Growing citrus plants at home is gaining popularity. Tangerine, orange, and lime trees have adapted to indoor conditions. At correct landing(by cuttings or pitting), with proper care you can grow a healthy, strong tree that will delight you with flowers and bear fruit.

The original place of growth of this tree is Southeast Asia. Under natural conditions, representatives of this plant are tall, reaching a height of 1.5 to 4.5 m. There are small thorns on the branches. The length of the leaves is up to 7 cm, the width reaches 4 cm, they have green with a dark shade. The tree has fruits up to 6 cm in diameter, with a flavor range from sour to sweet, depending on the variety. When fully ripe, the skin is very thin and the flesh is juicy. The crown of the tree is spreading.

Citrus is used in cooking. Lime fruit tastes more sour than lemon. It is recognized as a low-calorie product (16 kcal), thanks to which it is included in the menu of those who are watching their figure. Of the various representatives, the Tahitian lime is the most popular and is used in making mojitos.

Plant varieties

Lime has many varieties that have certain distinctive characteristics.

Limetta

This is a sweetish fruit. It is not entirely sweet; the pulp contains more sugar than acid. The juice of the fruit is sweet, has distinctive feature: upon contact with air it becomes bitter, so drink or use immediately.

Mexican lime

It is the most common type of lime. Contains a small number of seeds, the skin fits tightly to the flesh, is thin, and has a yellow-greenish tint when ripe. The pulp is also yellow-green, tender, with a characteristic odor and sour.

Limetta Pursha

The tree blooms with white flowers. The fruits weigh about 80 g, have a spherical appearance, partially flattened at the poles and with a curved end. The skin is embossed, rough, bright, yellow. The flesh does not adhere too much and separates easily. The lime fruit has juicy pulp with a sweet and sour flavor.

Palestinian sweet lime

The fruits are spherical, slightly ribbed. There are few seeds, the skin is thin with a smooth surface, an orange tint and an oily smell. The pulp has a straw-yellow hue, the taste is fresh with some bitter aftertaste.

The fruits of this lime variety are sour, 5 cm in diameter, with an easily peelable skin that is dark orange in color, like the pulp.

Tahiti

The size of the fruits of this tree is 2 times larger than the Mexican lime. The fruits are greenish in color, juicy, and have practically no seeds. When fully ripe, the thin skin has a yellowish tint and fits tightly to the flesh, but the harvest is harvested with a greenish skin. The internal contents are very sour.

The fruit first has a striped color, and after ripening it turns pale yellow. The pulp is sour, pleasant to taste. The skin is thin and fits the flesh well.

Neapolitanum

Recognized as one of the most delicious limes. The fruit has a thin, aromatic skin. The pulp has no seeds, is juicy and sour. Lime has a characteristic scent of essential oils.

A variety with high yield. The fruit has a bright orange color and is slightly oval in shape. The pulp is sour, but extremely aromatic. The skin is of medium thickness, with a yellowish or slightly orange color. There's a lot inside small seeds.

Kaffir

The leaves of this lime are sometimes used instead of laurel. It has a strong aroma. The zest is valuable and is used more often; the fruits have little juice.

Agricultural techniques for growing lime indoors

At home, a lime tree in a pot is grown by cuttings or seeds.

Cuttings

To grow a plant using this method, you need:

1. Cut a 15 cm long shoot from the top of the tree. It should have about five good buds. The cut is made at an angle of 45 degrees.
2. Remove all leaves from the cuttings, leaving only the three largest and healthiest ones.
3. Treat the cuttings with “Heteroauxin” or “Kornevin”, stimulants for the formation of the root system.
4. Plant the shoot in moistened sand. Cover with the cut half of a plastic bottle.

For successful germination of a tree, special conditions are required:

• high humidity;
• temperature regime.

It is important to place the lime tree pot in a well-lit place, without direct sunlight. The shoot requires regular watering and spraying.

If the work is carried out in accordance with all requirements, the sprout will take root within a month. Next, it is necessary to adapt to growing conditions. To do this, gradually remove the bottle for a while. For replanting, you need a pot with a diameter of about 7 cm; the root system develops well and is less susceptible to rotting processes. With proper care, the plant will begin to bear fruit in the third year.

