Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Fruit
Origin
Southern Africa
Southeastern Asia
Types
Perennial
Citrus hystrix
Number of Varieties
501
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
Deep, gardens, old gardens, Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-109-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
12-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm240.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
Yellow, Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Prune for shortening long shoots, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Thinning
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Apply N-P-K, can go long without fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Armored scales, Fomes root rot, Mites, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate, Drought, Heat And Humidity
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Bonsai
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Blood purifier, Digestion problems, Digestive disorders
Part of Plant Used
Root
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Making Shampoo, Used as insect repellent
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
CITRUS hystrix
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Kaffir Lime, Makrut
In Hindi
African Iris
काफ़िर लाइम
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Kaffernlimette
In French
African Iris
combava
In Spanish
Iris africano
cafre
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
Καφρός Lime
In Portuguese
Iris africano
Kaffir Lime
In Polish
Afryki Iris
kaffir wapno
In Latin
African Iris
Cafres Lime
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Sapindales
Family
Iridaceae
Rutaceae
Genus
Dietes
Citrus
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
-
Number of Species
300400
1
27800
👆🏻