Lime Tree (Citrus hystrix) Kaffir Lime

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Frost and cold temperatures bring the downfall of this mighty tree. Make sure the temperature doesn’t drop below 50 degrees F all year round. If you live in a cold area, then you should grow the kaffir lime tree indoors and keep it protected from the elements. You can also bring it outdoors in the summer when it’s warm and sunny. Also, indoors, it’s easier to maintain a steady temperature and a high level of humidity, the way the tree likes it. Fertilizer However, citrus trees grown indoors for months at a time are very likely to have pest insect proliferations since they won’t have the benefits of high humidity and predatory insects such as lacewings, predatory wasps, ladybugs, and others. Kaffir lime trees are evergreen trees that reach 5-10 ft in height when fully grown and grows best in USDA growing zones 8-11. Although they can be grown in-ground outdoors, these citrus trees flourish in potted environments in a container with satisfactory drainage.

Makrut limes have a long history of health/medicinal use in cultures throughout Southeast Asia and modern research is providing evidence for some of these uses. Another concern is the cottony cushion scale, and you see the pest forming like fluffy white bumps on the tree trunk and branches. You can use rubbing alcohol with a cotton swab on them to remove them. The most likely etymology is through the Kaffirs, an ethnic group in Sri Lanka partly descended from enslaved Bantu. [9] The earliest known reference, under the alternative spelling "caffre" is in the 1888 book The Cultivated Oranges, Lemons Etc. of India and Ceylon by Emanuel Bonavia, who notes, "The plantation coolies also smear it over their feet and legs, to keep off land leeches; and therefore in Ceylon [Sri Lanka] it has also got the name of Kudalu dchi, or Leech Lime. Europeans call it Caffre Lime." [9] [10] Similarly, H.F. MacMillan's 1910 book A Handbook of Tropical Gardening and Planting notes, "The 'Kaffir Lime' in Ceylon." [9] [11]Besides being used for Asian dishes, Kaffir limes are said to promote oral health, help in detoxifying blood, improve skin and hair health, help with digestion, and possibly decrease inflammation. Kaffir limes have a high concentration of alkaloids, limonene, nerol, citronellol, and other organic compounds which are beneficial due to their anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. First thing to know when considering growing makrut limes: unless you live in ag zone 9 or higher, don’t plant them in-ground or they won’t make it through the winter. While some sources say makrut lime trees can survive a light freeze, we wouldn’t risk it. Can you grow makrut lime trees in a pot? a b Sukphisit, Suthon (12 November 2017). "Clean up in kitchen with versatile fruit". Bangkok Post . Retrieved 13 November 2017. Yes, you’ll have to periodically prune the foliage and roots of your makrut lime tree. Wear gloves and long sleeves when pruning because makrut lime trees do have painful thorns! Create a circle of raised soil around the root of the tree to act as a container for water and fertilizer you’ll add later.

You want to maintain even, damp (but not wet) soil moisture throughout the year for your makrut lime. The ideal soil moisture level is like a wrung out sponge. C. hystrix is grown worldwide in suitable climates as a garden shrub for home fruit production. It is well suited to container gardens and for large garden pots on patios, terraces, and in conservatories. Likewise, essential oil from makrut lime peels was tested for effects on human behavior. Subjects in the makrut lime oil group “rated themselves more alert, attentive, cheerful and vigorous than subjects in the control group. These findings are likely to represent stimulating/activating effects of the kaffir lime oil and provide some evidence for the use of kaffir lime oil in aromatherapy, such as causing relief from depression and stress in humans.” Makrut lime leaves can also be crushed in your hand (releasing the oils) and rubbed on your skin as a mosquito deterrent in the same way that catnip can be used. 7. Do makrut limes/Citrus hystrix have any health benefits?Substitutes For Kaffir Lime Makrut In Popular Recipes – it is not always possible to grow a harvest of kaffir limes in the first few years, so here are some alternative until you get your first true harvest. Makrut lime leaves and fruit on our tree in Greenville, SC. We always get a bit of a thrill knowing about the history of the plants we grow and what an interesting journey they’ve been on before we came into possession of them. The rind (peel) is commonly used in Lao and Thai curry paste, adding an aromatic, astringent flavor. [26] The zest of the fruit, referred to as combava, [ citation needed] is used in creole cuisine to impart flavor in infused rums and rougails in Mauritius, Réunion, and Madagascar. [31] In Cambodia, the entire fruit is crystallized/candied for eating. [32] Medicinal [ edit ]

For reference: in the hot days of summer, our mature makrut lime tree in a 20″ x 20″ pot gets about 1.5 gallons of water daily. In the winter, it might only get 0.5 gallons of water per day. The Kaffir lime tree fruit, which is the size of a Western Lime, is not as popular as the leaves. The fruit of this citrus tree is dark green in color and unlike any other fruit of lemon lime trees it has a lumpy surface. The juice is seldom used because it is rather acidic, bitter, and overly sour. The rind is used in creating curry pastes and the zest is used to leave a poignant flavor to mouth-watering dishes like fried fish cakes.They will take time to mature and produce fruit, but are wonderful, classy plants in their own right with the additional bonus of intense scent throughout the year and especially winter. Hardy to 5°C, they are best grown outdoors from May to October, and brought inside for the winter. Height: 3m (118”). Spread: 250cm (98”). Let’s discuss what could be your new favorite potted plant, or even your favorite tropical to cultivate in the southern United States. Makrut lime leaves impart a very unique flavor, but if you don’t have any available and a recipe calls for them there are some suitable substitutes: