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Lemon Citrus x limon (L.) Osbeck – Rutaceae Family

Synonyms: Lemon Tree, Citrus limonum, Citrus jambhiri.

Part Used: Peel

Harvest Season: Varies according to the variety harvested, but it can continue virtually throughout the year

Botanical Description: Though trees can grow to 30 feet tall, they are usually 12-18 feet in orchards. The branches and twigs have short spines that can cause injury. Leaves are green to light green in color. The flowers are white, 3-5cm in diameter and incredibly fragrant. The peel can be either smooth or rough depending on the variety grown, but it starts out green and becomes more yellow as it matures. The fruit of the smooth lemon is edible and commonly used as a juice.

Origin: Lemon is thought to be native to Southern China or Burma. It is now most commonly cultivated in the Southern United States, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Israel, Argentina, Brazil and Peru.

Growing Conditions: Lemon thrives in a Mediterranean type climate, but it will adapt to varying climates. It can tolerate minimal frost, but extended frost causes significant damage to the tree. It will grow in very arid conditions to medium rainfall. It requires good drainage, but only moderate fertility (though it requires more nitrogen than sweet orange).

In the U.S it is commercially grown in California and Florida, but can be grown on small scale over a much wider area. It is easily grown in parts of Texas, Arizona, Gulf Coast and parts of the Southeast.

Extraction Method: Lemon, like all citrus oils, is usually cold pressed. (There is some distilled oil available, but it is very different and considered inferior.)

Yield: .5%

Oil Characteristics: The oil is yellow to yellow-green and very mobile.

Aroma Profile: The oil is dominated by top notes, and it has a very sweet and fresh odor—similar to the ripe peel. The oil should smell lemony until the odor is gone. Because it is dominated by top notes, the scent does not linger a long time.

Major Constituents: Limonene (70 to 90%), citral (2 to 6%).

History: The lemon was introduced into Europe sometime in the 12th Century, with the bulk of the growing being done in Sicily. The oil was first produced in Sicily in the late 1700s. Christopher Columbus introduced the plant into the New World in 1493, and it has since flourished in the Western Hemisphere.

It was eventually introduced into Australia in 1788 and also in South Africa soon thereafter. It is a popular fruit, grown to some extent in every region where it is capable of being grown.

The juice of the lemon became famous when the English started giving it to their sailors to combat scurvy. (The juice is very high in vitamin C and thus prevented scurvy.) By law, each ship was required to carry one lemon or lime per sailor per day on extended voyages. Thus English sailors came to be known as ‘limies’. Sounds a bit better than ‘lemonies’.

Aromatherapy Benefits: Balancing, uplifting, refreshing, cheering. Lemon oil is like a breath of clean fresh air and simply makes you feel better.

Clinical Studies: There are well over 100 clinical studies on lemon oil. Historically it has been used in cleaning products for its antimicrobial properties, which have been documented in several studies (1).

In Europe, lemon essential oil is being added to animal feed in order to kill microbes and parasites. Lemon oil was shown to be effective in one study at killing and inhibiting some key parasites that affect poultry (2).

Citrus oils have long been used for their calming and balancing actions. One study showed the oils ability to help reduce the reactions to pain (3). Another study showed that the oil was able to reduce the errors made by typists by over 50% (4).

Cosmetic Uses: The oil is used in numerous cosmetic products for its fragrance. The smell is always clean and uplifting. It's found in numerous soaps, shampoos and cleaning products.

Lemon oil is especially good for the skin – its astringent action can help aging skin and its antibacterial properties are useful for a variety of conditions.

Safety: Lemon oil is considered non-toxic and non-irritating to the skin. It does contain some bergapten, which is a strong photo toxin, as well as the less powerful oxypeucedanin. It should not be put on the skin in any appreciable quantities prior to sun exposure. Of all commonly used oils, citrus oils have the shortest shelf life. They should never be stored in hot or sunny places, and extra care should be taken to immediately place the top on after use.

Quality Issues: Although lemon oil has been adulterated with synthetic constituents such as citral and certain terpenes,the practice isn't common due to the oil's low price.

Regulatory Status: GRAS 182.20

Tim’s Notes: Lemon oil is presently one of the top ten selling oils in North America. It's used in numerous cosmetic products, in cooking, in cleaning products and for air freshening.

I use lemon or orange oil to clean all of my rental properties. It is an effective antimicrobial that leaves a delightful scent. I put it in my mop buckets, soap mixes, and sterilize my bathtub with it when staying in hotels.

I like to put it in my hotel rooms either on the carpets or in the heating/cooling vents.

I was raised with a lemon tree right outside my bedroom window. The fruits would be harvested off the tree for months. The scent of the flower is an incredible experience. When I moved to the upper Midwest where I couldn’t grow it outdoors, I grew one in my house. It sat about 10 feet from my bed and when it flowered I was in heaven. Of course the fruits were nice also, especially in the middle of a cold winter night. If I had my way everyone would have a lemon tree in their house. Now that I live in Hawaii, I have already planted several citrus trees outside my house, but I also have a lemon tree in a large pot right outside my bedroom.

I love to use lemon oil in cooking. It imparts a wonderful taste and flavor to fish, chicken, and salad dressings.

References