Seed cultivation

The seed produces a healthy and strong tree if certain requirements are met:

1. The seed must be from a good fruit: without damage, signs of rot, and ripe.
2. Wash the seeds and dry for about 2 hours.
3. For planting, use a mixture of universal substrate with sand (coarse-grained), take equal proportions.
4. Place expanded clay at the bottom of the container, a layer 1.5 cm thick. After filling with the mixture, place the grain.
5. Keep in a greenhouse environment. Periodically ventilate and irrigate the soil with warm water. There should be a stable temperature: about 25 o C.
6. The sprout appears in a time interval from 2.5 to 4 months. Several sprouts sprout.
7. Choose a strong sprout with 2-3 leaves.
8. Gradually accustom to the conditions at home. Later, plant the sprouts.

With proper care, the tree begins to bear fruit in the 4th year. The main advantage of cultivation is the preservation of all varietal qualities of the original specimen.

Rules of care

It is necessary to care for a lime tree, just like other citrus fruits. The main requirements are put forward to the parameters discussed below.

Illumination

This is a sun-loving tree, preferring bright but diffused light, without harsh direct rays of the sun. The best place is on a window on the west or east side. South-facing windows require shading, especially at midday. But on northern windows, artificial lighting will be required. The tree needs a 12-hour light period.

Temperature

Temperature conditions depend on seasonality. In spring and summer it is about 30-35 o C. In autumn and winter - 20-25 o C. This temperature contributes to the full development of the tree.

Humidity

It is a moisture-loving plant and requires increased moisture throughout the year. For this it is important:

• water the leaves daily;
• warm shower monthly;
• place on a container with additional moisture (wet moss, sand, expanded clay);
• place a container with liquid nearby.

Watering

Lyme needs moderate watering when the soil surface dries out. In winter, watering is carried out once every 10 days. Only room temperature liquid is used.

Fertilizer

Caring for a lime tree involves fertilizing. Adequate nutrition ensures good development and fruiting for the plant. Apply fertilizer intended for citrus fruits twice a week.

From organic fertilizers You can use mullein infusion (diluted). In winter, fertilizing is not carried out if the tree is at low temperatures. temperature conditions. If kept warm, fertilizer is applied twice a week. The liquid mixture is introduced until it flows out of the drainage holes, but strictly the next day after watering, so as not to scorch root system.

From mineral fertilizers It is recommended to use phosphorus-potassium products. They promote growth, flowering and fruit development. Gardeners recommend the use fish soup. Boil fish waste for about 5 minutes, strain and pour over. Used monthly when the tree reaches a meter in height.

Trimming

Tree care involves annual pruning. Crown formation must begin immediately after planting. To do this, the main shoot is cut off to stimulate side shoots. Next year All branches are cut to a third of their length. Further cutting involves the removal of shoots that thicken the crown.

Transfer

A young tree needs to be replanted annually at the end of winter. Mature trees are transplanted when roots appear through the drainage holes. In mature trees, the top layer of soil is replaced.

For replanting, you need a citrus composition that is moisture permeable. It is allowed to plant in a mixture of turf, leaf soil, humus and sand. Everything mixes in equal parts. To avoid injury to the root system, the tree is replanted with a lump of earth.

Diseases and pests

Most often, the tree is susceptible to damage by mites (spider mites), mealybug, scale insect.

Symptoms of the lesion are as follows:

• the shape of the leaves changes, yellowness appears;
• a black or grayish coating forms on the surface of the leaf;
• a sticky film appears on the leaves and shoots;
• the presence of very small reddish insects;
• formation of lumps on inner surface leaflets;
• the formation of cobwebs on the leaf part;
• growth stops and stops blooming.

In addition to pests, the plant is prone to gommosis. Characterized by microcracks on the shoots. The main sign of the disease is sticky liquid leaking from the cracks. The tree quickly dries out and dies. The causes of the disease include:

• improper landing (deep);
• excessive watering;
• using cold liquid for irrigation.

Cleaning and storage

Harvesting is carried out in the last month of summer, the beginning of autumn. Store in a cool place so the fruits do not lose valuable properties within 3 weeks. They will last a week in room conditions. Long-term storage leads to drying and hardening of the peel. Partially losing moisture, the skin wrinkles. It is recommended to wrap it in paper. Ripe fruits are stored in the dark, unripe ones in the light, not in direct sunlight. The most the best place for storage - refrigerator.

Cut limes will keep refrigerated for about a week. In a warm place, the pulp loses its flavor and dries out. Before planting, you need to decide on the plant variety. If the requirements for planting and care are met, after 4 years the tree will begin to bear fruit.

