Lemon

History and origin

The lemon tree, native to Asia, probably Kashmir, has traces of cultivation in China dating back 2,500 years. It traveled the Silk Road, reaching the Middle East, where it was cultivated by the Hebrews. Originally, it was a citron, ancestor of the lemon. The modern lemon would be a hybrid between citron and bitter orange. The Arabs spread it from the 10th century in the Mediterranean basin, in Spain, where it became “limon”, inspiring the words “lemon” and “lemonade”. At the end of the 15th century, the Spanish and Portuguese introduced the lemon tree to Florida, where it still thrives.

Variety and cultivation

The lemon tree, sensitive to cold, flourishes in dry and mild subtropical climates, favoring production almost all year round. Spain and Italy dominate the global market, with eight European PGIs. Main varieties include Eureka, Verna and Lisbon.

Did you know?

Caviar lemons are not lemons since they generally come from the Microcitrus australasica species (and not Citrus Limon like the yellow lemon). They have an original elongated shape, very small leaves and many more thorns.