Citrus limon Adamo - Lemon Tree

The 'Adamo' lemon is a very old Italian variety of the Femminello type, recently rediscovered and preserved through identical grafting to preserve its unique characteristics. 'Adamo' forms a moderately vigorous bush with an upright habit. It partially produces long-lasting elliptical fruits that are completely seedless, remaining on the tree even when fully ripe. Its moderately thick, grooved skin contains very juicy pale yellow flesh. Susceptible to cold temperatures below -4°C (24.8 °F), it is best grown in mild climate regions; elsewhere, it is preferably cultivated in a large container, wintered indoors in a greenhouse or conservatory.

The lemon tree, Citrus limon in Latin, is a relatively vigorous citrus tree that forms a small tree with a rounded habit, both ornamental and useful. It is one of the most cultivated citrus trees by amateur gardeners, due to its ease of cultivation, as well as its rapid growth and fruiting. The lemon tree indeed produces, from a young age, white flowers tinged with purple that give rise to these oval and yellow fruits when fully ripe, highly appreciated worldwide. Rich in vitamins, the lemon is considered a panacea by some prominent naturopaths. Hardy to approximately -7°C (19.4 °F), the lemon tree and its varieties are extensively grown in the ground throughout the Mediterranean region. It also performs very well in containers, overwintered elsewhere.

Lemon trees of the Femminello type are very common in Italy, especially in Sicily. There, they produce up to 6 harvests per year. Each harvest has a different name:

- Marzani, flowering in February-March and ripe fruits from January to March

- Invernali, flowering in March-April and ripe fruits from November to March

- Bianchetti, flowering in June-July and ripe fruits the following year from April to June

- Verdelli: flowering in July and ripe fruits the following year from July to September

- Primofiore: flowering in March and ripe fruits in September-October

- Bastardi: autumn flowering and ripe fruits in the following autumn

The Citrus limon is a small tree of the Rutaceae family, like all citrus trees. It is probably native to the southeastern Himalayas, Assam, and Northern Burma, and is believed to be the result of hybridisation between the Citron tree and the Bitter orange. Its habit is spreading, wider than tall. It can reach a height of 3 to 5 m (9 ft 10 in to 16 ft 5 in) when grown in the ground, but will remain smaller in a pot. The young branches are tinged with purple, then turn grey with age. It bears entire, ovate to lanceolate leaves, 5 to 10 cm (2 to 3.9 in) long and 3 to 4 cm (1.2 to 1.6 in) wide, dark green in colour. Flowering mainly occurs in spring, in May-June, but can also occur during the summer. The purple flower buds open into small star-shaped white flowers tinged with purple. Flowering is followed by the formation of oval fruits with a small rounded bump at the apex. They measure approximately 6cm (2.4 in) in diameter and 10cm (3.9 in) in length. Their thick green skin turns pale yellow when ripe. They are very rich in essential oils. The pulp, yellow-green, is very acidic and juicy, rich in citric acid, minerals, and vitamins C, A, and B but low in sugars.

Cultivated for its ornamental qualities as well as for its lemons, the Lemon tree is part of the culinary traditions of all regions of the world. Its use is widespread in savoury or sweet dishes and its juice is used in refreshing drinks or cocktails, as well as a condiment in sauces and carpaccios. The zest is often used to flavour pastries and desserts. In addition to its culinary importance, the lemon tree is also a medicinal plant whose therapeutic properties, used for centuries in traditional medicine, are now scientifically proven. The zest of the lemon, rich in essential oil, is widely used in aromatherapy and perfumery. Easy to preserve, this citrus fruit was once carried on sailing ships, providing a good source of vitamins to fight against scurvy. Lemon wood is used in cabinet-making.

Like all Citrus, the Citrus limon 'Adamo' contains pockets of essential oil in its leaves, flowers, and fruits, often visible to the naked eye, from which dermatological and cosmetic properties, toning and disinfecting properties are extracted by distillation (flowers and leaves) or by pressing (zest). The fragrance of the essential oil is described as fresh, pleasant, gentle, and lemony.
Most citrus trees thrive in the ground in Mediterranean coastal regions, where they can enjoy the necessary warmth throughout the year. Elsewhere, they will be grown in containers and stored indoors at the first sign of cold weather. Not very hardy, the Lemon tree begins to suffer from cold temperatures below -5°C (23 °F) and dies beyond -10°C (14 °F).

Flowering and pollination: The Lemon tree is a self-fertile bush, which means that a single individual is sufficient for complete pollination and fruiting. However, if your citrus tree remains indoors permanently, you will need to occasionally let the pollinators do their work or, if you feel delicate enough, perform hand pollination with a brush.