Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck
Vernacular name: Lemon (Hindi: निम्बू)
Species Name: Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck
Family: Rutaceae
Habit: Evergreen small tree
Stem: Thorny, pale grey bark, 3-6 m tall.
Leaf: Unifoliolate, elliptic 4-8×3-5 cm, petiolate narrowly winged petiole, lemon-scented.
Flowering: Year-round
Flowers: Bracteate axillary fascicles; 4-5 white petals (3-4 cm fragrant), 15-20 stamens (anthers yellow), superior ovary (8-10 carpels).
Fruit: Ovoid yellow 5-10×4-7 cm, thick pitted rind, acidic pulp, numerous seeds.
Uses:
- Fruit juice serves as vitamin C source, digestive aid, promote bile production, bloating reduction and scurvy preventive.
- Help to boost immunity and manage cough and cold symptoms and prevent calcium oxalate kidney stones formations by increasing the pH of urine.
- Leaf decoction treats cough, colds, and hypertension traditionally.
- Flavors beverages, baked goods, salads, sauces and marinades.
- Peel essential oil provides limonene for flavoring and cleaning.
- Lemon peel helps to neutralize unpleasant smells.
- It is a natural food preservatives due to strong antioxidant properties.
- Lemon is widely used in skin care industry to manage oil acne prone skin and dandruff, fading dark spot, brightening skin and cleanse scalp.
- Ayurvedic Nimbuka tridosha-balancer; sailor’s antiscorbutic; sacred Ekadashi offering.
- Hybrid origin (C. medica × C. aurantifolia)