One of the types of citrus plants belongs to the Rutov family. Named from the word “limu” from the Persian language, although it itself comes from India.

It first appeared in Mediterranean countries a long time ago - back in the first millennium AD.

Botanical description

- a small tree whose height ranges from one and a half to five meters. It has a lush crown, with thorns characteristic of citrus fruits growing on its branches. From one to seven flowers bloom on inflorescences. Lime fruits cannot be called large - their diameter is from three to six centimeters. The shape resembles an egg, the colors of which can be green, yellow or greenish-yellow. After the fruit has fully ripened, the skin becomes thin. There is pulp inside the fruit greenish color, characterized by great juiciness and acidity. Blooms and bears fruit all year round. The most abundant flowering occurs in the rainy season - from the beginning of May to the end of June. The fruits ripen in late summer and the first months of autumn. They can be stored for up to two months at a cool temperature of eight to ten degrees, with humid indoor air.

History of the plant

Citrus growers recognize that the homeland of lime is the Malacca Peninsula. It gained importance as an industrial culture in the Lesser Antilles from the second half of the 19th century. Today, lime varieties are grown in millions of quantities in many African countries and tropical countries.

Features of care

Experts note its unpretentiousness in choosing soil - it grows even in sandy and rocky areas, where the soil is extremely poor. In fact, this citrus is more capricious than many of its fellows and prefers good soil and climatic conditions. The most suitable drained soil composition for it can be prepared from light loamy soils from the depths of the arable layer.

The plant is also demanding on temperature; it does not tolerate cold and can suffer even at low temperatures of minus 1-2C.

Lime trees have long been learned to be grown indoors.

They love places with good lighting, but it is advisable to avoid direct exposure to sunlight at midday. If the room is not well lit, a phytolamp can help.

All owners want to see their pet cheerful, beautiful and get a good harvest of exotic food from him. useful fruits. To do this, you need to provide warmth: in spring and summer up to 35 degrees, in autumn and winter up to 15 degrees.

And the air humidity should be increased, brought to natural conditions. IN summer time Irrigate the room at least once a day with lukewarm water. An air humidifier in the form of water poured into a container near the tropical guest may also be suitable.

With the onset of spring, the home begins to grow actively. Help him with feeding. Special fertilizer suitable for citrus fruits can be purchased at the store.

Watering occurs in the form of moistening the top layer of soil as it dries. River, rain, distilled water or melted winter water from snow works well. Any water must have a temperature above 20 degrees.

Young trees are replanted every year due to their growth. For mature limes, it is enough to change the top layer of soil.

Application

For limes, you can use the fruits, their peel, and leaves.

Lime fruits are suitable for use:

- fresh;

- in the form of juices, drinks;

— canning;

- acid production;

— flavoring in the production of carbonated drinks;

- as cosmetics;

- V medical purposes;

- in cooking.

The meaning of culture

It has become widespread throughout the world, and many different varieties of lime and hybrids have already appeared. This citrus plant thrives in the humid climate of the tropics. does not like such areas, and is the main citrus plant here.

Varieties

Mexican or real

It is the most cultivated in tropical conditions, which has not very large fruits. Oil is squeezed out of them or subjected to long-term steam distillation.

Sweet, or Palestinian

Distributed in Middle Eastern countries. In addition to the fact that it produces high yields, the variety is a plant that is very advantageous in its decorative properties. After all, this citrus is evergreen, blooms all year round with white flowers collected in bunches and has a strong aroma. The air around it is filled with a fragrant smell, and it is worth buying such a plant for your home just because of this.

It is distinguished by its sweetness and fruits. Firstly, their shape is like a ball or slightly elongated, with a thin peel yellow color, aromatic, fragrant. Secondly, the taste - the flesh is yellow, very tender and juicy in consistency. They also differ in the absence of acid, characteristic of other varieties; the fruit tastes sweeter with a small dose of astringency. The juice is similar to lemon juice, but has a much milder taste.

It is precisely because of the sweetish taste that the juice of the Palestinian lime fruit is included in jam, sorbet, and carbonated drinks. The fruits are used in preparing poultry or meat dishes to enhance their taste without excessive acidity. Lime peel is also used in industrial production- Essential oil is made from it.

Sweet is also called Indian, since it is most cultivated in Egypt and India.

