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Persian Lime
(Bearss)
Citrus X Latifolia

The Persian Bearss Lime Tree has a spreading form,
nearly-thornless drooping branches, broad green leaves, purplish
young shoots and white blooms. This lime tree is a prolific
fruit bearing tree. The Bearss lime has a distinct spicy aroma
and a tasty savory blend of lime and lemon minus the bitterness
or acidity.
Citrus Latifolia, also known by other common names such as a
Persian Lime Tree, Bearss Lime Tree, or Tahiti Lime Tree is a
member of the family Rutaceae with a tri-hybrid genetic
composition of Pomelo (Citrus maxima or Citrus grandis), Citron (Citrus medica),
and Micrantha (citrus).
The Persian Lime tree is an evergreen, vigorous tree that can
grow 15 feet to 20 feet tall when planted in ground, with width
of 5 feet to 10 feet wide when it reaches maturity. The Persian
“Bearss” lime tree is a citrus tree that does well in warm
climates but can survive cold temperatures; the dwarf lime tree
can be grown in a pot if you live in colder areas. It is
cold-hardy with recorded USDA plant hardiness zones 8-11.
This citrus tree has a spreading form, nearly-thornless drooping
branches, broad green leaves, purplish young shoots and white
blooms. The Bearss lime tree is a prolific fruit bearing tree
that produces limes that are almost the size of lemons.
The seedless Bearss lime fruit has a dark to pale green rind
that is smooth and thin. The skin is tightly clinging to the
flesh of the fruit and has a characteristic thin nipple on the
blossom end. Bearss lime has a distinct spicy aroma unique to
its citrus kind and a tasty savory blend of lime and lemon minus
the bitterness or acidity. Each lime fruit weighs about 2 ounces
while half of that weight is juice.
The Persian Bearss lime tree is the most widely produced and
cultivated lime tree commercially and accounts for the largest
share of fruits sold as limes in the United States.
Details
Genus |
Citrus |
Species |
latifolia |
Variety |
'Bearss' |
Zone |
Outdoors:
9 - 11, Indoors: 2 - 11 |
Bloom Start To End |
Early Spring |
Habit |
Upright |
Plant Height |
10 ft - 15 ft |
Plant Width |
15 ft - 20 ft |
Additional Characteristics |
Edible, Fragrance |
Bloom Color |
White |
Foliage Color |
Dark Green |
Light Requirements |
Full Sun, Part Shade |
Moisture Requirements |
Moist, well-drained |
Soil Tolerance |
Normal, loamy, Sandy |
Uses |
Border, Containers, Cuisine, Ornamental, Specimen |
Restrictions *Due to state
restrictions they cannot be shipped to the following:
Canada, Arizona, Guam, Hawaii, Florida, Puerto Rico, Virgin
Islands, Texas, Alaska, Alabama
Nutrition Facts
For 1 medium Persian Lime (67g)
Nutrient |
Value |
%DV |
Calories |
20 |
0% |
Fats |
0g |
0% |
Saturated fats |
0g |
0% |
Trans fats |
0g |
0% |
Cholesterol |
0mg |
0% |
Sodium |
0mg |
0% |
Carbs |
7g |
3% |
Net carbs |
5g |
0% |
Fiber |
2g |
7% |
Sugar |
0g |
0% |
Protein |
0g |
0% |
Vitamins & Minerals |
Calcium |
0mg |
0% |
Iron |
0mg |
0% |
Potassium |
0mg |
0% |
Vitamin A |
0μg |
0% |
Vitamin C |
21mg |
23% |
Vitamin D |
0μg |
0% |
Sugars |
Sugar |
0g |
0% |
Citrus Tree Care
Growing a Persian lime is easy as long as you provide it
with the proper care; here are some requirements that will
help your lime tree thrive:
- Provide your lime tree with full sun, for at least six
hours.
- Ensure your tree is given enough water and proper
drainage.
- Plant in an area with good organically rich soil or in a
container with quality potting soil.
- Fertilizer is not necessary but will improve the tree's
health.
- Keep your lime tree in a warm spot at 60-90 degrees
Fahrenheit.
Light
Sunlight is essential; your tree will produce as much fruit
as possible and stays healthy in an area with full sun.
