Key (Mexican) lime
Also known as: Mexican lime, West Indian lime, bartender's lime
The small, intensely aromatic, seedy lime of Key lime pie and authentic cooking; the most cold-tender common citrus and very thorny.
Across the consideration criteria
How it grows
- Cold hardiness
- 32°F
- Ripening
- Mid-season
- Vigor
- Moderate
- Disease tolerance
- Moderate
- Drainage need
- Well
- Soil pH
- 6–7.5
- Graft requirement
- Graft Required
- US availability
- Available
Considerations
Canopy killed at about 32°F.
Needs high heat to colour and sweeten.
Mid-season fruit (year-round).
moderate
Prefers a pH band of 6–7.5.
These are intrinsic to the citrus. On a real property, Folia scores each against your site; here they're shown on their own.
Grows alike
similar to growMexican Thornless lime
ripens in the same window · wants the same heat to ripen
Bearss (Persian/Tahiti) lime
ripens in the same window · wants the same heat to ripen
Palestine sweet lime
ripens in the same window · wants the same heat to ripen
Kaffir (Makrut) lime
ripens in the same window · wants the same heat to ripen
Sweet lime (Limettioides) - Mosambi
ripens in the same window · wants the same heat to ripen
Tahitian (Sarawak) - lime-adjacent pummelo
ripens in the same window · wants the same heat to ripen
Climate-adapted alternatives
more resilient picksMexican Thornless lime
similar cold hardiness · similar heat requirement
Bearss (Persian/Tahiti) lime
similar cold hardiness · similar heat requirement
Palestine sweet lime
similar cold hardiness · similar heat requirement
Kaffir (Makrut) lime
similar cold hardiness · similar heat requirement
Sweet lime (Limettioides) - Mosambi
similar cold hardiness · similar heat requirement
Tahitian (Sarawak) - lime-adjacent pummelo
similar cold hardiness · similar heat requirement
Could Key (Mexican) lime grow on your land?
See how Key (Mexican) lime scores against your specific property, with local precedent, climate, and the tradeoffs for your ground.
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