Spanish Limes

Spanish limes are not Spanish, and they are not members of the citrus family.

So what are they?

Spanish lime fruit and seed (Kristof Zyskowski & Yulia Bereshpolova) CC BY 2.0

Spanish limes (Melicoccus bijugatus) are edible, tropical sweet-tart fruits from the soapnut family. The Greek and Latin parts of its name translate as honey seed. Native to northern South America, the fruit is a drupe. Drupes are single stony seeds covered by fleshy fruits, like an apricot.

These fruits are known by several names, including Bajen ackee, chenet, genip, guinep, kenèp, limoncello, mamoncillo, and quenepa. It is described as tasting like a combination of apple, citrus, lychee, mango, and pineapple.

Evergreen genip trees can grow up to 50 feet (15 m) tall but can be pruned to a more manageable size. Elliptical, alternate leaves are 3-6 inches long (7–15 cm). Most genip trees are dioecious, which means they are either male or female, but self-pollinating varieties are available.

Under a brittle green peel, the juicy flesh may be orange or yellow. Edible seeds are large, white, and commonly roasted. It is said that they taste similar to cashews. Before you let your children eat them, know that the raw seeds pose a choking hazard, so be sure to supervise.

Canopy view of Spanish lime tree (Forest & Kim Starr) CC BY 3.0 us

You can grow Spanish lime trees in USDA Hardiness Zones 10A to 11. You can also grow them in containers, which can be brought indoors or moved to more protected locations if your winters are less than tropical. These trees prefer full sun and moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil (pH 6.0–6.5). Fragrant flowers appear in late spring to early summer. They are white with four petals and eight stamens. The trees are slow and steady growers.

Fruits start out yellow, then turn green and develop a pink blush as they ripen. Mature fruits are approximately two inches (5 cm) in diameter. The skin is somewhat spiky, so gloves are recommended during harvest.

Common pests of Spanish limes include aphids, citrus leaf miners, and scale insects. You can use insecticidal soap or neem oil to control those pests. The only disease I saw mentioned was citrus greening disease, also known as huanglongbing.

These fruits do not store well unless you can them, so eat them as they ripen. They can be used in margaritas, pies, salsa, and smoothies. See if you have a sunny spot for this lush, productive shade tree in your landscape for planting next spring.