The word "lime" literally means "small lime" and indicates the close relationship between the small lime and the larger lemon. Until a few years ago, the terms "lime" and "limone" were used synonymously in Germany, which led to confusion. Because "lime" is the name for our "lemon" in many other countries around the world, which is Latin for "citrus limon".
Sophisticated Lime
The small, green fruits of the Mexican lime (Citrus aurantiifolia) can usually be found in German supermarkets. This is also known as "Bartender Lime" because its juice is very often used in cocktails. In addition, there are a number of other types of lime, which are indispensable as a spice or juice in many dishes, especially in Southeast Asian countries as well as in the Caribbean and the USA. In general, limes are more sensitive than lemons and - unlike lemons - cannot tolerate any winter temperatures. Therefore, the care of this plant, which originates from the tropics and subtropics, is more complicated than that of other citrus species.
Different types of lime
Lemons usually stand out because of their bright yellow skin when ripe, and the berries, which are about the size of a fist, are significantly larger than those of a lime. Lemons are also shaped differently: limes are usually round and have a smooth skin, while lemons are more elongated-oval in shape and rougher. There are different types of limes, some of which are little known or not known at all in Germany. Some of the fruits can also take on a yellow to orange-yellow color. At this point, the three most well-known varieties will be presented.
Mexican lime (Citrus aurantiifolia)
The "Bartender Lime" grows as a small, heavily branched and thorny bush with filigree branches. The flower buds are slightly purple in strong sunlight. The leaf is dull green and about the size of a tangerine leaf. The variety is very sensitive to cold and difficult to bring into winter dormancy. The small fruits are very thin-skinned, juicy, light green to pale yellow and contain lots of seeds.
Persian lime (Citrus latifolia)
Almost as hardy as lemons, this variety is almost always seedless due to sterility of the ovules (meaning the Persian lime cannot be grown from seed!). The Persian lime bears many aromatic fruits every year and has a much shorter ripening period than lemons. The berries are harvested between March and December.
Kaffir Lime (Citrus hystrix)
It is a tropical species that is very suitable for the winter garden as well as for a greenhouse and indoor culture. The shrub bears small, green-yellow to yellow-skinned fruits with a diameter of about six centimetres. These have a very wavy, wrinkled skin when ripe. The pulp is green.
tips and tricks
In Thailand in particular, the leaves of the kaffir lime are used as a spice, similar to bay leaves in our country. They can be cooked (especially in stews), but not eaten.
IJA