Kagaji Nimbu / Key Lime
Citrus aurantiifolia
Also known as Lime Tree, Bitter Orange, Bigarade, Country Lime, Mexican Lime, Seville Orange, Sour Lime, West Indian Lime
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh & more
- Flowering
- Throughout the year
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Citrus aurantiifolia
- Genus
- Citrus
- Family
- Rutaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Habitat
- Cultivated
- Habitat type
- Cultivated
- Native to
- Southeast Asia
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand
- Flowering & fruiting
- Throughout the year
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf type
- SimplerecordedA single, undivided leaf blade.
- Leaf shape
- OvaterecordedEgg-shaped, broader near the base.“The leaves are ovate, 2.5–9 centimetres (1–3+1⁄2 inches) long, resembling orange leaves (the scientific name aurantiifolia referring to this resemblance to the leaves of Citrus aur” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Characters marked “recorded” are for Kagaji Nimbu itself; the rest are typical of the Rutaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Fruit type
- Hesperidiumrecorded
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Cyme
- Fruit
- Berry
Characters marked “recorded” are for Kagaji Nimbu itself; the rest are typical of the Rutaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Hindi
- kagzi nimboo, kagzi nimbu,कागजी नींबू kagaji nimbu
- Nepali
- ज्यामिर
- Bengali
- লেবু, কাগজি লেবু
- Tamil
- தேசி
- Telugu
- పులుసునిమ్మ, పులుసు నిమ్మ, పులుసు నిమ్మచెట్టు
- Malayalam
- വടുകപ്പുളി നാരകം, Key lime, കടുകപ്പുളി നാരകം
Kagaji Nimbu in India
This small lime, called kagzi nimboo (Hindi), தேசி (Tamil), పులుసునిమ్మ (Telugu), വടുകപ്പുളി നാരകം (Malayalam), লেবু (Bengali), is the citrus behind everyday nimbu pani and countless Indian dishes. Citrus aurantiifolia is grown across Maharashtra, Karnataka, West Bengal, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, usually as a small dooryard or orchard tree.
Uses
Its juice seasons dals, chutneys and salads, sweetens or salts into nimbu pani, and its whole fruit is pickled and salted for achaar; the peel is occasionally used in preserves.
How to Identify Kagaji Nimbu
A small, densely thorny shrub or small tree with smaller leaves than lemon. Flowers are white, fragrant, and smaller than lemon's, followed by small, round to oval, thin-skinned fruit that ripens from green to pale yellow — noticeably smaller than a true lemon.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Key Lime called in different Indian languages?
- kagzi nimboo (Hindi); தேசி (Tamil); పులుసునిమ్మ (Telugu); വടുകപ്പുളി നാരകം (Malayalam); লেবু (Bengali).
- What's the difference between this lime and a lemon?
- This lime (Citrus aurantiifolia) is smaller, rounder, thinner-skinned and more acidic than true lemon (Citrus limon), and is usually picked and sold while still green.
- Why is it called 'key lime' in English?
- The name comes from the Florida Keys, where the same lime became a well-known regional crop; in India it's simply called nimbu.
Rutaceae
Citrus/Rue family
Kagaji Nimbu belongs to the Rutaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
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Common plant problems
All plant problem & care guides →More in Rutaceae
View all Rutaceae →Sources: GBIF — Citrus aurantiifolia (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Citrus aurantiifolia (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)