Looking for the Key lime (Citrus aurantifolia)

Adam says...
They can be found for sale relatively easily in Australia, mostly sold under the name of "West Indian Lime". Key/Mexican/West Indian lime are all the same thing.

Adam says...
"Subline" is a lime nursery, not sure that they sell West Indian Limes though, so most likely a Tahitian.

Julie says...
I have a wonderful Tahitian lime - several years old now. I bought another (I thought) to grow in a bag to take with me when I move, and it turned out to be another variety. Small round fruit, very acid, quite prolific.

But I don't really like it, I prefer the taste of the Tahitian. So do my neighbours, who receive lots of my fruit. So is the second one a West Indian/Mexican/Key lime? If you were in WA you would be welcome to it Rev, but you are a bit far away!

Just had a look at it - it doesn't sound like your description. So what on earth have I got?

Julie says...
Thanks Adam, that's the one I have. I don't remember now what the label said - people are really confused about limes.

Rev says...
Ok then
well that picture has me stumped what this 'sublime' is
Its a PBR variety registered in ipaustralia as 'sublime'/ Citrus aurantifolia
but it sure doesnt look like that

although i did see some 'odd' limes at a stall run by a local phillipina that i bough a few of. they were yellow so fully ripe, and lightly ribbed rurface like those. seedy. and seemingly identical to the ones on the picture Adam supplied. Flavour was ok,a bit sour - maybe because they were fully or over ripe. The ones ive had in the past that were the best were lime green on the inside, small seedy and with a very strong limey tang. Like the tahitian but more pungent.

i planted the pips from this phillipine lime anyway.

Adam says...
Mexican/West Indian/ Key limes have low genetic diversity, so are pretty much the same the world over. They fall off the tree when ripe and tend not to have as acid, although more juicy at this stage. Another way to differentiate them from the Tahitian lime is that they have a much more fine grained flesh.

I have another lime sold as "Australian Lime", which has nothing to do with the native limes (I think this was released in the 1980's). Not sure what this is exactly, it could be a Tahitian hybrid by the look of it. The fruit are smaller and rounder then the Tahitian, bigger then the West Indian limes and is less acidic then either.

Adam says...
The vast majority of "Cumquats" sold in Australia are actually Calamanis/Calamondin. It is even marketed as the "Australian Cumquat" now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calamondin

However, the fruit produced from this tree in Melbourne are quite different to the fruit I have had in Malaysia. Often this is the case with citrus grown in different tropical v temperate climates, but it would be interesting to know if they were other differences as this tree was probably introduced into Australia in the 19th century.

I have another similar citrus, sold in Australia as an "Indonesian lime", which is likely to be a Djerook Leemo/Djeruk limau.

Rev says...
Thanks Julie
wont be necessary now
that phillipine lime turns out to be C aurantifolia alright

i can tell straight away as the seeds come up.
the leaf margins, the distinct oil glands, the polyembryonic seeds.

thanks for the offer though

Ive only seen Calamansi in Brunei before. They were almost the same but maybe a touch smaller than the ones we have here. same tang though

ive only ever grown Fortunella when i was down south , cultivars Meiwa - Marumi, and Nagami. Both are excellent. Meiwa was my favourite, skin and all off the tree, or else made into either a brandy preserve, or a Shochu like japanese liquer - sugar alcohol fruit aged several months.

These Calamansi lack the better milder flavour but they make an ok susbtitute.
Their juice is very good as part of a marinade for Pork. Or they can be crushed in a glass to extract the juice and skin oils, add raw sugar syrup, Lots of ice and a dash of White rum. A variation on a brazilian caipirinha.

so they are someway tween a lime and a cumquat in usage. The ones i have are very similar to the picture labelled phullipine calamnsi on the above linked wikipage

Lilian says...
Hi adam,

I am looking for calamansi limes. Could you tell me where I can source the plant from in Melbourne?

Adam says...
The vast majority of "Kumquats" sold in Australia are Calamansi/Calamondin. In Melbourne they are in most nurseries and are are often sold under the trade name of "Australian Cumquat".

Lilian says...
Thanks Adam.

There is a difference in flavour of a true kumquat compared to the calamansi lime though... How can I tell if it is one or the other?

Violet_Cactus says...
By the way, Engalls' Nursery sells Key Limes (Citrus aurantifolia)

JUJUBE FOR SALE IN MELBOURNE says...
Hi Barbara,

I have my tropical West Indian lime tree( key lime) it has been in my garden for the last 10 years and doing very well with lots of fruits.

Good luck to yours.

JUJUBE FOR SALE IN MELBOURNE says...
Hi Michael,

Thank for the link. Very useful indeed. I have just found out the true name of my pumelo variety.

JUJUBE FOR SALE IN MELBOURNE says...
Hi Michael,

I have Citrus maxima ‘Mato Buntan’ pumelo. This year is very funny because they turn yellow every year at this time of the year but not this year.

It took me amost 10 years to learn that I must wait to have the fruits fully ripe before picking them. I am still waiting for mine to turn yellow before taking photos and updating my edible with some more trees.

There are about 100 fruits I think. I thin them 3 months ago when the fruits were young.

Michael says...
Hi Nguyet ,

The one you have is the type I like with not too much juice . I was told that in NSW/VIC there is not enough heat to fully ripen pumelos so it's always bitter. Let me know how your pumelo turns out .

JUJUBE FOR SALE IN MELBOURNE says...
Hi Michael,

Some of my pomelo fruits dropped on the ground. Normally this time of the year they have bitter after taste so I almost ignore them until I tested one fruit. I found they are perfectly to eat now. Sweet and no bitter after taste at all so it may be the Rain we have had recently that make the fruit juicy and sweet.

