Kaffir lime trees sources/growing

[lovebenton0]

What we know is very little. What we want to learn is -- everything we can.

Chef Metcalf in Vancouver, and myself and Central TX, each want to have little Kaffir lime trees of our own.

Now we know our geography and climates are wildly disimilar. We also hope that will allow even more latitude in sources and tips for growing these coveted beauties.

For the trees themselves:

Does anyone know of specific sources? Not necessarily online sources. There are shipping problems for Chef Metcalf, as US sources shipping to Vancouver would necessitate a risky layover in Customs.

Texas, as a citrus producing state, will not allow commercial importation of citrus trees from another state.

For me to actually see the tree before purchasing would be preferable. Any nurseries sources in the Austin area? However, I'm willing to be open to anything!

To propagate our own from seeds or cuttings are also options.

Chef Metcalf asks:

Is it better to do it from seed or propagate stems?

Can you propagate the stems from the grocery store . . . if they are really fresh?

And what would the difference be between the two methods . . . propagation versus seeds?

Can anyone send us seeds ?

I would add:

What about grafting? Better to graft than not to graft?

Best choices for grafting to?

So, please, hit us with all you've got.

edited for typo.

Edited November 3, 2004 by lovebenton0 (log)

[Chris Amirault]

Great topic! I'll be checking in regularly, having just bought a kaffir lime tree from my friendly neighborhood southeast asian market here in Providence.

While I certainly cannot answer these questions, I've gotten some excellent advice from snowangel on the Larb Laab Larp thread.

[andiesenji]

Check with Nichols Garden Nursery.

California has the strictest agricultural importation laws so citrus trees are drop shipped from sources within the state.

They may be able to make similar arrangements for Texas. It doesn't hurt to inquire.

Since they are in Albany, Oregon, Chef Metcalf might be able to drive down and take it through customs himself. I have a friend (with basenjis) who lives in Edmonton and drives to Nichols to get herb plants for her greenhouse at least once a year.

I have ordered from them for years and they are great folks and have excellent plants. I have never had a problem.

[chow guy]

What we know is very little. What we want to learn is -- everything we can.

Chef Metcalf in Vancouver, and myself and Central TX, each want to have little kaffir lime trees of our own. 

Now we know our geography and climates are wildly disimilar. We also hope that will allow even more latitude  in sources and tips for growing these coveted beauties.

For the trees themselves:

Does anyone know of specific sources? Not necessarily online sources. There are shipping problems for Chef Metcalf, as US sources shipping to Vancouver would necessitate a risky layover in Customs.

Texas, as a citrus producing state, will not allow commercial importation of citrus trees from another state.

For me to actually see the tree before purchasing would be preferable. Any nurseries sources in the Austin area? However, I'm willing to be open to anything!

To propagate our own from seeds or cuttings are also options. 

Chef Metcalf asks:

Is it better to do it from seed or propagate stems?

Can you propagate the stems from the grocery store . . .  if they are really fresh?

And what would the difference be between the two methods . . . propagation versus seeds?

Can anyone send us seeds ?

I would add:

What about grafting? Better to graft than not to graft?

Best choices for grafting to?

So, please, hit us with all you've got.

←

I would call your local Cooperative Extension office (a county office) or the Master Gardner Hotline. There are always very knowledgeable and helpful folks at both places no matter where you live. I didn't realize you could grow citrus in Austin. Here in New Mexico (where we have weather below 32 degrees), I have had great luck with lemon trees by bringing them inside during the cold months. Your post reminded me that I've been wanting a Kaffir lime tree. A friend told me he saw some for sale om e Bay but I never followed up on the tip. I guess now's the time..

[bigwino]

You can try this place: DwarfCitrus.com

[chezcherie]

is it possible that they do not have seeds? i have a lovely potted "wild lime"* tree, and love using the leaves and rind from the wrinkly little limes, but i'm not sure i've ever seen one seed!

* this seems like a good place to ask this question..i remember reading somewhere that the "k" word is quite derogatory and offensive to a certain ethnic group, similar to the "n" word in the u.s. has anyone else heard this, or have a source for the information?

[jess mebane]

For the trees themselves:

Does anyone know of specific sources? Not necessarily online sources. There are shipping problems for Chef Metcalf, as US sources shipping to Vancouver would necessitate a risky layover in Customs.

Texas, as a citrus producing state, will not allow commercial importation of citrus trees from another state.

For me to actually see the tree before purchasing would be preferable. Any nurseries sources in the Austin area? However, I'm willing to be open to anything!

←

I got a baby specimen at Howard's on Koenig, if that helps.

