Types of Limes: Key, Persian, Makrut, Finger & More
Short answer: The everyday lime is the Persian lime, the large seedless green fruit in shops. The smaller, more aromatic key lime is prized for pie and cocktails. Beyond those, makrut limes are grown for their fragrant leaves and knobbly zest, finger limes hold caviar-like juice beads, desert limes are tiny Australian natives, and sweet limes are a low-acid variety mild enough to eat like an orange.
| 🍈 Lime | 🟢 Key lime | 🍈 Makrut lime | 🫧 Finger lime | 🟢 Desert lime | 🟡 Sweet lime | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taste | Bracing, slightly bitter-edged acidity with a resinous, distinctly "green" aroma. Key limes are smaller, seedier, and more aromatic-tart; makrut leaves carry an irreplaceable citrus-floral perfume. | Sharper, more floral, and more complex than a Persian lime, with thin skin, many seeds, and a heady aroma; the juice is prized for perfume as much as acidity. | Intensely aromatic — the zest and leaves burst with a lemongrass-citronella perfume; the scant juice is sharp and slightly bitter, more seasoning than beverage. | The pearls pop with a bright, sharp lime-and-grapefruit tang, sometimes with herbal or floral notes by variety. The texture — a burst of individual caviar-like beads — is as distinctive as the flavor. | Bright, sharp, and citrusy with a sweeter, less bitter edge than a common lime; the whole tiny fruit is eaten skin and all, bursting with lime flavor. | Very low in acid, mild and gently sweet with a faint, almost insipid lime aroma; the juice is soft and refreshing rather than sharp, which is exactly its appeal in hot climates. |
| Type | Citrus | Citrus | Citrus | Citrus | Citrus | Citrus |
| Peak season | Year-round | Summer, Autumn | Year-round | Autumn, Winter | Spring, Summer | Winter, Spring |
| Origin | Southeast Asia (likely Indonesia/Malaysia region); carried west by Arab traders, to the Americas by the Spanish | Southeast Asia; carried by traders to the Americas, naturalized in the Caribbean and Mexico | Southeast Asia (likely Indonesia and the Malay Peninsula) | The rainforests of eastern Australia | The arid inland of eastern Australia | Likely a hybrid from South/Southwest Asia; grown across India and the Mediterranean |
| Calories (per 100 g) | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 35 | 43 |
| Sugar (per 100 g) | 1.7 g | 1.7 g | 1.7 g | 2 g | 3 g | 8 g |
| Vitamin C (per 100 g) | 29.1 mg | 29 mg | 29 mg | 30 mg | 40 mg | 30 mg |
| Fiber (per 100 g) | 2.8 g | 2.8 g | 2.8 g | 2.5 g | 3 g | 0.5 g |
| Potassium (per 100 g) | 102 mg | — | 102 mg | 110 mg | — | 490 mg |
| Typical price | Budget | Budget | Mid | Luxury | Premium | Budget |
‘Lime’ spans several Citrus species and one distant relative, ranging from the familiar green wedge to fruit grown mainly for its leaves.
The two common limes are the ones you juice. The Persian lime (Citrus × latifolia) is the large, seedless, thick-skinned lime that fills supermarket shelves - reliably tart and easy to handle. The key lime (Citrus × aurantiifolia) is smaller, rounder, and seedier, with a more aromatic, sharper flavour that defines key lime pie and classic cocktails.
Aromatic and specialty limes are used differently. The makrut lime (Citrus hystrix) is knobbly and nearly juiceless, grown for its fragrant double leaves and zest in Southeast Asian cooking. The finger lime (Citrus australasica) is a slim Australian native whose flesh bursts into tiny juice pearls - “citrus caviar” - used as a garnish.
Outliers stretch the definition. The desert lime (Citrus glauca) is a tiny, tangy Australian bush lime used in marmalades and drinks. The sweet lime (Citrus limetta) is the odd one out: low in acid and mild enough to eat fresh like an orange.
The quick guide: large and seedless is a Persian lime; small, round, and sharp is a key lime; knobbly and leaf-first is the makrut; caviar-beaded is the finger lime; and mild, non-sour flesh means a sweet lime.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a key lime and a regular lime?
The regular supermarket lime is the Persian (Tahiti) lime - large, seedless, and less acidic. The key lime (Mexican lime) is smaller, rounder, seedier, and more aromatic with a sharper tang, which is why it's the traditional choice for key lime pie and many cocktails.
Can you eat a makrut lime?
The fruit is very knobbly with little juice, so makrut limes are grown mainly for their intensely fragrant leaves and zest, which flavour Thai and other Southeast Asian dishes. The juice is used sparingly; the leaves are the real prize.
What is a sweet lime?
The sweet lime (Citrus limetta) is a low-acid citrus that tastes mild and faintly sweet rather than sharp. It's eaten fresh and juiced across South Asia and the Mediterranean, and lacks the bright sourness of ordinary limes.