Lemon - wikipedia Lemon This article is about the fruit. For other uses, see Lemon ( disambiguation ). Not to be confused with Iemon. Lemon A fruiting lemon tree. A blossom is also visible. Scientific classification Kingdom : Plantae ( unranked ) : Angiosperms ( unranked ) : Eudicots ( unranked ) : Rosids Order : Sapindales Family : Rutaceae Genus : Citrus Species : C. limon Binomial name Citrus limon ( L. ) Osbeck Synonyms List Citrus × aurantium subsp. bergamia ( Risso & Poit. ) Engl. Citrus aurantium subsp. bergamia ( Risso ) Wight & Arn. Citrus aurantium var. bergamia ( Risso ) Brandis Citrus × aurantium var. mellarosa ( Risso ) Engl. Citrus × bergamia Risso & Poit. Citrus × bergamia subsp. mellarosa ( Risso ) D. Rivera & al. Citrus × bergamota Raf. Citrus × limodulcis D. Rivera, Obón & F. Méndez Citrus × limonelloides Hayata Citrus × limonia Osbeck Citrus × limonia var. digitata Risso Citrus × limonum Risso Citrus medica var. limon L. Citrus medica f. limon ( L. ) M. Hiroe Citrus medica f. limon ( L. ) Hiroë Citrus medica subsp. limonia ( Risso ) Hook. f. Citrus × medica var. limonum ( Risso ) Brandis Citrus × medica subsp. limonum ( Risso ) Engl. Citrus medica var. limonum ( Risso ) Brandis Citrus × mellarosa Risso Citrus × meyeri Yu. Tanaka Citrus × vulgaris Ferrarius ex Mill. Limon × vulgaris Ferrarius ex Miller The lemon, Citrus limon ( L. ) Osbeck, is a species of small evergreen tree in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, native to Asia. The tree 's ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world, primarily for its juice, which has both culinary and cleaning uses. The pulp and rind ( zest ) are also used in cooking and baking. The juice of the lemon is about 5 % to 6 % citric acid, with a pH of around 2.2, giving it a sour taste. The distinctive sour taste of lemon juice makes it a key ingredient in drinks and foods such as lemonade and lemon meringue pie. Contents 1 History 2 Varieties 3 Nutritional value and phytochemicals 4 Culinary uses 5 Other uses 5.1 Industrial 5.2 As a cleaning agent 5.3 Medicinal 5.4 Other 6 Horticulture 7 Production 8 Lemon alternatives 9 Gallery 10 See also 11 References 12 External links History See also : Citron § Origin and distribution Lemon external surface and cross-section The origin of the lemon is unknown, though lemons are thought to have first grown in Assam ( a region in northeast India ), northern Burma or China. A study of the genetic origin of the lemon reported it to be hybrid between bitter orange ( sour orange ) and citron. Lemons entered Europe near southern Italy no later than the second century AD, during the time of Ancient Rome. However, they were not widely cultivated. They were later introduced to Persia and then to Iraq and Egypt around 700 AD. The lemon was first recorded in literature in a 10th - century Arabic treatise on farming, and was also used as an ornamental plant in early Islamic gardens. It was distributed widely throughout the Arab world and the Mediterranean region between 1000 and 1150. The first substantial cultivation of lemons in Europe began in Genoa in the middle of the 15th century. The lemon was later introduced to the Americas in 1493 when Christopher Columbus brought lemon seeds to Hispaniola on his voyages. Spanish conquest throughout the New World helped spread lemon seeds. It was mainly used as an ornamental plant and for medicine. In the 19th century, lemons were increasingly planted in Florida and California. In 1747, James Lind 's experiments on seamen suffering from scurvy involved adding lemon juice to their diets, though vitamin C was not yet known. The origin of the word `` lemon '' may be Middle Eastern. The word draws from the Old French limon, then Italian limone, from the Arabic laymūn or līmūn, and from the Persian līmūn, a generic term for citrus fruit, which is a cognate of Sanskrit ( nimbū, `` lime '' ). Varieties Detailed taxonomic illustration by Franz Eugen Köhler. The ' Bonnie Brae ' is oblong, smooth, thin - skinned, and seedless, mostly grown in San Diego County, USA. The ' Eureka ' grows year - round and abundantly. This is the common supermarket lemon, also known as ' Four Seasons ' ( Quatre Saisons ) because of its ability to produce fruit and flowers together throughout the year. This variety is also available as a plant to domestic customers. There is also a pink - fleshed Eureka lemon, with a green and yellow variegated outer skin. The ' Femminello St. Teresa ', or ' Sorrento ' is native to Italy. This fruit 