Citrus
Bearss (Persian) Lime
Citrus × latifolia 'Bearss' · Rutaceae
Also called: Persian Lime, Tahiti Lime, Bearss Seedless Lime
Bearss (Persian) Lime (Citrus × latifolia 'Bearss') is a moderate-water citrus well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun, with a moderate to fast growth rate. Expect white, fragrant blooms spring main bloom.
Bearss (Persian) Lime at a glance
- Water use
- Moderate (established)
- Sun
- Full sun (8+ hours). Provide afternoon shade and paint/wrap the trunk on young trees to prevent sunburn in Tucson.
- Mature size
- 12-20 ft tall and wide; larger and more vigorous than Mexican lime. Often kept 10-15 ft.
- Growth rate
- Moderate to fast
- Bloom
- White, fragrant, Spring main bloom; ever-bearing with scattered bloom and fruit much of the year.
- Cold hardiness
- USDA 9a-9b. Frost-sensitive but somewhat hardier than Mexican lime; damage near 28-30°F. Protect young trees during hard freezes.
- Soil
- Well-drained; tolerates Tucson alkaline soils. Break through caliche and ensure drainage; avoid soggy conditions.
- Native range
- Cultivar; Persian/Tahiti lime is a hybrid of complex citrus parentage, selected in California (Bearss, ~1895).
- Best used as
- Edible fruit (seedless, juicy; juice, cooking, cocktails), Landscape/backyard fruit tree, Container specimen
- Wildlife
- Fragrant flowers attract bees and pollinators.
- Toxicity
- Fruit edible/non-toxic to people. Peel oils (limonene, furanocoumarins) can cause mild GI upset in pets and photodermatitis on skin in sun; near-thornless.
How to grow Bearss (Persian) Lime in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Deep irrigation every 7-10 days in summer, every 3-4 weeks in winter; soak to ~3 ft deep across the dripline and let the surface dry between cycles. Keep the trunk base dry.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Nitrogen 3x/year (Feb, May, Aug/Sep) at ~1-1.5 lb actual N/yr for a mature tree. Apply iron/zinc/manganese chelates for desert micronutrient deficiencies; avoid late-fall N.
Pruning & care
Minimal. Remove deadwood, below-graft suckers, and crossing branches in spring after frost. Nearly thornless; keep skirts low to shade the trunk.
Notes
Larger, seedless, less acidic lime; hardier and easier in Tucson than the Mexican lime. Heaviest harvest summer through fall; pick green or as it turns yellow (peak flavor when still green). Self-fruitful, no pollinizer needed. Plant in spring after frost; provide frost protection the first few winters and in hard freezes.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, 'Low Desert Citrus Varieties' (AZ1001); AMWUA / Arizona low-water-use landscape plant guidance; UA Pima County Master Gardeners citrus care