| Description |
The Desert Lime is an evergreen perennial shrub or small tree native to the deserts of Queensland, New South Wales, and South Australia. It can grow to heights of 4 meters and is a prolific producer of fruit that looks like a small lemon and has a wild lime flavor and thin skin. The Desert Lime has thick, leathery, gray-green leaves, small white flowers, and sharp thorns that protect its fruit from grazing animals. It grows wild in bushland areas, where it is a food source for indigenous peoples. It is also used in marmalades, pickles, beverages, and succade (candied peel). It is remarkably cold, heat, and drought-tolerant and is one of the most resilient Citrus species. In harsh conditions, the leaves fall off and the tree goes dormant, allowing it to survive temperatures of -5.5°C and lower. It is also one of the quickest citrus trees to set fruit after flowering. Trees begin to bear fruit when they are 3-10 years old. Desert Limes have recently begun to be domesticated, and they can be used as the roostock for other Citrus species to make them hardier.
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