fruits are a good two inches in diameter, with a thin, smooth skin, so they contain lots of juice. The juice content rises the longer you leave the fruits on the tree, but by early winter the skins will begin to turn yellow, and fruit will naturally start to fall from the tree. Harvest your crop and store it in a cool place. Do not place in plastic bags, but instead use paper bags so that the fruit does not ‘sweat’ and rot. It will store for many weeks.
Pruning and Maintenance
If you need to prune your tree, do it after harvest and before flowering. Keep an open structure – don’t trim into a tight bush, which reduces sunlight inside the tree and so reduces both flowering and ripening of the limes. In a pot, removing small branches from time to time is better than doing a major trim, and always feed well after pruning your tree.
