Lime and Lemon Trees

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A Lime or a Lemon?
In my younger days I suffered frequently from hay fever. The usual stuff prescribed by the doctors such as Avil would suppress symptoms for a while but it kept coming back between the ages of 16 and 24 until someone mentioned that a lemon a day helps and it did. In a few months the attacks stopped and have never occurred again. Perhaps one grows out of them with age too. Ever since, I have grown lemon or lime trees at home whenever the opportunity has arisen, preferring the variety without thorns for a home garden. Plants needed thorns in the wilderness to protect themselves from grazing animals but they do not need that kind of a protection in a home garden. As a small tree they are an excellent choice for small gardens and in hot summers remain at hand for a refreshing cool drink in tall galsses sweetened with a bit of honey or crushed jaggery and topped with ice cubes

The distinction between lime and lemons is not made in India and they go by the same name of Nimboo, just different varieties of the same fruit which in fact they are, both belonging to the genus citrus, family Rutaceae and order Sapindales. Lime are the greener varieties that contain less vitamin C but more vitamin A and the flavor is somewhat different as indeed it is with different varieties of this delightful fruit promoting relief, health and adding a touch of good taste to many a dish. Just a bit of its juice added to Mayonnaise sauce changes that to tartar sauce which is so much nicer with many  foods such as fish.


A photo from the author's backyard

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