Species · genus Citrus · Rutaceae

Kaffir Lime

Citrus hystrix DC.

Also known as: Makrut Lime · Mauritius Papeda · Papeda · Celebes Papeda · Kansi

Growth habit

shrub or tree

Native range

Assam, Bangladesh, Bismarck Archipelago, Borneo, Cambodia, China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya, Lesser Sunda Is., Malaya, Maluku, Myanmar, New Guinea, Nicobar Is., Philippines, Solomon Is., Sulawesi, Sumatera, Thailand, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis-Futuna Is.

Reference · C. hystrix

Cultivars of C. hystrix

The named forms growers keep — each with its own page, each honest about how much we know.

No named cultivars catalogued under C. hystrix yet. When growers document a stable, named form, it earns its own page here.

Guide

The species-level account. Cultivar pages build on this and say where they differ.

Citrus hystrix is a tropical shrub or tree from the warm forests and lowlands of South and Southeast Asia, and like most citrus it wants as much direct sun as you can give it. Use a free-draining mix and water when the top inch or two has dried, then water thoroughly; let it approach dry between drinks, as citrus resents standing in soggy soil and is prone to root rot.

Care recipe

The species record — the baseline every cultivar inherits unless it says otherwise.

Care notes are early — not yet verified

Light: ai:claude-opus-4-8
Water: ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 7-12d)
Humidity: ai:claude-opus-4-8
Soil: ai:claude-fable-5
Care: ai:claude-fable-5

Light

Direct sun

Water

≈ every 12 days

Humidity

Medium

Temperature

13–32 °C

Soil mix

Rich, well-draining citrus mix, slightly acidic

Propagation

Semi-hardwood cuttings or grafting

Fertilizing

Regular citrus feed through spring and summer

Growth rate

Moderate

Flowering

Fragrant white blooms in bright light

ToxicityAuthoritative · species

Toxic to cats & dogs

Citrus — essential oils + psoralens; vomiting, diarrhoea, photosensitivity, dermatitis. This is where toxicity lives: every cultivar of this species inherits it and none can override it.

Reference images

Every image credited. Licenses link to their deeds.

No reference gallery yet

A few clear photos — habit, a mature leaf, a flower if it blooms — would give this page its eyes.

Add images

Sources: ai:claude-opus-4-8 · ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 7-12d) · ai:claude-fable-5 · ASPCA

Kept true by its growers

Every fact here carries its source. Grow Kaffir Lime yourself? What you’ve observed — how it drinks, how it holds its color, a name that’s off — is exactly what keeps this page honest. Contributions are reviewed before anything changes.