Persian lime

Persian lime, also sold as Tahiti lime or Bearss lime, is the nearly seedless green lime that fills US grocery shelves. Citrus latifolia is a small, dense, rounded evergreen tree with dark green leaves and white spring flowers, a triploid hybrid of citron, pummelo, and a wild Southeast Asian citrus. Its fruit runs larger than Key lime and ripens over much of the year. Give Persian lime full sun and well-drained soil, set it 15 to 20 feet from buildings, and water through dry spells, especially from bloom through fruit set. It suits USDA zones 9 to 11 and is hardier than Key lime, though leaves are damaged below 28 F and wood below 26 F, so north Florida plantings need a warm, protected site. Mature trees reach about 20 feet tall and wide. In Florida, heaviest bloom runs February through April and peak harvest June through August.