Citrus meyeri

Citrus meyeri

The Meyer lemon (Citrus × meyeri Yu. Tanaka) is an arboreal species belonging to the Rutaceae family.

Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota domain,
Kingdom Plantae,
Magnoliophyta division,
Class Magnoliopsida,
Subclass Rosidae,
Sapindales order,
Rutaceae family,
Subfamily Aurantioideae,
Tribe Citreae,
Genus Citrus,
Species C. × meyeri.

Etymology –
The term Citrus comes from the Latin name of citron and lemon, from the Greek κέδρος kédros cedro and κίτρον kítron lemon.
The specific meyeri epithet is in honor of Frank Nicholas Meyer (1875-1918), an explorer who, on behalf of the United States Department of Agriculture, herbalized in China, Japan, Mongolia and Asian Russia.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Citrus × meyeri is a hybrid citrus native to China. It is a cross between a citron and a mandarin/pomelo hybrid.

Description –
Citrus × meyeri  is a small tree about 2 to 3 m tall when mature, although it can be grown in smaller forms.
The leaves are dark green and glossy.
The flowers are white with a purple base and are fragrant.
The fruit is yellow and rounder than a real lemon. The skin is fragrant and thin, of an intense yellow color with a slight orange tinge when ripe. The fruits have a sweeter and less acidic taste than the more common lemon varieties.
The pulp is dark yellow and contains up to 10 seeds per fruit.

Cultivation –
Citrus × meyeri is a plant also cultivated for ornamental purposes due to its compact size, robustness and productivity. It is decorative and suitable for growing in pots. It is one of the sweetest lemons and even the peel is edible.
For its cultivation it is advisable not to expose it excessively to sunlight which could burn the plant if exposed for long periods. That’s why summer sun, morning light and some afternoon shade are ideal for best growing this plant which is still reasonably hardy and does well in hot climates. It is quite vigorous, grafted onto a suitable rootstock and usually begins fruiting in four years.
Citrus × meyeri requires an adequate quantity of water but a well-drained soil is essential, taking care that the soil dries out slightly between one watering and another while always maintaining a certain humidity.
Along with watering and sunlight, Meyer lemons need fertilizers that are high in nitrogen but slow release (organic matter is great). These plants should be fertilized only during the growing season (spring-autumn) and never in winter unless the leaves turn yellow.
While the fruits are produced throughout the year, most of the crop is ready for harvest in the winter.
New branches are prickly to protect young shoots, but the prickles develop into secondary branches with age.
Pruning plays a very important role for balanced growth. This keeps the plant in shape and avoids unnecessary overcrowding of vegetation to make room for the lemons. It also allows the plant to receive an adequate flow of air and light, which improves the growth of the plant and protects it from potential diseases and pests.
However, it is a plant susceptible to anthracnose, mold, canker and gummy. Potential pests include aphids, thrips, mealybugs, whiteflies, as well as some mites.

Customs and Traditions –
Meyer lemon (Chinese: 梅爾檸檬; pinyin: méiěr níngméng) is believed to be a hybrid cross of C. limon (lemon) and C. reticulata (tangerine). It produces fruits that are rounder than a true lemon, are deep yellow with a slight orange tinge when ripe, and have a sweeter, less acidic flavor. The fruits have a highly acidic pH of between 2 and 3. This level of acidity allows these lemons to be used as an antibacterial and antiseptic cleanser.
This plant was introduced to the United States in 1908 by agricultural explorer Frank Nicholas Meyer, an employee of the United States Department of Agriculture who collected a specimen of the plant during a trip to China. Although named after him, this variety was likely established thousands of years before he introduced it to America.
Meyer lemon is commonly grown in China in garden pots as an ornamental tree. It became popular as a food in the United States after being rediscovered by chefs such as Alice Waters at Chez Panisse during the rise of California cuisine starting in the 1970s. The popularity increased further when Martha Stewart started featuring them in some of her recipes.
The original Meyer lemon trees were asymptomatic carriers of a virus (sadness) that killed other trees in the citrus family. Those original trees were mostly destroyed and replaced with a virus-free variety. In fact a virus-free selection was found in the 1950s and was certified and released in 1975 by the University of California as “Improved Meyer Lemon” – Citrus × meyeri.
Not much commercial growing of this fruit is done because the fruits have thin skins and tolerate transportation poorly.
The new leaves are an attractive food source for swallowtail butterfly larvae (Papilio machaon Linnaeus, 1758).

Method of Preparation –
The Meyer lemon is sweeter than other lemons with only a slight acidity and some say it tastes a bit like a tangerine. It is often used to season fish and seafood.
It also makes an excellent small tree for fruit production and as an attractive plant around houses or patios.
It can be grown as a houseplant.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Acta Plantarum – Flora of the Italian Regions.
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
– Useful Tropical Plants Database.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (ed.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora of Italy, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Treben M., 2000. Health from the Lord’s Pharmacy, Advice and experiences with medicinal herbs, Ennsthaler Editore.

Photo source:
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/FullImageDisplay.aspx?documentid=30742

Attention: The pharmaceutical applications and alimurgical uses are indicated for informational purposes only, they do not in any way represent a medical prescription; we therefore decline all responsibility for their use for curative, aesthetic or food purposes.