Citrus limon Femminello Incappucciato - Lemon Tree

The citrus tree 'Femminello Incappuciato' owes its name to the curved shape of its leaves, resembling small hoods. This Sicilian variety, still very rare, is quite productive. It offers a main flowering in spring, and an older plant will bear fruit throughout the year. The white flowers are tinged with purple and will give way to beautiful oval fruits, pale yellow when ripe. Sensitive to cold temperatures below -4°C (24.8 °F), it is only suitable for outdoor cultivation in milder regions; elsewhere, it is preferably grown in a large container, overwintered away from frost in a greenhouse or conservatory.

The citrus tree, Citrus limon in Latin, is a relatively vigorous citrus tree, which forms a small bushy tree, 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 produces white flowers tinged with purple from a young age, giving birth to oval and yellow fruits when ripe, highly appreciated worldwide. Rich in vitamins, the lemon is considered a panacea by some prominent naturopaths. Hardy down to about -7°C (19.4 °F), lemon trees and their varieties are extensively grown in open ground all around the Mediterranean. They also perform very well in pots, overwintered elsewhere. The Femminello type lemons are very common in Italy, especially in Sicily. The 'Femminello Incappuciato' lemon is considered to be a spontaneous mutation of the common Femminello.

The Citrus limon is a small tree of the Rutaceae family, like all citrus trees. It is probably native to the Southeast Himalayas, Assam, and Northern Myanmar and is the result of hybridisation between the lemon tree and the bitter orange. It has a bushy habit, wider than it is tall. It can reach a height of 3 to 5 m (9 ft 10 in to 16 ft 5 in) when grown in open ground, but will remain smaller in a pot. The young branches are tinged with purple, then they become more grey with age. The 'Incappucciato' variety has entire, curved leaves, oval to lanceolate, 5 to 10 cm (2 to 3.9 in) long and 3 to 4 cm (1.2 to 1.6 in) wide, dark green. Flowering mainly takes place in spring, but can also occur during the summer. The purple flower buds open into small star-shaped white flowers tinged with purple. The flowering is followed by the formation of oval fruits with a small rounded bump at the apex. They measure about 6 cm (2.4 in) in diameter and 10 cm (3.9 in) in length. Their thick green skin becomes pale yellow when ripe. They are very rich in essential oils. The yellow-green pulp 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 its lemons, the lemon tree is part of the culinary traditions of all regions of the world, for a longer or shorter period of time. It is widely used in savoury or sweet dishes. The 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 store, 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 'Femminello Incappucciato' contains in its leaves, flowers, and fruits visible oil sacs from which essential oil with dermatological and cosmetic properties, toning and disinfecting properties is extracted by distillation (flowers and leaves) or by pressing (zest). The fragrance of the essential oil is described as fresh, pleasant, sweet, and lemony.
Most citrus trees thrive in open ground in milder coastal regions where they have the necessary warmth all year round. Elsewhere, they will be grown in pots and stored away during cold weather. Not very hardy, the lemon tree begins to suffer from cold temperatures below -5°C (23 °F) and perishes below -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.