Planting your tree in a sunny location is a great idea, but
this is extra important for potted plants.
Soil
The lime tree enjoys rich soil loaded with organics that
feed the tree with the necessary nutrients. At the same
time, the soil needs to be moist, but well draining. Test
your soil before planting and amend it as necessary.
Water
Give your lime tree plenty of water and keep the soil
consistently moist to get the juiciest fruit possible. Use a
soaker hose to keep the soil moist under the tree's canopy
to a depth of 2 inches. When the soil is dry to the touch,
water again. When you plant your tree, more frequent water
is needed until it has established itself.
Temperature and Humidity
Lime trees are native to tropical areas, so recreating
similar conditions would be ideal. Keep your lime tree in a
warm area; they do not do well in cold conditions. Strictly
adhering to the recommended USDA zones of 9 through 11 is
your best bet.
Fertilizer
A Persian lime will do fine without feeding, but adding a
fertilizer to your care regimen will increase the tree's
vigor and fruit production. Fertilize your tree with an NPK
formulation in a ratio of 2:1:2 three times a year. You can
find citrus fertilizers with this formula at most garden
centers. Apply in early winter, late spring, and mid summer.
Pollination
Unlike many fruit trees, you will not have to worry about
planting two lime trees for pollination. The lime tree is
self-pollinating, and there is no real increase in yield
seen when multiple trees are present.
Types of Lime Trees
The Persian lime is the most commercially available lime in the
world—and what you find in the supermarket. There are also a few other
species that are grown for culinary purposes:
-
Kaffir Lime (Citrus hystrix): Kaffir
lime is another very
popular lime tree that produces much less fruit and is less hearty.
-
Key Lime (Citrus × aurantiifolia): A
small, tart lime tree that produces limes used mostly for baking,
the key lime tree is the third most popular lime commercially.
-
Philippine Lime (Citrus × microcarpa): This
lime tree is a
hybrid between the kumquat and mandarin orange.
-
Rangpur Lime (Citrus limonia): The
rangpur lime is a popular hybrid of the citron and the mandarin
orange.
Fruit & Harvesting
Fruit
Flowers are followed by berry (hesperidium), oval, obovate,
oblong or short-elliptical, usually rounded at the base that
is 4 to 6.25 cm (1.5 to 2.5 in) wide and 5 to 7.25 cm (2 to
3 in) long, often with nippled or elongated ends, generally
seedless or few-seeded. Fruits are initially vivid green to
pale yellowish green and yellow when fully ripe. The fruit
has thin, leathery skin dotted with oil glands. Pulp is pale
greenish in 10 segments, tender and acid. The pollens are
not viable. The fruit has a fragrant, spicy aroma and tart
flavor, but the aroma and flavor are less intense than those
of key lime. The advantages of the Persian lime in
commercial agriculture compared to the key lime are the
larger size, absence of seeds, hardiness, and absence of
thorns on the bushes, and longer fruit shelf life that have
combined to make it more widely cultivated. It is also
widely available dried, as it is often used this way in
Persian cooking. It is larger with less intense citrus
aromatics than the key lime.
Harvesting
Persian limes are harvested 8 to 12 times a year with 70 percent
of the produce maturing from May to fall. The peak period is
generally from July to September. Harvesting is mostly done by
hand, but some use a tool called a ‘gig” to collect the fruits.
Since Bearss limes are green when ripe or unripe, telling when
it is time to harvest can be somewhat confusing, with a narrow
window for the perfect ripeness. Essentially, if you harvest the
fruit too early there will be deficient juice and does not have
its distinct lime flavor, but if collected later, it will be
sweet and may not have the lime flavor you are looking for.
Limes that are harvested for commercial purposes are usually
dark green. However, the optimal time to pick this fruit is when
the dark green skin has lightened up a little bit or when you
see specks of pale green in areas of the fruit skin. Another way
to tell if the fruit is ripe is by lightly squeezing it. If the
fruit is unripe it would not give and will feel solid to the
touch while a ripe fruit would give a bit when squeezed.
But of course, the ultimate test to determine the readiness of
the Bearss lime fruit is by tasting it. Gently twist one fruit
from the stem and cut it open. If the juice content is about 40%
or more and has the spicy citrus lime taste, then it is the
right time to harvest those limes from your tree. Once
collected, you can keep the fruit in good condition for up to 8
weeks under refrigeration without curing.