The only diffrent compare to the last 10 years is lots of rain this year, mulch heavily so it may be the answer to the bitterness problem not the cold???.

Pictures - Click to enlarge
Picture: 1	Picture: 2

Rev says...
if anyone wants Calamansi of the type up here, just say so and i can organise to ship them down to you in season. i get them at local markets from a phillipino grower.

SAW says...
I have just returned from Manila and would love to grow my own Calamansi how do I do this and how much?

sublime citris aurantifilia says...
for sale at big w $16.00
patrio lime that can be also grownn in
the garden

sublime citris aurantifilia says...
for sale at big w $16.00
patrio lime that can be also grownn in
the garden

j says...
saltsa any bunnings in victoria can order them in for you. i got my two west indian limes from a bunnings in nunawading but they all get them from the same wholesaler.

Fruit Lover says...
Hi Guys,

Salsta... this web site sells lots of rare eddibles / fruit trees mail order to your door. They have lots of rare citrus grafted, cutting grown or seedlings from time to time as they become available. I bought a west Indian Lime from them for $24.95. Hope this helps

Web address and email below:

www.forever-seeds.com

Email:
info@forever-seeds.com

Mike says...
llijas,my WI lime passed away recently after a happy and productive life but it was always the poor cousin of my tahitians.I saw sublimes in Big W and was tempted to get a replacement for my WI.It sure looked like a less thorny WI to me in growth habit to me rather than a tahitian.Friend are getting sick of me thrusting bags of limes at them when they visit so I didn't get it.I might have a closer look next time because there are many distinctive characteristics of both.

JUJUBE FOR SALE IN MELBOURNE says...
Mike,
I love your limes and I use lots of them for fish sauce. It is a beautiful combination especially the kaffir lime and very juicy and thin skin too. the shop bought ones sometimes not quite good.

amanda says...
What happens to the WI Lime in cold weather? (just curious..)
It can get down to 2 - 6 oC o/night here in winter - my tree is ok with this (a lot colder in Melb winter tho?)

They are such a heavy bearing tree...I am same as you Mike..end up giving them away - or I freeze the juice.

amanda says...
Ah...that's interesting Jujube :) I suspect that they are much tougher than they are given credit for...especially once established.

I want to grow another one down in Bunbury (no frost) so thanks for that information... :)

micarle says...
I live in the blue mtns and i have had no trouble with my plant!! No protection needed

micarle says...
I don't live in the upper Blue mtns so not as frosty as u think but still a few light one's in winter.

Rael says...
I am trying to get 2 trees into my garden. #1 - West Indian Lime and #2 a coffee tree. I am in Noosaville on Sunshine Coast Qld. from Hawaii and always had these around me - I miss them and would like and help to know where, how to obtain these. I have tried to get a kumquat growing but I just cannot get the little critter to grow. Any advice gratefully appreciated.

Scotchmist says...
I recently contacted the company 'Touch of Class Plants' who are the producers of the lime being sold as 'Sublime' as I've gotten conflicting information as to the variety of lime & wanted it cleared up for me once and for all. Here is their reply.... "we're not sure why you were informed that it was a Tahitian Lime as this is incorrect.

Whoever replied to your initial message should have told you that Sublime is a Citrus aurantifolia. We're sorry if this has caused any confusion and please do not hesitate to contact us again if you have any questions.

Here is the link to our site if you have not already seen it: http://www.touchofclassplants.com.au/product-detail/?id=68 - Thanks.
Product Detail
www.touchofclassplants.com.au"

So there you go.. It's a West Indian/Key Lime.

jakfruit etiquette says...
I have only seen a few Sublimefruit, those were seedless. Anybody got seed in a Sublime??

VF says...
Jakfruit e., if only you put your post in about a month ago! Could have sent you a few seeds - I had 4 fruit on my young Sublime plant, with one fully formed seed in each. Plant is just about to flower so will be a while before more fruit. If I remember, I'll post when I have some.

Brain says...
I am not a big fan of sublime. I have the same problem as you gimme, the plant flowers profusely but does not hold fruit.

Also, it does not like the dry. I would recommend getting the west indian lime as a seedling or a grafted variety instead.

jakfruit etiquette says...
The photo from the PBR website, well their C.aurantifolia specimen must be a Calamondin if i'm not mistaken????
Looking at Sublime trees i've seen, i would have guessed it was an off type/bud sport Tahiti Lime, maybe a diploid even ?
Yes Mike, many versions of Key/West Indian Lime, but Sublime looks a touch different to me, slightly more than usual seedling variation.

Markmelb says...
I shall inform you all how my 4 year old sublime performs this year compared to my new West Indian Lime which is a couple years behind the former

Brain says...
Scotchmist, your fruits looks great. I think you stand a good chance if you keep the water up and constant i.e. never let the plant dry out too much. Let us know how the fruit taste when it is ready.

jakfruit etiquette says...
Fruit should be found at many Asian grocery, look for smaller yellow limes.
Will grow true from seed.
Trees should also be avail, occasionally at Bunnings, or phone around other nurseries.

Boris Spasky says...
17.99 for cutting citrus also a rip off.
Easy for propagators, but without exception a very poor choice, even if only grown in a pot.

Madsen1 says...
Hi
I"e;m looking for some key lime seeds (i've looked everywhere but can't seem to find them!).

I'd like to try growing one from seed as opposed to buying one.

If anyone is interested in trading seeds, i have lots of calamondin seeds that i can trade from my tree!

Allan citrus says...
I only see seedless Tahitian lime in Sydney all over Flemington markets.