The variety is also valuable because it is useful for colds and flu. By starting a homemade sweet, you can kill two birds with one stone - have a beautiful tree in your apartment and provide yourself with fruits with medicinal properties.

Tahiti or Persian lime variety

If you purchase a Persian lime seedling, the trees grow strongly and quickly, spreading out wide with branches of different lengths with a small number of thorns. Young branches and flowers have a purple tint. It blooms all year, especially vigorously in spring, with clusters of flowers in dark glossy foliage. Resistant to cold weather.

Judging by the signs, it is a hybrid of sour lime and lemon or citron. Loves soil with good drainage.

Very useful plant:

- will decorate any room;

— bears fruit all year round with seedless fruits;

- gives big harvest during the whole year;

- fills the air with aroma;

- withstands low temperatures.

There are many fruits on the trees, but you need to wait until they turn yellow for ripening. They are stored for about two weeks.

Tahiti lime juice is valuable as a strong antidote, relieves severe irritation and inflammation caused by touching poisonous plants.

This one is used in making lemonade. They are good for rinsing hair after washing.

Kaffir, or Kaffir

Originally from Asia, it is the most valuable variety due to the uniqueness of its leaves. If you dry them, you can use them instead of bay leaves - that’s the aroma they have.

The fruits, unlike other varieties, contain little juice, but are also notable for their fresh smell. If you have a Kaffir tree at home, there will always be fresh and pleasant air in the room. In addition, it has a beneficial effect on the body. Strengthens it, being a storehouse of vitamin C, regulates blood pressure, and helps digestive processes. This is how much benefit there is from indoor Kaffir lime.

Deserted

Cultivated as fruit tree. It is a drought-resistant variety and is native to Australia.

Attracts with the unusual color of the leaves - gray-blue. Perhaps this is why it bears the second name Eremocitrus glaucosa. The branches are covered with thick thorns, which disappear from the tree with age or there are fewer of them. The fruits are pleasant to the taste, refreshing and spicy. Used as additives to sauces, drinks, marmalade, jams.

Finger variety

Due to its distribution in Australia, it is called the Australian fingerlime. The fruits are narrow, egg-shaped. The peel is not smooth, like many lime varieties, but rough. And the color is also not always the usual green, it can even be burgundy at some moments of ripening. The color of the pulp is also not always the same, most often the same shade as the peel. Due to its low calorie content, fingerlings can be eaten even by overweight people.

Contains a large number of vitamins The fruits have the following effects on the human body:

• strengthen the immune system;
• cleanse;
• improve the functioning of the heart and blood vessels;
• protect teeth from caries;
• normalize kidney function;
• increase hemoglobin levels;
• prevent premature aging;
• take care of vision;
• help with vitamin deficiency.

Round

One of the Australian varieties, and the tallest of them, can have a length of about 10 m.

The fruits can be spherical or pear-shaped, not very big size. The skin is of good thickness, rough to the touch with light yellow or pale green flesh. After full ripening, they are eaten and added to drinks.

Having beautiful dark green foliage with an essential oil scent and delicate white or pink flowers, considered beautiful ornamental plant and is great for giving a cozy look to your home.

Variety Rangpur

It also has a name - (lemandarin). Named so, most likely, because of the orange peel of the fruit and red-orange pulp. The taste is a little similar to, but much more sour, still closer to lime.

The variety grows well, the trees have the average size. Are considered decorative decoration due to the purple color of the bark. The thin branches have a luxurious crown with dark green leaves, and the spines are short and few in number. Produces young shoots of purple color with the same flowers. A beautiful indoor plant that does well in pots. Cold resistant.

The Rangpur fruit is medium in size and has a wide variety of shapes - spherical, round, and ovoid. They contain many small seeds. The pulp is not only very juicy, but also sour. The skin of the fruit is thin, like all varieties, but looser. The fruits hang on the tree for quite a long time.

The Rangpur variety is used in making marmalade.

Variety "Tahiti" variegated

A very rare and interesting variety - variegated leaves, striped fruits. When the fruits are finally ripe, they turn pale yellow. They have a lot of juice, the taste is quite sour, but pleasant.

Variegata blooms several times throughout the year, as the variety is remontant. The fruits are not very large, with a small number of seeds. Smooth thin skin, tightly adjacent to the flesh.

The trees of this variety are powerful, with spreading foliage, and there are very few thorns on the branches.

Variety "Neapolitanum" very old. The trees are not very tall and grow slowly, but they are cultivated for their very pleasant taste.

Tart green limes are similar to lemons, but they are more sour and have a distinct, unique flavor. Limetta is sweet lime (Citrus limetta), or sweet lemon.

Like lemon, lime is added to tea, served with fish dishes, vegetable salads, and flavored drinks. The Mexican alcoholic drink tequila is always consumed with a slice of lime. Lime zest adds a special flavor to desserts and sauces. Lime soothes nervous system, improves overall well-being, improves mood. Lime is widely used in folk medicine, as a remedy against malaria.

Lime is considered healthier than lemon.

Lime

Lime, along with lemon and citron, belongs to the group sour citrus fruits. Lime has tender, juicy pulp with a bitter taste. The aroma of lime fruit is not as strong as lemon and the smell is different. The pulp is greenish, very sour, bitter.

Ripe fruits should be shiny and evenly colored green; they are stored in a cool place for 10 to 20 days.

One lime yields approximately 2 tablespoons of juice. Limes are used to make very tasty sauces.

Lime is distinguished from other citrus fruits by its very low frost resistance.

Propagated by layering or cuttings.

Limetta

Mediterranean sweet lemon (Limetta, Limetta, Limette de Tunisie) is a sweet lemon of the Mediterranean basin, an old and quite famous fruit in the Mediterranean, has great importance in Tunisia and some populated areas in Italy.

Sweet limes aren't exactly a sweet fruit; their pulp just contains a little more sugar and a little less acid than limes. But juice surprisingly sweet, but upon contact with air it becomes bitter literally within a few minutes, so you need to drink it immediately after cooking, or immediately add it to sauces, salads, and marinades.

This fruit is often confused with Indian or Palestinian sweet lime(Citrus limettioides), however they are different plants.

Limetta is sometimes also called Italian lime, or Mediterranean sweet lime.

Mexican lime

C. aurantifolia "Messicana" / West Indian lime.

Real lime, or Mexican lime - C. aurantifolia lime (key lime = Florida key lime = Mexican lime).

A real sour lime. Much more sour in taste than Persian lime. The fruits are green or yellowish, 3-6 cm in diameter (much smaller than a lemon), the flesh is greenish, juicy and very sour, with a characteristic aroma. The peel is thin.

The variety is remontant, blooms all year round, high-yielding. After the fruits reach full maturity, usually in the fall, before the start of winter, they fall from the tree.

The plant is small, almost shrubby. Externally similar to lemon, except Green colour small fruits and pulp. In nature, it is a bushy tree with a height of 1.5 to 5 m. The crown is dense, the branches have short spines.

Mexican lime (Citrus aurantifolia), also known as "bartender's lime," is a non-thorny variety. Like all citrus varieties, Mexican lime requires well-drained soils and plenty of warmth. The tree is evergreen. The leaves have a distinct aroma when crushed.

Limetta Pursha

S. limetta "Pursha" / Lima dolce di Roma, Pursha. Sweet Lemon, Roman Lime.

The variety is remontant, high-yielding. The fruits are small, average weight 70-80 g, spherical, slightly flattened. When fully ripe, the peel is bright yellow, yellow-green, rough, and easily separated from the pulp. The pulp is juicy, has a pleasant sweet and sour taste, ideal for making refreshing drinks.

It is believed that this variety is a hybrid of Limetta citrus and Citrus sinensis or Citrus myrtifolia.

Pursha is very popular decorative variety, reliable and easy to care for, grows compactly and looks like a kumquat, with rounded crown. Even in adulthood, the crown of the plant remains small, which makes the variety very suitable for permanent planting in pots and growing indoors.

It usually blooms in spring, but flowers may appear throughout the summer (until winter). The fruits are flat-round, like tangerines, and there are a lot of fruits every year. Due to the long flowering period, fruits of different ripeness adorn the plant. The fruits have a pleasant sour juice.

Palestinian sweet lime

Palestine/Indian lime (sweet lime).

S. limettiodes Tanaka / limetta di Palestina.

In the Middle East, sweet lime is used to treat colds and flu. The plant is valued for its high decorative value. High-yielding variety.

The fruits are spherical to slightly elongated. The peel is thin, smooth, yellow, with an oily aroma. The pulp is light yellow, tender and very juicy. The taste is sweet, rather sweet, no acid.

