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Key Lime vs. Thornless & Giant Key Lime Tree??

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

I have heard that production for Thornless Key lime is less than for regular Key Lime. Is it significantly less? Would be interested to her from someone who has actually grown both and what their experience was.

Also are there any drawbacks to Giant Key Lime over the regular? Less production, etc.

Is Key Lime truly everbearing/semi-everbearing?

Is Key Lime as cold sensitive as claimed? My neighbor has a key lime and it seems to handle Florida 9B winter night time temps down in the low/mid 20's just fine without major issues.

Thanks

Featured Answer

BarbJP 15-16/9B CA Bay Area

7 years ago

My Reg. Key limes in pots survived down to 24*F in the last two winters. BUT they were under a porch with a solid roof but open sides.

This year one of them is in the ground so we shall see.

I would imagine unless the productivity is quite a lot less you should still get a lot of limes from the other two. Regular Key lime puts out a ridiculously large quantity of fruit, especially mature trees. So even if those give you only half the number of fruit you'll still get a lot of fruit.

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Comments (16)

Laura LaRosa (7b)
7 years ago
I have a thornless key lime and two regular key limes. They are potted though. I have had them about six months and can already see differences in vigor. The regular thorny key lime is more bushy and appears to grow much more quickly. The thornless has a more upright, tree habit, but grows in spurts. However, it has recently shot up quite a bit. I just ordered a giant key lime, so I can't comment on that one. Interested to hear what others have to say...
nighthawk0911 thanked Laura LaRosa (7b)
nighthawk0911
Original Author
7 years ago
@Laura - Is your thornless KL really totally thornless or just "less" thorny? Thanks.
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Thanks dev but I think the pic is deceiving, the pot is no wider than my regular 5 gallons, it is just a 2.5 gallon. I know the whole citrus taproot thing isn't true but I would imagine that as the trees get big the roots will almost fill the pot. No? The tall pots still make sense for me for space conservation in my grow room. I noticed the same thing Laura as repotted but I assumed that was because the old mix was boggy so the roots didn't want to go down. I thought with the 511 they may be more inclined to spread out a bit.
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Laura LaRosa (7b)
7 years ago
It's totally thornless.
nighthawk0911 thanked Laura LaRosa (7b)
Laura LaRosa (7b)
7 years ago
I'll post a pic soon.
nighthawk0911 thanked Laura LaRosa (7b)
hobbyartisan (Saskatoon, SK Canada, 2b)
7 years ago
Man I'm so mad I got suckered into getting a thornless instead of the good bush kind. I didn't realize there was a difference. I could be neck deep in key limes right now!! My thornless has now also started pushing out a lot of new growth now that it's been in 5-1-1 for a few weeks. Maybe I'll get some this year.
Laura LaRosa (7b)
7 years ago
Here are some pics of mine. It has really shot up. I'm sure it's taller than me by now.
see...no thorns at all.
nighthawk0911 thanked Laura LaRosa (7b)
Laura LaRosa (7b)
7 years ago
Huge differ in growth habit
nighthawk0911 thanked Laura LaRosa (7b)
Laura LaRosa (7b)
7 years ago
Hobby, I have a feeling once the thornless start producing, you'll have tons. Our trees look quite similar.
myermike_1micha
7 years ago
Laura, Jee your trees are looking mighty green these days..GREAT job)
nighthawk0911
Original Author
7 years ago
According to the "book" and what I've read thornless don't yield as much. Whether it's enough to matter to the average homeowner I don't know.

Also IME Persian Limes (especially) & Key Limes are very underrated for their cold hardiness. TRUE Lemons are over rated. I have about 20 citrus trees in the ground and my Tahitian lime is one of the hardiest & most cold hardy here in zone 9B. The only citrus trees I have ever lost to low temps were a full sized Harvey Lemon and a mid sized Varney Navel tree back in our record 2010 freeze here when he got down to about 20. Nothing else even got burned.

I have seen a lot of nurseries saying Tahitian limes are cold sensitive and I have not found that to be the case. Lemons I have.
Laura LaRosa (7b)
7 years ago
Thanks Mike! We've had tons of rain around here, so I'm sure they've benefited from all that nitrogen. They are growing like weeds - all of them!

Nighthawk, I know they are extremely productive in ground, but I wonder in containers...no doubt it's less. Hobby, why don't you order a regular key lime - the mutty, bushy kind. My other of those is still recovering from losing all her leaves at our local nursery - she's a rescue! It's taking a while, but she'll end up a really nice bush.She's probably about 2.5 ft in diameter...still growing back leaves.
hobbyartisan (Saskatoon, SK Canada, 2b)
7 years ago
Yep they are looking great Laura! It's funny but I can't find the bushy type here this year... Except for the one that they had at my local nursery that I passed up because I thought the thornless would be the same. So now I'm kicking myself because it was gorgeous and huge!

Well I guess I will leave it til next year, I certainly have my hands full already.
Laura LaRosa (7b)
7 years ago
Next year then! We should continue to compare notes about our thornless one. The look very similar.
hobbyartisan (Saskatoon, SK Canada, 2b)
7 years ago
Absolutely, I know I owe you a whack of pictures, just working on my angles ;). And lighting. Has yours flowered yet? I got 2 this year!
Laura LaRosa (7b)
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Yes, I need pics! My thornless has not flowered, but the two bushy ones have flowers and limes. The one recovering has not been allowed to keep hers bc I want her to fill out and grow leaves. I keep picking them off.

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