[lovebenton0]

is it possible that they do not have seeds? i have a lovely potted "wild lime"*  tree, and love using the leaves and rind from the wrinkly little limes, but i'm not sure i've ever seen one seed!

* this seems like a good place to ask this question..i remember reading somewhere that the "k" word    is quite derogatory and offensive to a certain ethnic group, similar to the "n" word in the u.s.  has anyone else heard this, or have a source for the information?

←

I appreciate your concern. This is in a completely different context, chezcherie. The Kaffir lime trees are native to Thailand. They are also known as Kieffer and Kuffre. But the most common usage I have seen is Kaffir lime trees.

Maybe they don't have seeds. I have never seen one of the limes in the flesh, so to speak, so I don't know! I just know I love cooking with the leaves and want my very own source.

edited to add: Sorry, I did not realize when I posted this thread this morning that I had not capitalized Kaffir in the initial post.

Edited November 3, 2004 by lovebenton0 (log)

[lovebenton0]

For the trees themselves:

Does anyone know of specific sources? Not necessarily online sources. There are shipping problems for Chef Metcalf, as US sources shipping to Vancouver would necessitate a risky layover in Customs.

Texas, as a citrus producing state, will not allow commercial importation of citrus trees from another state.

For me to actually see the tree before purchasing would be preferable. Any nurseries sources in the Austin area? However, I'm willing to be open to anything!

←

I got a baby specimen at Howard's on Koenig, if that helps.

←

Oh yes, jess! That helps me tremendously. Thank you!

How big was your baby? And do they carry more established trees too?

[Chef Metcalf]

Since they are in Albany, Oregon, Chef Metcalf might be able to drive down and take it through customs himself.

I'm just not that obsessed to make a 14 hour driving trip (plus getting through customs twice around election season) to get a plant...not yet anyway!

Although, you may think I am slightly deranged because kaffir lime leaves are readily available in Vancouver.... but I just want my own plant!

All my food obsessed chef/cooking enthusiast friends would love a miniature tree for Christmas too!

I would call your local Cooperative Extension office (a county office) or the Master Gardner Hotline.

Great suggestion. Thanks. Why didn't I think of that?

Posted a message on the Vancouver UBC board today.

Seems there is a few other obsessed Thai food chefs looking for the same thing.

DwarfCitrus.com

Excellent. That takes care of Texas. They can ship it right to your door (if they can find it through all those passion fruit vines) Judith!

Is it possible that they do not have seeds?

Brings up the proverbial question of "what came first....the chicken or the egg?"

Although in a way you are right....apparently the seeds don't germinate all that well and propagating clippings it the way to go.

This seems like a good place to ask this question..i remember reading somewhere that the "k" word is quite derogatory and offensive to a certain ethnic group

Yes, you're right, however I am referring to the common name of the plant (Kaffir Lime) instead of the botanical name of "Citrus Hystrix"

My apologies if I have offended any person or citrus plant.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Other cool trivial facts found from my googling search last night.

Will be of most interest to gardeners trying to propagate cuttings or Canucks...

From the kind people at Richters...

(and by the way...take a look at the various herb seeds you can get shipped to you...all sorts of Thai basil etc.)

Does Richters ship Kaffir Lime Seeds within Canada?

We don't have seed available.

If not any idea where I might find them?

I wish I knew where to find the seeds also. In the many times that we

have tried seeds we have succeeded in germinating them only twice, which

the seeds were very fresh. That's the problem -- it's impossible to

source fresh seeds.

Or could I propagate from a fairly fresh cutting that I buy in our local

Chinatown?

We grow them from cuttings, but they take months to root. You may have

success with the cuttings from Chinatown, but I suspect not. But it is

probably worth a try anyway.

We had hoped to have enough plants to start selling them in the 2005

season, but at the last moment we decided to take another year to build

up our stock. Sorry, we can't help you, not yet at least.

With best wishes,

RICHTERS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From the friendly people at...

J.L. Hudson, Seedsman

Star Rt 2, Box 337

La Honda CA 94020 USA

Can you ship CITRUS HYSTRIX (Kaffir Lime) seeds in a plain envelope to

> Canada? I don't want to hassle around with duty and custom brokers for a 2

> buck pack of seeds!

>> Let me know.

> Chef M

We don't carry Citrus hystrix seed, and don't know where you might get it.

Sorry! Most Citrus seed is very, very short-lived, which is why you generally

don't find it available.

We send small shipments of seed into Canada, and into most countries around

the world, every day. Packages under 1 lb in weight do not even need a

Customs sticker declaration on the package at all. I believe the rule for

Canada is any seeds imported in less than 100 gram quantities per type of

seed, are enterable without a permit, etc. Our customers receive the seeds

with no problems, and without getting an import permit or needing a

Phytosanitary Certificate, without Customs brokers, etc. The only problems we

have had in sending seed to Canada comes through slow mail delivery once in a

while, but we have not had any customers report seizure from Customs in

years. Small shipments are quite easy and safe.

