Author Topic: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?  (Read 3472 times)

BonsaiBeast

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What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« on: March 13, 2019, 11:39:03 PM »
I need to keep a potted lemon tree so here is my question:

For general use and productivity, is it undisputedly between Eureka and Meyer?

Are there any lesser-known varieties that can compete for the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time) status of lemons?

What about Lime? What are the best lime varieties?

SoCal2warm

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2019, 01:30:42 AM »
I don't know, I just think an ordinary Lisbon tastes good.

Some of the sweeter lemons don't seem to have as much flavor, but this is very subjective and dependent on the person you ask.

I don't know, maybe there's some rare obscure lemon variety out there that has better flavor that I don't know about.

daytripper

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2019, 09:50:45 AM »
My choice for lemon would be the lisbon, just your basic everyday lemon.  As for the lime I again would choose the basic everyday bearass/persian lime.  I would call the lime my best citrus variety as it makes so many cocktails better!

Millet

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2019, 11:22:02 AM »
Either Lisbon or Eureka lemon.  For lime it is surely Bearass.

starch

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2019, 11:42:59 AM »
Lisbon Lemon tastes like a grocery store lemon as far as lemon juics. But obviously being grown at home the freshness is superior. Especially in the zest. I harvested a few bucket fulls of Lisbon's off my main tree, and made a fresh lemon curd with lots of zest in it. Intensely good.

For a 2x smaller tree, my Meyer Lemon puts out 2x more fruit than my Lisbon. (so something like a 4x production factor). It is crazy productive. But it is not a really a lemon. Definitely characteristics of orange and lemon. The fruits are large and they make a lot of juice.

So between the choices you gave in the original post:
- if you want a lemony lemon, get a Lisbon (or Eureka, both are similar)
- if you want to maximize productivity in a small space, go with a Meyere
- Mark

brian

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2019, 12:16:56 PM »
eureka/lisbon lemon
bears(persian) lime

I wouldn't bother with meyer lemon, key limes, etc.  The most common types are the clear winners for these.

EDIT - I sometimes see seedless eureka/lisbon lemons at the grocery store.  I don't know anything about these varieties but if the productivity is the same they might be a better option.

Kelley_GA8a

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2019, 07:34:48 PM »
Personally, I would go with the Bearss Lemon - it’s aroma is much stronger than my eureka and Meyer lemons. I have not had fruit from mine yet, but it is flowering for the first time this year. It does not tolerate cold very well nor did it do well indoors this winter (probably my fault). My eureka did phenomenal indoors and also survived a few nights in the low 30’s.

brian

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2019, 09:06:15 PM »
Bearss *lemon*?

Kelley_GA8a

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2019, 05:27:48 AM »
Yep! Completely different from the Bearss Lime:

http://www.harriscitrus.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=131




Kelley_GA8a

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2019, 05:36:23 AM »
Bonsai, since you are in CA, check out the Santa Teresa lemon from Four Winds Growers. A lady on another forum did a taste test between the ST lemon, eureka, and Lisbon lemons. She found the flavor to be highly superior to the Lisbon and eureka. (Sorry, I get carried away when it comes to lemons:))

lebmung

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #10 on: March 15, 2019, 06:58:51 AM »
What is wrong with key lime? I find the taste better than bearss, and they grow bigger, at least the Thai variety. almost like a tennis ball.

zephian

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #11 on: March 15, 2019, 10:42:15 AM »
Lisbon Lemon tastes like a grocery store lemon as far as lemon juics. But obviously being grown at home the freshness is superior. Especially in the zest. I harvested a few bucket fulls of Lisbon's off my main tree, and made a fresh lemon curd with lots of zest in it. Intensely good.

For a 2x smaller tree, my Meyer Lemon puts out 2x more fruit than my Lisbon. (so something like a 4x production factor). It is crazy productive. But it is not a really a lemon. Definitely characteristics of orange and lemon. The fruits are large and they make a lot of juice.

So between the choices you gave in the original post:
- if you want a lemony lemon, get a Lisbon (or Eureka, both are similar)
- if you want to maximize productivity in a small space, go with a Meyere
My Meyer is a super heavy producer too. I like it for Lemonade, though if I leave the fruit on the counter too long before juicing the flavour is more 'orange' and not as good. I like to juice and freeze mason jars full of concentrate.
-Kris

Millet

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #12 on: March 15, 2019, 11:23:05 AM »
I have a large in ground Saint Teresa lemon (named after Saint Teresa of Avila).  As Kelly wrote, it is indeed a good tasting lemon, but I would say it is not any better, nor any worse than Eureka or Lisbon.  In my opinion,, although Meyer is a large producer, it is a poor substitute for an actual lemon.
« Last Edit: March 15, 2019, 11:27:18 AM by Millet »

brian

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2019, 08:41:49 PM »
Thanks for sharing about the bearss lemon.  I had no idea it existed and assumed it was a typo.

Lebmung, I cant tell the difference in taste between key lime, bearss lime, or limequats.  But bearss lime is seedless, which makes it the winner for me.  Also I dislike the key lime growth habit - very long upright branches.

WGphil

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #14 on: April 02, 2019, 01:59:47 PM »
I also have a bearss lemon

We purchased two at the Manatee fruit tree sale and found we got two different rootstocks which changed fruiting season so going back and getting two more this year to extend our seasons

Sylvain

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #15 on: April 03, 2019, 06:24:42 AM »
What is wrong with key lime? I find the taste better than bearss, and they grow bigger, at least the Thai variety. almost like a tennis ball.
I presume you mean Kaffir lime (combava or citrus hystrix). Citrus hystrix has no relation with key lime.
Unless you speak of an unknown (for me) variety of key lime with big fruits.

brian

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #16 on: April 03, 2019, 08:54:48 PM »
There is a ‘giant key lime’ variety.  I have one, from Harris Citrus I think.  I don’t know if this is the type that lebmung is talking about

pvaldes

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #17 on: April 05, 2019, 06:22:56 AM »
"best" is not a simple issue. It is composed of the sum of many different traits. Flavour is important, of course, as colour and size, but In pots (small space implicit) I think that "thornless" is a must have trait.

Lisbon and Fino have many thorns, Verna a few (but longer), Eureka none or just a few (short).
Lisbon is much more vigorous, so more difficult to keep happy in a pot. Eureka the less vigorous of the four.
Limes have thorns, but smaller fruit (Desirable trait if what you want is a bonsai)
Verna has bigger fruits than Fino but there is a lot of overlapping

Another trait is the skin thickness, bigger in Verna than in Eureka or Fino (the name Fino "slim in spanish" is related with its thin skin). A thick skin means a better post-harvest behaviour of the fruit (but less juice)

If you aim mainly for visual impact no lemon variety can beat a citron Citrus medica, that looks exactly like a humongous lemon.
« Last Edit: April 05, 2019, 06:51:19 AM by pvaldes »

SoCal2warm

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #18 on: April 13, 2019, 08:08:28 PM »
Kind of off-topic, but if I were trying to breed a new lemon variety, I would hybridize Citron with Duncan grapefruit and Yuzu, or maybe something like that.

piter601

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Re: What is the BEST Lemon Variety?
« Reply #19 on: April 14, 2019, 06:56:21 AM »
Femminello Siracusano 2kr nucellar lemon or Fino 49.