Limes-Different Types

Q: Limes have always been a favorite fruit. When I was growing up, the limes I ate had seeds. They also were not smooth like the limes today. Did the lime of my childhood become extinct? I would love to get seeds.

A: The modern Bearss lime (Tahiti/Persian lime), Citrus × latifolia, does not have seeds because it’s a hybrid plant. Kaffir lime, Citrus hystrix, is not common but it has a bumpy skin like you remember and it has seeds. It’s also possible the lime you remember eating was a seedy Key lime. If you plant the seeds of kaffir lime or Key lime in the right conditions they will sprout and become an attractive indoor plant but probably will never bear fruit.