--

J.L. Hudson, Seedsman

Star Rt 2, Box 337

La Honda CA 94020 USA

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope this helps everyone out information wise.

Now I have to go and make Pecan Apple Crisp because someone is nagging me and apparently we need sugar for the election outcome!

[andiesenji]

There is a place in Rainbow, California (south of Temecula) where a couple of Kaffir lime trees were growing. It used to be a herb farm open to the public and I was a customer and drove down there three times a year, in the spring, summer and fall for their herb festivals when prices were reduced.

The place is no longer open to the public and the herb business has closed.

However I asked Ken how he got the Kaffir limes and he said that he had bought some of the limes (they had the fruit as well as the leaves) from an Asian market in Santa Ana, hoping to propagate them from seed, however he was unsuccessful. Meanwhile, a couple of the fruits were split and moldy so they were tossed into the compost. A few month later when he was turning the compost he came across three little plants and pulled one out of the compost only to find it was growing from one of the Kaffir limes.

That plant did not survive but he was able to pot up the other two and they survived.

It is possible that the heat and moisture in the compost heap was the ideal place for the little plants to sprout and grow.

I know all kinds of things have sprouted in my compost heaps, avocados, apricots, cherries, peaches and plums, grapefruit, and even a pomelo.

[fifi]

I am following this thread with great interest. My late dear friend had (has) a lime tree (bush?) in a big pot on the deck. I have always gotten my leaves from there. My intent is to get a cutting for when I get back into a house and garden. I will want one for sentimental reasons but also for the practical. (She would appreciate that. ) She got the tree from some dear Thai friends from where they lived in North Carolina. The tree thrives and produces great and flavorful leaves. So far, no fruit.

I had read somewhere, some time ago, that kaffir lime trees were illegal in Texas. I am not at all sure what that means. I am also not entirely sure that that is still the case.

All I know is that I will be planting a lime tree at my new home on the San Leon peninsula and that every time I pick a leaf, I will think of my friend.

[lovebenton0]

Great topic! I'll be checking in regularly, having just bought a kaffir lime tree from my friendly neighborhood southeast asian market here in Providence.

While I certainly cannot answer these questions, I've gotten some excellent advice from snowangel on the Larb Laab Larp thread.

←

Lots of good info there, a great thread. It was snowangel that really introduced me to larb. Now I'm so addicted I want my own tree!

Thanks for providing the larb link for everyone.

[lovebenton0]

I am following this thread with great interest. My late dear friend had (has) a lime tree (bush?) in a big pot on the deck. I have always gotten my leaves from there. My intent is to get a cutting for when I get back into a house and garden. I will want one for sentimental reasons but also for the practical. (She would appreciate that. ) She got the tree from some dear Thai friends from where they lived in North Carolina. The tree thrives and produces great and flavorful leaves. So far, no fruit.

I had read somewhere, some time ago, that kaffir lime trees were illegal in Texas. I am not at all sure what that means. I am also not entirely sure that that is still the case.

All I know is that I will be planting a lime tree at my new home on the San Leon peninsula and that every time I pick a leaf, I will think of my friend. 

←

Fifi, it is not that Kaffir lime trees are illegal in TX. The reference you saw was probably to the importation of citrus from another state. Because TX is a citrus producing state it is illegal to import citrus from an outside source. The asme is true for CA and AZ.

I remember quite vividly making a road trip to AZ several years ago with a friend. We had loaded up with trip food. Among the items we had was a big bag of TX oranges we picked up at a market somewhere on our way. When we got to the AZ border we had to declare them -- the bag was big and obviously bulging with luscious oranges. We were told we could surrender them right then -- or we could go inside, use their juicer, and drink all the OJ we could stand while there. I never drank so much OJ at once in my life! We still couldn't finish it and they just poured the remainder down the sink. We had to buy AZ oranges.

[FL Heat]

Hilltop Herb Farm (outside Cleveland, TX) might also have good information on Kaffir lime trees--they have good information on just about everything else grown for flavor.

The restaurant there has some information available on the web, but there isn't much about the place itself, except some small blurbs on other websites.

It's been about 7 years since I was last there, but it's really a neat place.

Diana

[chow guy]

You can try this place:  DwarfCitrus.com

←

Thanks for the link. Looks like they are professional and reliable. I think Santa will come early at my house.