The variety is distributed mainly in India and Egypt. It's citrus evergreen, very decorative, flowering and fruiting occurs throughout the year. The flowers are white, fragrant, arranged in bunches.

Sweet juice is used for cooking soft drinks, jams and sorbets. In the kitchen, Palestinian lime brings out the flavor of meat and poultry without the added acidity of other citrus fruits. The essential oil obtained from its peel is also very useful.

The fruits are very fragrant, medium in size, with a smooth skin, the pulp is juicy, with several seeds, greenish in color, the taste is sweet and slightly tart. The juice is very aromatic, similar to lemon, but more delicate.

Lime Rangpur

Rangpur lime belongs to the Indian group of mandarin limes. Citrus × lemon. Also known as lemandarin. It is a citrus fruit with a very sour taste and orange skin and pulp. Can be used as a substitute for any other limes in recipes.

C. limonia / Rangpur Lime / limetta di Rangpur.

Rangpur Lime – exotic fruit, tastes like tangerine, but is more sour, the taste is closer to lime (sometimes its fruits can be found under the name tangerine). The pulp of this variety reddish-orange color.

The tree is vigorous growing, high-yielding, medium-sized, very decorative due to the purple hue of its young shoots. The crown is spreading with drooping thin branches. The spines are small and relatively few in number. The leaves are dark green, similar to tangerine leaves. Young shoots are purple in color (like the flowers). Grows well as a potted plant. Tolerates the cold.

The fruits are medium in size, of various shapes, but mostly spherical, round or obovate. Lime Rangpur is considered one of the the best varieties for making marmalade.

The skin color is yellowish or reddish-orange; the peel is thin, moderately loose. The pulp is orange; tender, juicy, very sour. The seeds are quite numerous and small. The fruit stays on the tree for a long period.

Tahiti

Tahiti lime (Persian).

C. aurantifolia "Tahiti". (Citrus latifolia) Tahiti Lime. Citrus x latifolia, Persian Lime, Bearss Lime, Tahiti Lime, Patio Fruit Tree.

The fruits are oval, medium size, average weight 70-100 g, without seeds. The pulp is sour, tender, juicy, tastes like a real aromatic lime.

Fruits all year round, high-yielding variety.

Fruit of small to medium size (like a small lemon), oval, obovate, oblong or elliptical; usually rounded at the base. The peel is thin; the surface is smooth. The pulp is pale greenish-yellow, tender, juicy; very sour and with a true lime taste. In Tahiti, this lime is used for making lemonades and for all the same purposes as the Mexican lime. Lime juice is used as a rinse after washing your hair.

The tree is vigorous, widely spreading, drooping branches, medium and medium-large, almost without thorns; leaves are dense green. The leaves are medium-sized, broadly lanceolate, with winged petioles. The buds and flowers are medium in size, flowering occurs throughout the year, mainly in spring. Purple color of flowers and young shoots. Cold-resistant variety.

The variety is clearly of hybrid origin, one of the parents is obviously sour lime, and the other is either lemon or citron, but rather the latter.

The soil should be well drained.

Lime juice is an effective antidote to severe irritation and inflammation that occurs as a result of contact with certain plants with poisonous juice: Dieffenbachia, Philodendron and others. Lemon juice is also used to relieve the effects of stinging corals, etc.

This plant will greatly decorate the house, patio, you will get citrus fruits from it all year round. Against a backdrop of glossy, dark foliage, delicate clusters of tiny white flowers fill the air with their scent. The fruits can take almost a year to ripen, but they are worth the wait. The beautiful seedless fruits grow in abundance and if left on the tree they will turn yellow over time. After collection they can remain for up to 2 weeks.

Plants of this variety are able to withstand short periods of temperatures below zero, but it is better to avoid this, grow them in large containers at home, and if taken out into the garden, then transfer them indoors until frost.

Lime variegata

Lime "Tahiti" variegated.

C.latifolia "foliis variegatis", limetta di Tahiti a foglia variegate.

A rather rare variegated variety of lime. The fruits are initially striped in color, and at the end of ripening they are pale yellow. The pulp is sour, pleasant to the taste, aromatic, juicy, with a real lime taste.

The variety is remontant, blooms several times a year.

The fruit is the size of a small lemon. There are almost no seeds. The peel is thin, smooth, and fits tightly to the pulp.

The tree is quite powerful, spreading, with drooping branches, almost without thorns, with dense foliage.

Neapolitanum

Lime "Neapolitanum".

