LemonsPosted 10 years ago under Uncategorized

Lemons have been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes and their nutritional value. The high amounts of vitamin C in lemons mean that they have been an effective tool against scurvy in the past. (1) You can even make your own vitamin C supplement using the peels of lemons. (2) Lemons are known to have anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties and so are common in many medicinal recipes to fight colds and the flu. They also help detoxify the liver and dissolve gallstones as well as act as a natural mood booster. (3)

Taxonomy

Lemons come from the Citrus x limon tree.

Kingdom (Plantae) → Angiosperms → Eudicots → Rosids → Order (Sapindales) → Family (Rutaceae) → Genus (Citrus) → Species (Citrus x limon)

Description

Lemons grow on trees that range in height from ten to twenty feet in height. The leaves are a glossy green with a length of 2.5 to 4.5 inches. The flowers are red when they first bud up but change to white as they mature with purple tones on the undersides. Depending on the variety, the lemon can range from 2.5 to about 5 inches in length and has a yellow, mottled skin. The inside flesh is yellow and segmented. The lemon is acidic in flavor. (4)

Distribution

The lemon is believed to have originated in northern India, Burma, or China but has been cultivated in the Middle East and around the Mediterranean Sea for about two thousand years. (5) Lemons typically grow in subtropical climates but can be adapted to climates that experience a drop in temperature during the winter if appropriate measures are taken. They thrive in slightly acidic, loamy soil and need full sun. (6)

Nutritional Information

Lemons are high in some important vitamins and minerals included vitamin C, phosphorus, some B vitamins, and potassium. (7) They are also a good source of flavonoids and limonin, a type of anti-carcinogen. (8) Though acidic in taste, lemons are alkaline-forming in the body which can help the body balance its pH level. (9)

Commercial Cultivation

Like many other plants, lemons take a long time to produce fruit if grown from seed. If planted from seed, a lemon tree can take up to 15 years to produce viable fruit. As such, most lemon trees are planted from cuttings or graftings. In these cases, it only takes three to five years for a lemon tree to produce viable fruit. (10) Lemons are typically harvested from May through August. (11)

Diseases, Pests, Predators

Lemon trees are susceptible to a variety of disease and pests that tend to attack citrus fruits. These include common root rots, bacterial blast, nematodes, and blight. More serious but rare diseases that can affect lemon trees include citrus canker or tristeza complex. (12)

Sources

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=27
http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/homemade-vitamin-c/
http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/loving-lemons-ten-benefits-and-tips/
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/lemon.html#Description
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/lemon.html#Description
http://www.almanac.com/plant/lemons-oranges
http://www.naturalnews.com/036663_home_remedies_lemons_health.html
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=27
http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/loving-lemons-ten-benefits-and-tips/
http://aces.nmsu.edu/ces/yard/2000/040800.html
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=27
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/C107/m107bpleaftwigdis.html