Citrus hystrix
Kaffir lime
Common names: Makrut lime, Kieffer lime, Mauritius papeda
At a glance
- Light
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 80 cm, rows 80 cm
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Harvest
- Jan–Dec
- Hardiness
- Cold damage below 3 °C
- Water need
- Medium
Photo: David Monniaux · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
The makrut lime, botanically Citrus hystrix, is still often sold in the trade as the kaffir lime and comes from Southeast Asia. It is an evergreen, thorny citrus tree that can reach several metres in its native habitat but usually stays at 1 to 1.5 m when grown in a container. Its hallmark is its double leaves: the leaf stalk is so broadly winged that each leaf looks like two leaves placed one above the other. The leaves are glossy dark green and release an intense citrus and floral scent when crushed. It is these leaves that serve as the actual seasoning. They are added whole to Thai curries, coconut soups and rice dishes and removed before serving, or they are cut into very fine strips. The bumpy fruits yield little juice but provide peel for curry pastes. In our region, the potted plant rarely flowers or fruits, as it requires warmth and a frost-free winter location.
Care instructions
Place the makrut lime outdoors after the Ice Saints in mid-May (calendar week 20), but only once nights no longer fall below 10 °C. Acclimatise it to sunlight over the first few days, otherwise the leaves will scorch. The best location is sunny, warm and sheltered from wind, such as a south-facing wall. Water regularly with low-lime water once the top layer of soil has dried out, and empty any water standing in the saucer. Harvest the leaves continually and fresh, but never remove more than a third at once so the plant does not weaken. Surplus leaves can be frozen. Repot every two to three years in spring into a larger pot. Keep aphids and spider mites in check by spraying the plant with water, and collect scale insects by hand. Common mistakes include waterlogging, a winter location that is too dark, dry heated indoor air and lime-rich watering water, all of which lead to yellow leaves and leaf drop.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
HarvestJan–Dec
FloweringApr–Jun
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
humus-rich, well-drained, sandy, lime-avoiding
The makrut lime needs a loose, humus-rich and well-drained substrate with a slightly acidic pH. Use commercial citrus compost and mix in some coarse sand or pumice; a drainage layer of expanded clay or gravel goes at the bottom of the pot. Waterlogging quickly leads to root rot. Water preferably with rainwater or stale, low-lime water: lime raises the pH, and then the leaves turn yellow.
Feeding
Heavy feeder
Months
Apr–Sep
In a container the makrut lime grows in limited soil and needs regular feeding during the growing season. At the start of growth in spring, work some ripe compost or horn shavings shallowly into the upper layer of soil. From April to September give a liquid fertiliser for citrus plants in the water every two weeks. In winter quarters it is not fed. Yellow leaves with green veins usually point to lime damage or iron deficiency; soft water then helps.
Pruning
Prune the makrut lime in February or March before it starts into growth. Remove dead wood as well as inward-growing and crossing shoots, and shorten branches that are too long by about a third, always just above a leaf. Wear gloves, because the branches have thorns.
Overwintering
The makrut lime is not hardy and does not tolerate frost. Bring it indoors as soon as nights get cooler than 10 °C, usually from the end of September to the beginning of October. It overwinters best bright at 10 to 15 °C, for example in a conservatory or in a bright, cool stairwell. Water only a little in winter: the soil should never dry out completely, but never be wet either. In a warm living room the air quickly becomes too dry; occasionally spraying the leaves then helps. From mid-May (week 20) it may go back outside.
Propagation
Methods
- From seed
- Cuttings
The easiest way is to buy a ready-grown plant, because the makrut lime grows slowly. You take cuttings in early summer from semi-hardwood shoots, about 10 cm long with a few leaves. You insert them into loose, sandy seed compost and set them up in a mini greenhouse, bright and warm at around 25 °C. It takes several weeks until they form roots, so patience is called for. Seeds from ripe fruit you sow fresh; they germinate in warmth, but the seedlings need years to become a strong shrub.
For your garden
Grow Kaffir lime yourself
Gartenkern tells you when frost is coming, when to sow and when to harvest, for your location.
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