14 Varieties Of Lemons, Explained

You just can't say enough good things about lemons. Not only are they a healthy fruit used in countless food and drink recipes, they're also great for cleaning and medicinal purposes. Lemons belong to the Rutaceae genus of plants and, believe it or not, they are human-made creations. Lemons did not come to planet Earth on their own — instead, they're the result of cross-breeding bitter oranges and citrons. Lemons were first seen in East Asia and later found their way to the rest of the world: For example, when Christopher Columbus came to America, he brought lemon seeds. Nowadays, there are more than 30 varieties.

Lemons grow on bushes and small trees, which belong to the Rue (Rutaceae) plant family. Limes and oranges also belong to the Rue family, and with all the different varieties of different fruits, it can be hard to know what is what. For instance, some lemons have green or orange skins. Some even have stripes.

You won't find all the lemon varieties below at the local Acme, but less common ones can often be purchased at specialty grocery stores and farmers markets. Another option is to order the trees and bushes online and grow them at home if you live in the right climate. Lemon trees do best in USDA hardiness zones 8 to 11, but can be grown in containers in zone 7. Here are 14 varieties of well- and lesser-known lemons.

A USDA employee named Frank Meyer found Meyer lemons growing in China more than 100 years ago and brought clippings back to the U.S. The legend has it that even though Mr. Meyer was told the trees were for decorative purposes only, he persisted in growing them for the fruit — and now we have these cool, slightly sweet little lemons.

Similar to the Lisbon variety, Meyer lemons are rounder and have a milder taste. Meyer lemons have an orangeish-yellow color when fully ripe, with less distinguishable nipples than Lisbons. They also have thinner skins than other lemons, and the skin is actually edible. The juice is less acidic, and that orangeish color is telling us something: The flavor tastes like a combination of both lemons and oranges. Since the Meyer lemon's taste isn't overly sour, it can be eaten raw; it's also a common addition to fruit salads and can add flavor to cheesecakes, risotto, and mojitos.

Also known as Mediterranean sweet lemon, Millsweet Limetta comes from India and the Mediterranean. It's sweet enough to eat like an apple, and the peel contains lots of lemon essential oil. Millsweets have slightly recessed, protruding greenish-yellow nipples, and are also known as citrus medica var limetta or mosambi. This variety is widely used in Mexican and Asian cooking.

This fruit is a cultivar of sweet lime, with a sweet taste and high vitamin C content. The medium-sized limetta has a flattened bottom, and is yellowish-orange on the outside when ripe. The inside flesh has few seeds and is pale yellow in color. The Millsweet limetta has no acidic content at all, but not all limettas are sweet; for instance, the Limonette de Marrakech is highly acidic. This is an uncommon citrus fruit that you don't see every day, but we found one of the small trees on eBay, priced at $15.98.

Also from Spain — and the most popular lemon in that country — Primofiori lemons aren't as large as Vernas. It a neckless fruit that is oval in shape, and it also goes by the names Blanco and Mesero. It has a small, pointed mammilla and contains 25% juice. Primofiori lemons also have a decent number of seeds, and high acidity. The Primofiori lemon tree's leaves are larger than the ones on Verna lemon trees, and are also thorny.

These lemons will keep up to 15 days at room temperature or can last up to three weeks in the fridge. Once cut, Primofioris should be used quickly because the open ends will dry out after a few days. It's a newer species and is more on the more acidic side. People who like sweet and sour dishes like Mandarin chicken might find an abundance of uses for Primofiori lemons.

Here is another popular Italian lemon that's also used to make limoncello: the Genoa. This wide, round variety has a vibrant color but doesn't produce a lot of juice. Genoa lemons are closely related to Eurekas, and the trees arrived in the U.S. in 1875. It is one of the main kinds of lemons grown in Chile and Argentina. The fruits are larger and rounder than Lisbon and Eureka varieties, and the thin rinds can be smooth or coarse. The number of seeds found inside varies from zero to six.

Four Winds Growers sells a semi-dwarf Genoa lemon tree for $50 and claims that the rind's high oil content makes it work well in recipes that call for lemon zest and tartness. Genoa lemons are also used in limoncello recipes. Genoa lemon trees produce their greenish-yellow fruit all summer long, and the plants can be grown in containers as long as they are protected from frost. 

The Eureka lemon is commonly found in grocery stores, and is an iconic and easily recognizable variety with a noticeably bright yellow rind. Eureka is the most popular lemon in California, Australia, and Israel, and its varieties include Lambert and Taylor. The rind is greenish-yellow, with a thin to medium thickness. The shape ranges from elliptical to oblong, with short necks and medium-sized mammilla. This average-sized lemon contains zero to five seeds.

The origin of the Eureka lemon dates back to the late 1800s, when Thomas Garey visited Italy and brought Lunario lemon seeds back to California. These were the start of what eventually became Garey's Eureka lemon trees, one of the fastest-growing citrus tree varieties out there. This is a delightfully sour, juicy variety of lemon that is sold loose, but you usually don't pay by the pound. When it's in season and on sale, you can probably pick up five of them for a dollar or two. Eureka lemons also make a tartly refreshing lemonade – as long as you add enough sugar to balance out the acidity.

Perrine lemons are also called Perrine lemon limes because they are hybridizations of Genoa lemons and West Indian limes. But this lemon has a rocky history. It was introduced to the Florida Horticultural Society by Dr. Henry Perrine in 1931, and its taste and appearance were well-reviewed. It was planted in southern Florida, but proved not to be cold-tolerant. The Perrine never turned into a major market lemon, but Perrine had better success with one of his other subjects: the key lime.

This lemon is round like Meyer varieties and has a bit of lime flavor. The rinds are lumpy, tough, and glossy; they turn golden-yellow when ripe, and have prominent oil glands on the outer skin. The flesh is pale yellow-green and can contain a few or many seeds. The shape is bulbous in the middle, narrowing slightly to a non-stem end and a small mammilla. The pretty Perrine has a high acidity content and a unique lemon-lime flavor. They're harder to find, but one of the best things about Perrines is that they can also be used in recipes that call for lime juice.

The Volkamer lemon variety is named after German botanist Christophe Volkamer (dec. 1720). They have been cultivated for three centuries, and it's theorized by some that Volkamer lemons originated in Italy.

Volkamer lemons are a cross between a citron and a sour mandarin orange, which explains a lot about how they look and taste. They run medium-to-large, are on the rounder side, and have plenty of seeds — more than many other lemon varieties. The outside color starts out green and can range from dark yellow to orangey as the fruit ripens; the skin is rich in essential oils. The inside flesh is light orange. The size and shape is similar to classic lemons like Eurekas, and they're used in the same ways — which is to say, the taste will make your mouth pucker. This juicy hybrid is sour and pairs well with honey in Thai food.