Citrus Limon – Lemon Tree
This tree has an open treetop, with an abundance of branches, curved, leathery glossy green leaves, (5–10 cm), with a pointed tip, and wavy or denticulate edges. Its flowers, commonly referred to as orange blossom (just like the orange tree), have thick white petals with a pink or violet tinge on the edges, with several stamens (20–40). They may grow individually or in pairs coming from reddish buds.
The lemon is originally from Asia and was unknown to the Greeks and Romans, being mentioned for the first time in the 3rd or 4th century in the book on agriculture, Nabathae. It was not grown in the western world until after the Arabian conquest of Spain, and its growth then spread rapidly all along the Mediterranean coast, thanks to the mild climate, where it was eaten by the Spanish, as well as being grown and sold for exportation.
Its fruit is rich in vitamin C (501.6 mg/L) and citric acid (49.88 mg/L). It is used in the making of desserts (such as rice pudding where its peel is used for flavour), or natural drinks such as lemonade or cinnamon milk. Lemon slices are used to decorate drinks. Due to the acidity of its juice, it can be used to make water drinkable, by adding 4 or 5 drops to a glass of water, allowing it to settle for a few minutes before drinking.
Eureka variety; available in pot with fruit from October to February, flowering in March and April.