Citrus hystrix (Makrut Lime)

Makrut Lime in tropical Asia

Makrut Lime is native to warm parts of tropical Asia, with records extending from the eastern Himalayan region into southern China and nearby areas. It has also been cultivated for centuries across mainland and island Southeast Asia.

Centuries of culinary use spread Makrut Lime far beyond its original range, and the leaves became embedded in the food traditions of countries including Thailand and Indonesia.

Growing Makrut Lime for healthy foliage

• Light and warmth: Give Makrut Lime strong light with direct sun so new leaves remain sturdy and compact. Keep the whole plant warm, including the pot, whenever indoor temperatures drop, and introduce stronger sun gradually after indoor shade.
• Humidity: Place the plant away from cold glass and hot, dry air from heaters. Moderate humidity around the broad leaves is useful in warm indoor conditions, with enough space around the crown for air movement.
• Watering: Keep moisture fairly even. Rewater after the surface has dried and the deeper mix is only lightly moist, then let all excess drain.
• Leaf harvesting: Harvest selectively across several branches, taking only part of the foliage from each shoot. Leave most of the crown intact so the plant can replace leaves and continue supporting flowers and fruit.
• Roots, feeding and repotting: Use a porous citrus mix and a pot only modestly larger than the root system. Repot once roots are crowded or old mix has become compacted. Feed at the labelled rate while new leaves or fruit are developing, including after harvesting.

Makrut Lime leaf and root problems

• New leaves curl around pale winding lines: Citrus leafminer has tunnelled inside tender tissue. Keep older firm leaves that are still mostly green and inspect the next round of new growth. Damaged leaves remain distorted; green tissue can still support the plant.
• Fine speckles or bronze patches spread across the leaves: Check both lobes and their undersides for spider mites. Isolate Makrut Lime and rinse accessible foliage. If you need a treatment, use one labelled for the pest and the plant and repeat it only at the interval stated on the label.
• Leaves darken and collapse after cold exposure: Move the plant away from cold glass and draughts, keep chilled potting mix from becoming saturated and wait until the boundary between living and dead wood is clear before pruning.
• Wilting continues while the potting mix is wet: Inspect the roots for soft brown decay and a sour smell. Using clean, disinfected tools, cut away soft or rotten tissue back to firm, healthy tissue and discard the removed material. Replace compacted mix with a fresh, open mix that drains freely if needed; the root-rot guide gives the full recovery sequence.

If the cause is still unclear, send us clear photos of the whole plant, the affected area and the potting mix so we can help you narrow it down.

Keep Citrus hystrix (Makrut Lime) away from pets

• The fruit flesh is edible, while leaves, peel and other plant material can irritate cats and dogs.
• These parts contain essential oils and psoralens that may cause vomiting, stomach pain, unusual tiredness or skin irritation.
• Contact a veterinarian if a pet chews the plant or develops symptoms. Seek medical advice if a person becomes unwell after exposure.

Citrus hystrix: where the name comes from

Citrus is the classical Latin name used for citron and related citrus plants. The epithet hystrix is Greek and Latin for a porcupine and carries the sense of bristly or spiny.

Carl Linnaeus established the genus Citrus in 1753 in Species Plantarum, page 782.

Augustin Pyramus de Candolle first described Citrus hystrix in 1813 in Catalogus Plantarum Horti Monspeliensis, page 97.