Blood lime - Citrus australasica var. sanguinea

Blood limes are a hybrid citrus fruit developed by the CSIRO project to investigate salt-resistant crops.

While the limes proved unsuitable for high-salt conditions, they have seen some commercial development; the first commercial crop appeared in markets in Australia in July 2004, and are under consideration for export.

The blood lime is smaller than most limes, approximately 4 cm long by 2 cm diameter, and somewhat more sweet than the standard. The flesh inside a blood lime is red. The skin can be eaten with the fruit, and can be red or sometimes green like the standard lime.

The blood lime is a cross between the red finger lime (Citrus australasica var. sanguinea) and the either the Rangpur lime or the Ellendale Mandarin hybrid. The Ellendale is a sweet orange/mandarin cross. The tree may be planted as an ornamental.

Native Blood Lime is a cross between an acid mandarin and a red finger lime. It has blood-red rind, flesh and juice.

Fruits ripen in winter, are oval in shape and are usually 30 to 50 mm long, by 20 to 30 mm

Native Blood Lime uses include

chutneys, jams, marmalades, savoury sauces,

citrus based desserts

cocktails eg gin & tonic, beer.

Adds zing to seafood

Seasonings and dukkah mixes