[andiesenji]

Yesterday afternoon I called a friend in Ojai who grows several varieties of unusual citrus (but no Kaffir lime-yet) and asked him who would be the best supplier for someone wanting a citrus tree that is mature enough so that leaves (or fruit, depending on the type of citrus) can be harvested immediately.

He gave me this number 559 735 0743  and told me to call.

I just called, the company is growquest and they have a website which I will look up in a minute and post a link.

I bought a tree for 36.95 plus 14.00 shipping. They will ship it next Monday and it will be here Tuesday.

They are in Visalia, California so no problem with shipping in state. Dean says that they have first quality trees and some very unusual cultivars of citrus.

[andiesenji]

Here is the Grow Quest website.

I just looked at the citrus tree section.

There are several varieties I want which I did not know were available commercially.

I may have to expand my greenhouse!!

They guarantee their trees for 12 months which is an important consideration.

I want a citron and a blood orange for sure.

[fifi]

Here is the link to that site. Interestingly enough, AZ CA and FL are the only states that they can't ship to. Cool site, andie. I have my eye on that varigated calamondin. There is lots of information there as well.

[andiesenji]

Here is the link to that site. Interestingly enough, AZ CA and FL are the only states that they can't ship to. Cool site, andie. I have my eye on that varigated calamondin. There is lots of information there as well.

←

The one in Visalia from which I just purchased a tree can obviously ship within California and probably to Arizona as they have reciprocity for many ag products.

I will take a picture of the tree when it arrives next Tuesday.

Check their website, they have a lot of interesting things.

I may drive up there next spring to see the place for myself.

[Chris Amirault]

I'm wondering how the growing is going for y'all. My tree this past week has started lots of little shoots at the ends of branches. I've kept it in a fairly sunny window and constantly moist, but otherwise we've left it alone.

Other reports?

[lovebenton0]

I wish I had a report for you. but haver not yet acquired a tree. I'm still hoping to get one here in town, but have been unable to get to the nursery that Jess directed me too.

How big is your tree, chrisamirault? Do you have pics to share?

I imagine it is warm enough in your home, plus the sunny window, that the environment there is fooling the tree into thinking it's in a more natural environment. So it's still growing as if at home in the subtropics.

[Chris Amirault]

How big is your tree, chrisamirault? Do you have pics to share?

←

I do -- and here's my first attempt at sharing a pic:

I put Julia in there to show height (the book is about a foot high). The purple xmas bulbs are miniature, btw! You can see a few little sprouts coming through, especially on the highest branch.

The tree is in a northeastern window right now, though I think I'm going to move it to a southern window soon.

[lovebenton0]

How big is your tree, chrisamirault? Do you have pics to share?

←

I do -- and here's my first attempt at sharing a pic:

I put Julia in there to show height (the book is about a foot high). The purple xmas bulbs are miniature, btw! You can see a few little sprouts coming through, especially on the highest branch.

The tree is in a northeastern window right now, though I think I'm going to move it to a southern window soon.

←

Thanks! Good pic, I can see the double conformation of the leaves. Pretty pot, too. It looks very happy! If you can grow one that nice in Providence, even inside (lived there as a tiny girl myself and have vivid memories of the snow! ), I'm sure Chef Metcalf will be encouraged! I certainly am. Now I just need to get on a horse and ride to get my own!

Questions.

How big was the tree when you got it? About this same size, which looks to be about 12" tall?

Have you used any of the leaves for cooking yet? Or are you waiting until it gets bigger?

Can you smell the lime from the leaves if you touch them?

[Chris Amirault]

Thanks! Good pic, I can see the double conformation of the leaves. Pretty pot, too. It looks very happy!  If you can grow one that nice in Providence, even inside (lived there as a tiny girl myself and have vivid memories of the snow! ), I'm sure Chef Metcalf will be encouraged! I certainly am. Now I just need to get on a horse and ride to get my own! 

←

Thanks! The pot, btw, is from Target. We got our first frost in Providence this past week, as one can see from my finally-dead parsley out back....

How big was the tree when you got it? About this same size, which looks to be about 12" tall?

←

It was probably about ten inches when I got it a month ago, and it's grown those couple since then. It seems to have been made very happy by frequent watering and a bigger pot.

Have you used any of the leaves for cooking yet? Or are you waiting until it gets bigger?

←

Not yet -- waiting until it gets bigger. I'm loathe to snip, as the sprouts are coming from the ends of branches, and I'd hate to thwart one.

Can you smell the lime from the leaves if you touch them?

←

Only a little, but that seems to be picking up.

Yesterday, when I was getting my larb supplies, I saw another little tree in the store where I got this one, sadly lurking down below a vegetable cooler. I wish I could send it off to you somehow!