MEXICAN
Tree – Small to medium sized upright growing tree with small leaves and many thorns. 

Fruit – Small with a thin green rind, which turns yellow at full maturity.  Very aromatic, juicy and acidic with few to many seeds.  Ripens mid September to early October.  Can be used while still green.  Doesn’t hold well on the tree after reaching full maturity.

KEY
Tree – Small to medium sized upright growing tree with small leaves and very few thorns. Very similar to the Mexican Lime except the tree is virtually thornless 

Fruit – Small with a thin green rind, which turns yellow at full maturity.  Very aromatic, juicy and acidic with few to many seeds.  Ripens mid September to early October.  Can be used while still green.  Doesn’t hold well on the tree after reaching full maturity. . 

PERSIAN
Tree – Handsome, compact, medium sized tree with dark green leaves, which are bigger than the leaves of the Mexican or Key Lime.  Tree has very few small thorns.   

Fruit – Small, with a thin dark green gradually turning light green then yellow at full maturity.  Fruit is somewhat larger than the Mexican or Key Lime.  Very aromatic, juicy and acidic with few to no seeds.  Ripens mid September to early October.  Can be used while still green.  Doesn’t hold well on the tree after reaching full maturity.

KAFFIR
Tree – Small to medium sized upright growing tree with elongated, notched leaves and many thorns.  The unique aromatic leaves are used to flavor soups and curries in Asian cooking. 

Fruit – Small, rounded with a dark green bumpy rind that resembles an alligator hide.  The flesh is light green, sour and very seedy.

 

PALESTINIAN SWEET
Tree – Also known as Indian sweet lime.  The tree is medium-large with an irregular shrubby, spreading form.  The flowers are pure white, and the new growth is bright green.   The tree is hardier than that of the acid lime; bears late in the rainy season in India when other citrus fruits are
out-of-season.

Fruit –The fruits are small, round to slightly oblong, and have a thin, smooth, rind with prominent oil glands.  At maturity, the rind is pale green to orange-yellow.  The flesh is pale yellow, tender and juicy, with some seeds.  The flavor is insipid due to the lack of acidity in the fruit but is appealing to some.  Palestinian sweet lime is also used as a citrus rootstock