New Zealand lime varieties
Lime trees grown commercially worldwide fall into two main groups, offering distinct fruit tree varieties for New Zealand home orchards and edible gardens. Understanding these lime varieties is essential when selecting appropriate fruit trees for your specific New Zealand climate using our fruit tree selector.
West Indian (Mexican) Lime Trees: Also known as Key limes, these lime varieties (Citrus aurantifolia) are traditional fruit trees prized for their intense flavor and aromatic qualities. Mexican lime trees appear to perform better than Tahitian varieties in New Zealand's cooler climates, making them preferred fruit tree varieties for challenging growing conditions.
Tahiti Lime Trees: Also called Persian limes, these lime varieties (Citrus latifolia) produce larger, seedless fruit. Among Tahitian lime trees, 'Bearss' varieties are the hardiest fruit tree varieties, though they still require substantial frost protection in New Zealand edible gardens.
Growing lime trees successfully requires understanding their subtropical nature. Like most citrus fruit trees, lime varieties prefer minimal frost exposure, protection from snow and strong winds, and consistently warm growing conditions. These fruit tree varieties can thrive in sheltered coastal New Zealand conditions, making them valuable additions to seaside home orchards.
Climate Considerations for New Zealand Lime Trees: Mexican Key lime trees demonstrate superior cold tolerance compared to Tahitian lime varieties in New Zealand's variable climate conditions. However, even these hardier lime trees require good frost protection, particularly during establishment years in your edible garden.
Bearss lime trees, while the most robust of the Tahitian lime varieties, still need substantial frost protection to survive New Zealand winters successfully. When planning your home orchard with lime trees, consider providing winter protection through shelter, frost cloth, or container growing that allows indoor protection during cold periods.
For New Zealand growers, Mexican lime varieties offer the best chance of success in cooler regions, while Tahitian lime trees may be better suited to the warmest, most protected sites in edible gardens. Container cultivation allows both lime tree varieties to be moved to optimal microclimates or indoor protection as needed.
Use our fruit tree selector to determine which lime varieties are most suitable for your specific New Zealand location and edible garden growing conditions.