Bushfood
Desert lime
Citrus glauca
A very hardy native citrus from inland Australia that copes with Adelaide's heat, drought and frost. Its small, tangy fruit is great for marmalade, sauces and drinks. Plants grown from seed are slow and very thorny; grafted plants fruit sooner.
- SunFull sun
- Spacing300 cm apart
- FrostFrost hardy
- HeatHandles heat well
When to plant where you live
Checking your area…
Add desert lime to my gardenFrom seed to plate
Plant
300 cm apart. Full sun.
Water
Low.
Feed
Light citrus feed.
Pick
Pick when yellow-green.
Good to know
- Wear thick gloves when pruning and picking; it's very thorny
- Water deeply in dry spells while young; established plants need little
- Useful as a thorny, bird-friendly hedge
Common problems
- Slow to fruitbuy a grafted plant; seedlings can take many years
- Root suckers forming thicketsremove unwanted suckers at the base
- Citrus pests (gall wasp, scale)treat as for other citrus; cut off galls and use horticultural oil following label directions
If you use a garden chemical, follow the label exactly. Try organic options first, and ask the community or Plant Doctor if you're unsure.
Native and wildlife
An Australian native. Plant tube stock in autumn so roots settle in over winter rain.
Safety: Like other citrus, leaves and peel contain essential oils and psoralens that can upset pets; the fruit is edible.
Where this information comes from
- Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia (growing, medium confidence)
- Rare Fruit Council Australia archives: Edible Native Fruits - Wild Lime (growing, medium confidence, checked 27 Oct 2026)
- Australian Native Plants Society (Australia): plant profiles (planting time, medium confidence)
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: Lemon (citrus essential oils and psoralens, applied at genus level) (toxicity, low confidence, checked 27 Oct 2026)
Reviewed by AI cross-check (Claude), not a horticulturist on 27 Oct 2026. Version 2.