Thornless Mexican Lime

[mxcolin]

I bought what I thought was a thornless Mexican lime tree, but from my understanding, the fruit should be much bigger. I get plenty of fruit each year but they are all much smaller than I expected. Has this been mislabeled? This is a recent picture so the fruit has over-ripened. Almost all the limes are barely an inch in diameter.
 

[sc4001992]

That is correct, Mexican limes are very small. See the UCR datasheet, says 1" to 1-1/2" size fruits.

If you wanted larger limes you should have purchased a Bearss lime, they can get to 2" to 2-1/2".

https://citrusvariety.ucr.edu/crc1710

[pagnr]

The Bearss / Tahiti Lime is thornless. Most Mexican / Key Limes are thorny, except thornless selections. There are some bigger fruited selections of Mexican / Key also.
For many peoples tastes, the one you have is the true lime, and the Bearss is a very very close second flavour and fragrance wise.

[sc4001992]

I have both key lime and bearss and I don't detect much difference. There is a Giant Key lime that can be ordered from CCPP but it says it has Wood Pocket disease.

[brian]

I have both key lime and bearss and I don't detect much difference. There is a Giant Key lime that can be ordered from CCPP but it says it has Wood Pocket disease.

I agree.  I have had thornless mexican and it has small fruit.  Giant mexican has larger fruit that tastes same.  But bearss/persian is large and seedless and tastes same to me as mexican types.  Some people say mexican is better but I can't taste a difference

[sc4001992]

I picked some fruits of both Bearss and Mexican Key lime and squeezed the fruits. When I tasted the two, I do notice that the Key lime is a little more sour than the Bearss, otherwise I do not taste any other difference. One Bearss lime gives more than 2x the juice of the Key lime.

[pagnr]

I picked some fruits of both Bearss and Mexican Key lime and squeezed the fruits. When I tasted the two, I do notice that the Key lime is a little more sour than the Bearss, otherwise I do not taste any other difference. One Bearss lime gives more than 2x the juice of the Key lime.

The real test is which one fits better down the neck of a Corona ??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlxmKsTvcLg

[sc4001992]

Yup, that's funny, I was going to say that was one positive for growing the Key lime.