Citrus Limon is the botanical name for the ‘Eureka’ lemon, the ever popular smooth-skinned lemon that is used extensively in households all around the country.
Citrus Limon originates from Asia, although the commercial cultivar ‘Eureka’ is of Californian origin. It was discovered in Los Angeles in 1858 and is believed to be of Italian stock. Today it is one of the most widely grown fruit trees in orchards and in the home garden.
A robust evergreen tree, the ‘Eureka’ lemon can attain a mature height of around 5 metres. Its leaves are large, leathery and aromatic, and borne on slightly drooping branches with very few thorns. New growth tips are tinged with a distinctive purple colour. White, sweetly scented flowers with a purple blush are produced in abundance at regular intervals throughout the year, ensuring that lemons are available almost all year round. Mature ‘Eureka’ lemon trees generally have ripe fruit on them all the time, except when unfavourable climatic conditions lead to stress and the loss of fruit and flowers.
The lemons produced by Eureka are described as being of medium size (80 to 120 mm in length) and oval shaped with a distinctive sharp point on one end. The rind is yellow when ripe and the flesh greenish-yellow with plenty of highly acidic juice. Fruit generally hold on the tree for a reasonable period, but they are best picked as soon as they are ripe because they lose juice and acidity if they hang for too long. Also, if allowed to drop off‑ the tree, one has to contend with a mess of decomposing fruit under the tree.
