Meyer Lemon

Meyer Lemon

The Meyer Lemon is native to China and was introduced to the United States in 1908.  It is commonly known as the fresh cooking lemon.  Thought to be a cross between a true lemon and either a mandarin or a common orange, the Meyer Lemon has a sweet and mild lemon flavor. Thinner skin means that this special lemon has a large quantity of juice for its size.  Like most things grown on a smaller scale they are tastier.  The smooth skin is a bit thinner and wonderful for candied zests or any recipe calling for zest.  Meyer Lemon trees are around 6 to 10 feet tall at maturity, though they can be pruned smaller.   Their leaves are dark green and shiny.  The flowers are white with a purple base and fragrant. The fruit is yellow and rounder than a true lemon.  The skin is fragrant and thin, colored a deep yellow with a slight orange tint when ripe.  Meyer Lemon fruits have a sweeter, less acidic flavor than the more common Lisbon lemon or Eureka grocery store varieties.  The pulp is a dark yellow and contains up to 10 seeds per fruit.