Origin / Cultivation

Reliable evidence documenting the cultivation of lemons in China
and the Mediterranean region dates as far back as 1000 BC.
Because they need a consistently warm, moist climate, lemons
grow primarily in southern regions. Mexico is the largest growing
area for lemons in the world, while Spain and Italy top the
list in Europe.

Description

Lemon trees may reach heights of up to seven metres.
The evergreen plants bloom all year round. Lemon blossoms
don’t smell as pleasant as the fruits that come later,
however, but instead exude a somewhat foul odour.

The fruit

The roughly fist-sized, oval fruits have a tough, yellow
outer skin, and contain sections of very juicy fruit pulp
on the inside. When a lemon is cut open from side to side,
the interior structure resembles the spokes of a bicycle wheel.

Flavour

Lemons are known for their sour taste, which is attributable to
their substantial fruit-acid content, which may be as high as
8 percent. Yet thanks to its especially light aroma, the fruit
has a very pleasant, refreshing taste, which is why the lemon
is a popular ingredient in lemonade and fruit juice.

Distinctive features

Lemons are especially rich in vitamin C.
100 grams cover 71 per cent of the minimum
daily requirement. Because vitamin C is known
to have a positive impact on the immune system,
hot beverages containing lemon juice are often
recommended for people suffering from colds.