Desert lime

Citrus glauca

The one citrus that shrugs off drought, frost and 45-degree heat; grape-sized limes, no peeling required.

Type: small tree · fruit trees
Hardiness: zones 8 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 15 ft tall, 10 ft wide
Harvest: May to June
From: Inland eastern Australia
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.

Good for: food, pollinators, wildlife.

Native to: Australia. Hardy in zones 8 to 11.

The story

The desert lime is a true citrus that evolved in outback Queensland and New South Wales. It goes from flower to ripe fruit in about ten weeks, the fastest of any citrus, to get the job done before the heat.

Planting

Full sun and deep, well-drained soil. Grafted plants bear sooner and stay thornless higher up.

Growing

Water to establish, then deeply now and then. It may drop its leaves in drought and recover.

Harvest and use

Small yellow-green limes in early summer. Use them whole, skin and all, in marmalade, chutney, drinks and sauces.

What to watch for

Thorny when young. Suckers from the roots.

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General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home