Meet the Desert Lime (Citrus glauca), one of just six species of true native Australian citrus plants. Colloquially, it’s also known as the “wild lime”, “bush lime”, “desert kumquat” and “desert lemon”, producing small, green, grape-sized fruits not unlike Calamansi limes and exotic kumquats.

Desert Limes have an intense flavour, and as an Aboriginal bush food are enjoyed whole. More commonly, they’re used in a variety of culinary delights including marmalades, sauces, pickles and chutneys, cocktails, and as a flavouring ingredient in cakes and meat dishes. They are high in vitamin C, lutein, folate and vitamin E.

This species grows wild in inland regions of Queensland and New South Wales, with occurrences in South Australia. As the only known citrus species adapted to withstand drought, it’s been known to survive extreme heat up to 45°C, and temperatures as low as -24°C during its winter dormancy. What’s more, it’s remarkably saline tolerant and is suspected to have spread from subtropical and temperate regions into semiarid parts of the country.

Grow your own at home 🌱

Non-grafted Desert Limes tend to do better in native desert conditions, and can perform unpredictably in home gardens. That’s why all Tucker Bush Desert Limes are grafted, to ensure more uniform plants that grow well in a range of climate conditions.

You don’t have to live in a desert to succeed in growing a Desert Lime 🍋‍🟩

Choose a rich, loamy, well-drained soil, much like you’d use for most other citrus species. Mulch around the base of the tree and fertilise it lightly with a citrus-specific fertiliser from July onwards.

From September, you should start seeing white sweet-smelling flowers, followed quickly by fruit set – a special Citrus glauca feature. Wait until the fruit is ripe and falls easily from the stem, as unripe fruit won’t continue to ripen after picking.

Left to its own devices, Desert Lime can grow up to 7m in height over 20 years – yes, even grafted ones. Prune as needed to keep it to a manageable size. Note it can be easily kept at “dwarf” size in a large pot. If growing a Tucker Bush Desert Lime, note the graft point and remember to remove any offshoot branches growing from below that point (those shoots won’t bear Desert Lime fruits).

How to enjoy Desert Lime fruit

Make chutney

Quarter and salt your limes to temper the flavours, then season with spices before boiling them in preparation for bottling. Find a full recipe for Lime Indian Chutney at SBS Food.

Make a gourmet dessert

Expertly blend citrus, eucalypt, nut and cream flavours for a dessert that’ll turn heads at your next dinner party. Our Desert Lime Semifreddo recipe was kindly donated by Stokehouse Q, Melbourne’s deluxe beach house dining experience.

References

Hele, A. (2006). Australian native citrus – wild species, cultivars and hybrids [Review of Australian native citrus – wild species, cultivars and hybrids]. In Y. Latham, M. Ryder, & M. O’Hanlon (Eds.), Primary Industries and Resources SA (pp. 1, 3). Government of South Australia. https://pir.sa.gov.au. Retrieved from https://homecitrusgrowers.co.uk/australiannativecitrus/Australian_Nativce_Citrus.pdf Citrus glauca. (2023, September 24). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Citrus_glauca&oldid=1176864571 Vercoe, S. (2020, September 8). Warndu’s Desert Lime. Retrieved October 17, 2023, from https://warndu.com/blogs/first-nations-food-guide/desert-lime Australian Desert Limes (n.d.). Desert Lime Trees. Retrieved October 17, 2023, from https://australiandesertlimes.com.au/desert-lime-trees Stewart, A. (2016, June 11). Citrus glauca ‘Desert Lime’. Retrieved October 17, 2023, from https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/citrus-glauca-desert-lime-2/