Lemon Varieties Grown in Portugal and Around the World

Asian in origin, the lemon is one of the best known and most widely eaten citrus fruits in the world. With its sharp, refreshing flavour, it is used extensively in cooking and in the agri-food industry. There are many lemon varieties, each with characteristics of its own that shape flavour and aroma and determine how well they suit different climates and markets.

As with other species, the lemon tree has a great many well-known and important varieties, differing in several respects, from the growing cycle to the fruit they produce. The choice of variety rests on a number of factors, such as the site and type of climate, the target market, yield and the way the orchard is trained.

Because it is an everbearing crop, in other words one that flowers throughout the season or flowers repeatedly within the same year, the lemon allows staggered harvesting across the production campaign, which normally runs from December to the end of September. The diversity of varieties also contributes to this continuous production. Good yields, combined with the opportunities in export markets, allow growers to work the market to best advantage on the basis of prices, which vary through the campaign, and to place the product when demand is highest.

Among the best known varieties worldwide are Eureka, Verna, Lunário, Lisboa, Femminello (Sicilian), Meyer and Fino. Other interesting citrus varieties include Yuzu, Buddha's Hand and the Finger Lime.

Lemon varieties grown around the world: Femminello (Sicilian), Fino, Meyer, Yuzu, Buddha's Hand, Finger Lime Image sources: liveeatlearn.com [1, 3, 4 and 5]; thelemonage.eu [2]; olx.pt [6]

Which varieties are most widely grown in Portugal?

In Portugal, lemon growing is particularly significant in the Algarve, the Oeste and the Ribatejo, and there are also good prospects for the sector to grow in the north of the country. Of the varieties mentioned, Eureka, Verna, Lunário and Lisboa are the most widely grown in the country.

Eureka:

The Californian variety Eureka, the most widely grown in the world, is characterised by a tree of medium size and vigour, with an open canopy and few thorns. Extremely productive, it tends to fruit at the tips of the branches, with production concentrated in late winter, spring and early summer. The fruit is yellow, with some depressions, a medium-thick rind and yellow flesh that is tender, very juicy and sharp. The fruit holds well on the tree, although it tends to lose acidity over time.

Eureka lemon Image source: diaplant.pt

Verna:

Of unknown origin, this variety produces a vigorous, thornless tree that flowers over a long period throughout the year. The fruit stands out for its prominent ends and its pale yellow colour. It can remain on the tree for an extended period without losing quality, allowing a staggered harvest.

Verna lemon Image source: thelemonage.eu

Lunário:

The tree of this Italian variety is of medium height and vigour, with few thorns. Flowering is extremely staggered, which has earned it the title of "four seasons lemon tree". It is a productive variety, with more elongated fruit and well-developed ends. The rind is smooth and the flesh yellowish, but not very juicy.

Lunário lemon Image source: diaplant.pt

Lisboa:

Portuguese in origin, the Lisboa variety is more vigorous than Eureka and tends towards a spherical shape. It has straight, barely protruding thorns and a dense canopy, and is resistant to wind, cold and heat. It is a very productive variety, with fruit that has few seeds or none at all and flesh that is tender, juicy and very sharp. Unlike the previous varieties, Lisboa reflowers little, concentrating its production in winter and early spring.

Lisboa lemon Image source: liveeatlearn.com

Lemon varieties offer an enormous diversity of flavours, textures and uses. With its rich farming tradition and favourable climate, Portugal continues to establish itself as a producer of high-quality lemons, contributing to the diversity of this fruit worldwide.

Sources: Direção Regional da Agricultura e Pescas do Algarve Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, I.P. Teaching materials from the Cultura do Limão and Modelo Técnico Económico do Limão courses at AgroB Business School EV