's zest is high in lemon oils. It is the variety traditionally used in the making of limoncello. The ' Meyer ' is a cross between a lemon and possibly an orange or a mandarin, and was named after Frank N. Meyer, who first introduced it to the USA in 1908. Thin - skinned and slightly less acidic than the Lisbon and Eureka lemons, Meyer lemons require more care when shipping and are not widely grown on a commercial basis. Meyer lemons often mature to a yellow - orange color. They are slightly more frost - tolerant than other lemons. The ' Ponderosa ' is more cold - sensitive than true lemons ; the fruit are thick - skinned and very large. It is likely a citron - lemon hybrid. The ' Yen Ben ' is an Australasian cultivar. Lemon, raw, without peel Nutritional value per 100 g ( 3.5 oz ) Energy 121 kJ ( 29 kcal ) Carbohydrates 9.32 g Sugars 2.5 g Dietary fiber 2.8 g Fat 0.3 g Protein 1.1 g Vitamins Thiamine ( B1 ) ( 3 % ) 0.04 mg Riboflavin ( B2 ) ( 2 % ) 0.02 mg Niacin ( B3 ) ( 1 % ) 0.1 mg Pantothenic acid ( B5 ) ( 4 % ) 0.19 mg Vitamin B6 ( 6 % ) 0.08 mg Folate ( B9 ) ( 3 % ) 11 μg Choline ( 1 % ) 5.1 mg Vitamin C ( 64 % ) 53 mg Minerals Calcium ( 3 % ) 26 mg Iron ( 5 % ) 0.6 mg Magnesium ( 2 % ) 8 mg Manganese ( 1 % ) 0.03 mg Phosphorus ( 2 % ) 16 mg Potassium ( 3 % ) 138 mg Zinc ( 1 % ) 0.06 mg Link to USDA Database entry Units μg = micrograms mg = milligrams IU = International units Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source : USDA Nutrient Database Nutritional Value and phytochemicals Lemons are a rich source of vitamin C, providing 64 % of the Daily Value in a 100 g serving ( table ). Other essential nutrients, however, have insignificant content ( table ). Lemons contain numerous phytochemicals, including polyphenols, terpenes, and tannins. As with other citrus fruits, they have significant concentrations of citric acid ( about 47 g / l in juice ). Culinary uses Lemon juice, rind, and zest are used in a wide variety of foods and drinks. Lemon juice is used to make lemonade, soft drinks, and cocktails. It is used in marinades for fish, where its acid neutralizes amines in fish by converting them into nonvolatile ammonium salts, and meat, where the acid partially hydrolyzes tough collagen fibers, tenderizing the meat, but the low pH denatures the proteins, causing them to dry out when cooked. Lemon juice is frequently used in the United Kingdom to add to pancakes, especially on Shrove Tuesday. Lemon juice is also used as a short - term preservative on certain foods that tend to oxidize and turn brown after being sliced ( enzymatic browning ), such as apples, bananas, and avocados, where its acid denatures the enzymes. Lemon juice and rind are used to make marmalade, lemon curd and lemon liqueur. Lemon slices and lemon rind are used as a garnish for food and drinks. Lemon zest, the grated outer rind of the fruit, is used to add flavor to baked goods, puddings, rice, and other dishes. The leaves of the lemon tree are used to make a tea and for preparing cooked meats and seafoods. Other uses Industrial Lemons were the primary commercial source of citric acid before the development of fermentation - based processes. As a cleaning agent The juice of the lemon may be used for cleaning. A halved lemon dipped in salt or baking powder is used to brighten copper cookware. The acid dissolves the tarnish and the abrasives assist the cleaning. As a sanitary kitchen deodorizer the juice can deodorize, remove grease, bleach stains, and disinfect ; when mixed with baking soda, it removes stains from plastic food storage containers. The oil of the lemon 's peel also has various uses. It is used as a wood cleaner and polish, where its solvent property is employed to dissolve old wax, fingerprints, and grime. Lemon oil and orange oil are also used as a nontoxic insecticide treatment. A halved lemon is used as a finger moistener for those counting large amounts of bills, such as tellers and cashiers. Medicinal Lemon oil may be used in aromatherapy. Lemon oil aroma does not influence the human immune system, but may contribute to relaxation. Other One educational science experiment involves attaching electrodes to a lemon and using it as a battery to produce electricity. Although very low power, several lemon batteries can power a small digital watch. These experiments also work with other fruits and vegetables. Lemon juice may be used as a simple invisible ink, developed by heat. Horticulture Lemons need a minimum temperature of around 7 ° C ( 45 ° F ), so