🍎 Lime Tree
Citrus × aurantiifolia / C. × latifolia
fruits evergreen fruit tree
☀️ Sun
full sun
💧 Water
consistent; more sensitive to drought than lemon
🗺️ Zones
9–11 (in-ground); container anywhere
🪴 Soil Type
well-drained sandy loam
🧪 Soil pH
5.5–6.5
📏 Spacing
12-25 ft apart (standard); 6-10 ft (dwarf); 15-20 ft between rows
📅 Days to Maturity
3-6 years (from planting); bears fruit 2-3 years for grafted trees
🍴 Edible Parts
🍽️ ["Fruit"]
🤝 Companions (7)
🤝 Marigold
Nematode control; whitefly repellent; critical for lime in sandy soils
Aphid trap crop; groundcover; thrives in similar Mediterranean conditions
🤝 Garlic / Chives
Scale and aphid repellent; antifungal properties
Pollinator attractor; mineral accumulation
🤝 Legumes
Nitrogen source in tree basin; cowpeas or pigeon peas in tropical/subtropical settings
Nutrient accumulator; mulch source
Attracts bees; repels mosquitoes; aromatic groundcover
⚠️ Keep Apart (3)
⚠️ Walnut trees
Juglone sensitivity
⚠️ Grass
Root competition; reduced nitrogen availability
⚠️ Dense shade plants
Limes need high light for fruit production
💊 Medicinal Uses
Contains high vitamin C, limonene, and flavonoids with antimicrobial, astringent, and antioxidant properties. Similar to lemon but with distinct compounds. Traditional global remedy: fruit for scurvy (historically prevented in British sailors — 'limeys'), colds, fever, and digestive issues; juice as antiseptic; peel for respiratory congestion. Key lime higher in antioxidants than Persian lime. Lime essential oil used for mood elevation and as antimicrobial.