C. aurantifolia "Neapolitanum".

The old variety, known since the 16th century, was grown in the Medici gardens. One of the most pleasant-tasting limes, small fruits with thin aromatic peel. The pulp is without seeds, very juicy, sour, but at the same time very pleasant to the taste.

A medium-sized tree, grows slowly, with small sharp thorns and medium-sized leaves.
Flowers: numerous, small, white with a strong aroma.

The fruits have a characteristic scent of essential oils. Similar to a Mexican lime, sour and very juicy.

Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara Lime / Red Lime.

C. aurantifolia "Santa Barbara" / Red Lime. Santa Barbara red lime (CRC 131). Citrus limonia Osbeck. Santa Barbara Rangpur lime.

A high-yielding, remontant variety, it belongs to the Indian group of tangerine limes. The fruits are bright orange, round or slightly oval, medium in size. The pulp is sour, juicy, aromatic. Peel of medium thickness.

The skin color is yellowish or reddish-orange; thin peel, moderately loose. The seeds are quite numerous and small. The fruit stays on the tree for a long period.

The tree, as a rule, is actively growing, productive, of medium size, widespread and drooping, with thin branches, relatively few spines, they are small; the leaves are dull green, like a tangerine, the young shoots are light purple. Tolerant to cold.

Kaffir

"Kaffir lime" (Kaffir lime) / C. hystrix.

Citrus hystrix, kaffir lime. Sometimes it is also called makrut lime, or Mauritius papeda. Origin: Asia (India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines).

Kafir lime, Kafir, or Kaffir (Kaffir lime = jeruk purut = leech lime = limau purut = magrood = makroot = makrut) – lime with a strong aroma, special, therefore valued in cooking (in Thai, Indonesian, Laotian cuisine). Kaffir lime is a very valuable citrus. If the recipe calls for kaffir zest, you can replace it (if you don’t have it) with citron, another lime or kaffir leaves (6 leaves = 1 tablespoon of zest). Having this plant at home, you get it unique leaves, having a fresh citrus aroma (not to mention fruit). The leaves can be dried and used like bay leaves. Exactly leaves are the most commonly used part of this plant.

The fruits have very little juice; mostly the zest is used. It can be added to different dishes, including fish, chicken, meat, to flavor drinks. The leaves are used in Vietnamese cuisine to add flavor to chicken dishes and reduce the pungent odor when cooking snails. The peel (zest) is used in Laotian and Thai curry pastes, adding aromatic and tart flavor.

The juice and peel of the peel are used in folk medicine in some Asian countries; fruit juice These limes are often used in shampoos and are believed to kill lice. The juice is used as detergent for clothing and hair in Thailand and sometimes in Cambodia. Water mixed with fruit slices is used in religious ceremonies in Cambodia.

The peel of the kaffir lime fruit contains essential oil, its main components being limonene and β-pinene. Essential oil is used in perfumery.

This plant is thorny bush, in nature from 1.8 to 10.7 m in height, with aromatic and unusual “double” leaves. It is grown all over the world for home fruit production because it good for container gardens, grows in pots on patios, terraces and winter gardens, also grows well in apartments.

The fruit size is about 4 cm.

Lime and lemon are great for ornamental cultivation Houses. But the choice is not limited to these options. Limetta Pursha is very popular among citrus fruits at home. This plant, due to its small size, long flowering period, useful and delicious fruits will become a real decoration of the house.

Description of the Pursha limetta

Limetta is an evergreen citrus plant. The exact origin of citrus has not been established. Some researchers and breeders classify the Pursha variety as an independent group of sweet limettes. Others believe that the plant in question is a hybrid form, resulting from crossing Limetta with sweet orange or Chinotto bitter orange.

Alternative names for the citrus in question are di Roma, Pursta. You can also find names like sweet lime or Limun Shirin. In the conversations of gardeners, the name is often used - Pursha lemon.

Plant characteristics

Properties of citrus limeta:

1. The plant is more of a shrub type.
2. Grows to medium size.
3. The crown shape is incorrect.
4. The branches are smooth, without thorns.
5. The leaves are small, oval, elongated, with a pointed base and tip, dark green in color, glossy.
6. The flowers are white, with a persistent aroma.
7. Flowering occurs profusely, extends over a long period - from early spring and until late autumn.
8. High fruiting rates.

Limetta is great for growing at home. The plant does well in containers.