they are not hardy year round in temperate climates, but become hardier as they mature. Citrus require minimal pruning by trimming overcrowded branches, with the tallest branch cut back to encourage bushy growth. Throughout summer, pinching back tips of the most vigorous growth assures more abundant canopy development. As mature plants may produce unwanted, fast - growing shoots called ' water shoots ', these are removed from the main branches at the bottom or middle of the plant. Production Lemon production ( with limes ) ( in millions of tonnes ) Country 2014 India 2.8 Mexico China Argentina 1.4 Brazil World 16.3 In 2014, world production of lemons ( data combined with limes ) was 16.3 million tonnes. The top producers were India, Mexico, China, Argentina, and Brazil, collectively accounting for 59 % of total production ( table ). Lemon alternatives Many plants taste or smell similar to lemons. Certain cultivars of basil Cymbopogon ( lemongrass ) Lemon balm, a mint - like herbaceous perennial in the Lamiaceae family Two varieties of scented geranium : Pelargonium crispum ( lemon geranium ) and Pelargonium x melissinum ( lemon balm ) Lemon thyme Lemon verbena Limes, another common sour citrus fruit, used similarly to lemons Certain cultivars of mint Magnolia grandiflora tree flowers Gallery Flower Lemon seedling Mature lemons Full - sized tree Variegated pink lemon See also List of lemon dishes and beverages Food portal References Jump up ^ `` The Plant List : Citrus limon ( L. ) Osbeck ''. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and Missouri Botanic Garden. Retrieved February 20, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Julia F. Morton ( 1987 ). `` Lemon in Fruits of Warm Climates ''. Purdue University. pp. 160 -- 168. Jump up ^ Gulsen, O. ; M.L. Roose ( 2001 ). `` Lemons : Diversity and Relationships with Selected Citrus Genotypes as Measured with Nuclear Genome Markers ''. Journal of the American Society of Horticultural Science. 126 : 309 -- 317. Jump up ^ Genetic origin of cultivated citrus determined : Researchers find evidence of origins of orange, lime, lemon, grapefruit, other citrus species ``, Science Daily, January 26, 2011 ( Retrieved February 10, 2017 ). Jump up ^ James Lind ( 1757 ). A treatise on the scurvy. Second edition. London : A. Millar. Jump up ^ Douglas Harper. `` Online Etymology Dictionary ''. Jump up ^ Spalding, William A. ( 1885 ). The orange : its culture in California. Riverside, California : Press and Horticulturist Steam Print. p. 88. Retrieved March 2, 2012. Jump up ^ Carque, Otto ( 2006 ) ( 1923 ). Rational Diet : An Advanced Treatise on the Food Question. Los Angeles, California : Kessinger Publishing. p. 195. ISBN 978 - 1 - 4286 - 4244 - 7. Retrieved March 2, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Complete List of Four Winds Dwarf Citrus Varieties ''. Fourwindsgrowers.com. Retrieved June 6, 2010. Jump up ^ Buchan, Ursula ( January 22, 2005 ). `` Kitchen garden : lemon tree ''. The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved January 24, 2014. Jump up ^ Vaiegated pink at the Citrus Variety Collection. Jump up ^ `` Taste of a thousand lemons ''. Los Angeles Times. September 8, 2004. Retrieved November 21, 2011. Jump up ^ `` New Zealand Citrus ''. ceventura.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved June 13, 2010. Jump up ^ Rauf A, Uddin G, Ali J ( 2014 ). `` Phytochemical analysis and radical scavenging profile of juices of Citrus sinensis, Citrus anrantifolia, and Citrus limonum ''. Org Med Chem Lett. 4 : 5. PMC 4091952. PMID 25024932. doi : 10.1186 / 2191 - 2858 - 4 - 5. CS1 maint : Uses authors parameter ( link ) Jump up ^ Penniston KL, Nakada SY, Holmes RP, Assimos DG ( 2008 ). `` Quantitative Assessment of Citric Acid in Lemon Juice, Lime Juice, and Commercially - Available Fruit Juice Products '' ( PDF ). Journal of Endourology. 22 ( 3 ) : 567 -- 570. PMC 2637791. PMID 18290732. doi : 10.1089 / end. 2007.0304. Jump up ^ M. Hofrichter ( 2010 ). Industrial Applications. Springer. p. 224. ISBN 978 - 3 - 642 - 11458 - 8. Jump up ^ `` 6 ingredients for a green, clean home ''. Shine. Retrieved April 24, 2008. Jump up ^ Kiecolt - Glaser, J.K. ; Graham, J.E. ; Malarkey, W.B. ; Porter, K ; Lemeshow, S ; Glaser, R ( 2008 ). `` Olfactory influences on mood and autonomic, endocrine, and immune function ''. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 33 ( 3 ) : 328 -- 39. PMC 2278291. PMID 18178322. doi : 10.1016 / j. psyneuen. 2007.11. 