Shikuwasa (Okinawan lime)

Citrus depressa

A small, sour green citrus squeezed over everything in Okinawa, and wild in the Ryukyu forests.

Type: small tree · fruit trees
Hardiness: zones 9 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 12 ft tall, 10 ft wide
Harvest: August to November
From: Okinawa and Taiwan
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.

Native to: Japan & its islands. Hardy in zones 9 to 11.

The story

Shikuwasa is Okinawa's own citrus, growing wild in the Ryukyu forests and in gardens. Okinawans squeeze it over sashimi, into juice, and over almost everything else.

Planting

Full sun, well-drained soil, warm and frost-free or nearly so. Plant a grafted nursery tree.

Growing

Small and tidy; feed lightly in spring and water in dry spells.

Harvest and use

Pick green in late summer for tart juice, or yellow in winter for sweeter fruit.

What to watch for

Thorny twigs on some trees. Frost-tender.

See if Shikuwasa (Okinawan lime) fits your yard
Free planner: enter your ZIP for frost dates, climate fit and a sowing calendar. No account, no ads, no tracking cookies.

More fruit trees

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