How to Grow Lime Trees in Containers
Growing a lime tree in a pot allows you to move the tree to
the area that receives the most sun, is the most convenient
location for watering, and is not as prone to cold
temperatures that can damage the plant. A potted lime tree
requires a bit more care than an in-ground lime tree. Here's
how to care for it:
-
Choosing a pot: Use a pot with drainage holes
that are considerably bigger than your tree to give it
room to grow. Select a good quality organic potting soil
and add a mix of organic compost. Aim for a ratio of
5:1. This mixture will give your lime plenty to feed on
and limit the need for much supplemental fertilizer.
-
Location: Place your lime tree in a sunny
place. If you decide to keep it indoors, you may need to
add a grow
light to supplement the lighting. A broad spectrum
grow light will best mimic the light you need for an
abundant harvest.
-
Watering: Potted lime trees will need their
water needs monitored closely as the container they are
placed in can impact the soil's ability to hold
moisture. The soil should be consistently moist.
-
Temperature: If the temperature in your area
goes below 50 degrees, you should bring your lime tree
inside during the cold months.
Pruning the Lime Tree
Your lime tree will require very little pruning since it
grows very slowly. Your biggest concern will be looking for
damaged, dead, or dying branches. When the tree gets some
height to it, it is a good idea to prune to allow for easy
harvest, but this may be a job best done by a certified
arborist since a mature lime tree will require a ladder to
reach the top.
Propagating a Lime Tree
The Persian lime is a seedless variety, so the only option
to propagate a lime tree is by taking cuttings. While this
is possible, it is not recommended. You may get a viable
tree that produces some fruit, but it won't be as healthy or
successful as a purchased sapling.
The common lime tree is a variety that is grafted onto the
heartier rootstock of the bitter orange (Citrus
aurantium). This
species is highly disease resistant compared to the Persian
lime and is much more tolerant of cooler temperatures. It is
therefore a much better idea to buy a commercially sold lime
tree. Your tree will be healthier, produce more, be more
vigorous, and live longer.
Pests and Diseases
There are a couple of pests that could cause major problems for
Bearss lime tree.
There is the citrus red mite and broad mite that could heavily
infest the Persian lime leaves and fruit causing the leaves to
have necrosis, prematurely fall and dieback.
There are biological (Euseius stipulatus) and chemical
(pesticides) controls you can use to effectively regulate or
prevent widespread colonization of citrus and broad mites.
Persian lime trees can also suffer from black sooty mold caused
by aphid infestation. Aphids alone can cause minimal damage.
However, they excrete a sticky substance called honeydew that
the black sooty mold feeds on. Black sooty molds can hinder the
tree growth and kill the leaves.
To stop the growth of black sooty molds, you need to stop the
spread of aphids. You can either use a concoction of mild
household detergent mixed with water or use pre-mixed
insecticidal soap. Another method to get rid of aphids is to
encourage the nesting of bug eating birds like chickadees and
wrens.
Scales and leaf miners are another citrus tree pest to look for,
and they can cause serious harm to your lime trees. Getting rid
of these 2 pests is imperative to make the plants look better
and improve their overall health. The most common method to rid
your plant of leaf miners is the use of pesticide. You can also
use horticultural oils or a biological control like Diglyphus
isaea. a parasitoid wasp, which you can buy from reputable nurseries.
Scales can be controlled by disposing of infected branches,
twigs or leaves. You can also buy natural predators like
ladybugs and lacewings that prey on scales while it is in the
larval or crawler stage. There are also horticultural oils and
insecticidal soaps you can use to control scales.
FAQ's
Can I grow a lime tree indoors?
You can grow a lime tree indoors, so long as it is a dwarf variety.
Otherwise, it would likely not be able to fit in your home.
Do I need to plant two lime trees to get fruit?
You do not need to plant two lime trees to get fruit since lime trees
pollinate themselves already.
Do lime trees need full sun?
As a tropical tree, lime trees need full sun. It will be its healthiest
and produce the most fruit if given full sun.
Can I grow a lime tree from a store-bought lime?
Lime trees are produced via grafting, so there is no real way to
prudence a lime tree from a store-bought lime.
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