Fruit characteristics

Limetta fruits, like other citrus fruits, are hesperidia. This berry-shaped fruit consists of three components:

• dense peel containing glands with essential oil;
• pulp containing juice;
• seeds.

Properties of hesperidia:

• size - small;
• weight - about 70 g;
• shape - round, slightly flattened, concave apex;
• peel - medium thickness, dense, rough, sometimes with growths;
• The crust does not adhere tightly to the juice-containing flesh and is easy to clean;
• peel color - light yellow;
• pulp - juicy;
• the taste is pleasant, sweet and sour.

Hesperidium limetta contains a large amount useful substances. The fruit contains the following elements:

1. Vitamins: ascorbic acid, retinol, thiamine, niacin, tocopherol.
2. Mineral particles containing iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus.
3. Essential oils.
4. Phytoncides - kill pathogenic bacteria.
5. Pectins are active substances that help remove various harmful elements from the body.
6. Organic acids.

Limetta fruits are actively used in cooking, medicine and cosmetology. Eating Limetta Pursha has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular, digestive, nervous and other systems of the body.

The fruit of the plant in question has the following properties: increasing immunity, normalizing emotional state, overcoming depression. The concentration of vitamins helps prevent a lack of useful elements during the winter.

Juice, peel and essential oils Limets are actively used in the production of cosmetics that improve the condition of the skin: remove wrinkles, improve complexion, etc.

Features of planting and care at home

Limetta is distinguished by its relative unpretentiousness, which makes the plant popular for growing as an ornamental. Citrus Pursha - tropical plant, therefore it is demanding in terms of temperature, humidity and lighting.

Lighting

The Pursha lemon in question during the growing season, which lasts from early spring to mid-autumn, should be provided with light for 12-14 hours a day. We must not forget that limetta does not like direct sunlight, as it can burn the plant. For this reason, at home, shrubs should be placed in well-lit places, protected from direct sunlight.

The optimal place is a window sill on the west or east side of the house. If the Pursha lemon is located on the north side, you need to take care of organizing additional lighting (lamps, lamps). When placed in a house with windows facing south, the limetta is placed deep into the room, at some distance from the window sill.

Temperature

The optimal temperature during the active growing season is 20-25 °C. At this time, it is recommended to take the citrus out to Fresh air- garden, balcony, terrace. It is important to provide protection not only from direct sunlight, but also from drafts, to which the limetta is also sensitive.

During the flowering period optimal temperature is +18 °C. In hotter conditions, the plant begins to shed some of its buds, which affects the yield. In winter, when the dormant period begins, it is enough to maintain the temperature in the room at about 12-14 °C.

Humidity

Limetta, like all citrus fruits, does not like excessive dryness and excessive humidity. The plant needs to be watered regularly, but moderately. It is important that the soil is constantly slightly moistened and does not dry out. During the growing season, from spring to autumn, Limetta Pursha is watered 1-2 times a week. In winter, the frequency of watering is reduced to 1-2 times every 30 days.

Air humidity should be maintained at 60-70%. To do this, periodically, every 2-3 days, the limetta is sprayed with a spray bottle. It is especially important to humidify the air by spraying in winter, during the heating season.

To maintain humidity, you can place an open container of water next to the tree. Evaporation of the liquid will help maintain the desired level of humidity.

Fertilizer and feeding

Limetta is demanding in terms of soil content nutrients, so the soil needs to be fertilized throughout the season. It is recommended to fertilize in spring, summer and autumn, but not more than 3 times per season. Special products intended for citrus plants are used as fertilizer.

Trimming and shaping

Considering that citrus has irregular shape crowns, attention should be paid to the pruning procedure. The young plant is pruned 1-2 times every season. In the spring, the crown is formed with the branches removed and shortened.

In the fall, sanitary pruning is performed, when diseased, damaged and old branches are removed. Such measures significantly reduce the likelihood of pests and the development of fungal or bacterial diseases.

Transfer

Lemon Pursha is rarely replanted when the tree requires a larger container. Experienced gardeners The only Limetta transplant is carried out at 6-8 years. The event is held at the beginning of spring, before the growing season intensifies. It is better to avoid transplantation in the future.

The plant has a sensitive root system, so moving it to a larger container must be done with extreme caution. Transplantation is carried out using the transshipment method, when the roots remain in a coma of earth. In other years, selective replacement of the top layer of soil is carried out every season.