015. Jump up ^ Cooke, B ; Ernst, E ( 2000 ). `` Aromatherapy : A systematic review '' ( PDF ). British Journal of General Practice. 50 ( 455 ) : 493 -- 6. PMC 1313734. PMID 10962794. Jump up ^ `` Lemon Power ''. California Energy Commission. Retrieved December 7, 2014. Jump up ^ Mirsky, Steve ( April 20, 2010 ). `` Invisible Ink and More : The Science of Spying in the Revolutionary War ''. Scientific American. Retrieved October 15, 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Citrus ''. Royal Horticultural Society. 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` Production in 2014 ; Crops / Regions / World / Production Quantity from pick lists ''. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Statistics Division ( FAOSTAT ). 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2017. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Citrus × limon. Data related to Citrus × limon at Wikispecies Look up lemon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Citrus True species Australian and Papuan wild limes Byeonggyul Citron Clymenia Indian wild orange Kumquat Mandarin Mangshanyegan Papeda Pomelo Yuzu Major hybrids Grapefruit Lemon Lime Orange True and hybrid cultivars Alemow Amanatsu Bergamot orange Bizzaria Bitter orange Blood lime Blood orange Buddha 's hand Cam sành Cara cara navel Cherry orange Citrange Citrumelo Clementine Daidai Dekopon Fairchild tangerine Florentine citron Hassaku orange Hebesu Hyuganatsu Imperial lemon Iyokan Jabara Jaffa orange Kabbad Kabosu Kaffir lime Kakadu lime Kalpi Key lime Khasi papeda Kinnow Kishumikan Kiyomi Komikan Laraha Lumia Mandelo Mandora Melanesian papeda Melogold Meyer lemon Murcott Myrtle - leaved orange tree Ōgonkan Orangelo / Chironja Oroblanco Palestinian sweet lime Persian lime Perrine lemon Pixie mandarin Ponderosa lemon Ponkan Rangpur Reikou Rhobs el Arsa Rough lemon Sanboken Satsuma mandarin Setoka Shangjuan Shonan Gold Sudachi Sweet lemon Sweet limetta Tangelo Tangerine Tangor Ugli fruit Valencia orange Variegated pink lemon Winged lime Xã Đoài orange Yuukou mandarin Non-hybrid citrons Balady citron Corsican citron Diamante citron Fingered citron Greek citron Moroccan citron Yemenite citron Non-hybrid mandarin oranges Nanfengmiju Cleopatra mandarin Shīkwāsā Non-hybrid papedas Ichang papeda Citrus halimii or Mountain `` citron '' Non-hybrid pomelos Banpeiyu Dangyuja Australian and Papuan citrus ( Microcitrus, Eromocitrus, and Clymenia subgenera ) Australian outback lime Australian round lime Brown River finger lime Desert lime Mount white lime ( Microcitrus ) New Guinea wild lime Russell River lime Clymenia Kumquat / Fortunella hybrids ( × Citrofortunella ) Calamondin Citrangequat Limequat Orangequat Procimequat Sunquat Yuzuquat Related genera Citrus glauca Poncirus / Trifoliate orange Triphasia Brassii Grandifolia Trifolia Drinks Chūhai Curaçao Grapefruit juice Lemonade Limeade Orange juice Yuja - hwachae Yuja - cha Products Calcium citrate Citric acid Lemonene Limonene Neroli Orange flower water Orange oil Succade Zest Diseases Black spot CTV / Tristeza Exocortis Greening Mal secco Phytophthora citricola Related topics The Citrus Industry Citrus production Citrus rootstock Citrus taxonomy Cold - hardy citrus Hesperidium Japanese citrus List of citrus fruits Mother Orange Tree Orangery University of California Citrus Experiment Station University of California, Riverside Citrus Variety Collection Book Production Commons Lemon dishes Avgolemono Fruit curd Galaktoboureko Lemon chicken Lemon delicious pudding Lemon drop Lemon ice box pie Lemon meringue pie Lemon stick Lemon tart Liverpool Tart Preserved lemon Shaker Lemon Pie Sussex pond pudding Juice List of juices Fruit juice Apple Coconut Cranberry Cucumber Grape Grapefruit Lemon ( Lemonade ) Orange Pineapple Pomegranate Raspberry Tomato Vegetable juice Carrot Turnip Turmeric V8 ( brand ) Vegetable See also Cucumber juice Wheatgrass Category : Fruit juice Category : Vegetable juice GND : 4190975 - 6 BNF : cb12267718q ( data ) NDL : 00575882 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lemon&oldid=801785185 '' Categories : Citrus hybrids Cocktail garnishes Tropical agriculture Lemons Sour fruits Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Uses authors parameter Wikipedia indefinitely move - protected pages Wikipedia pages semi-protected against vandalism Use mdy dates from July 2014 Articles with ' species ' microformats Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Talk View source Contents About Wikipedia Wikispecies Afrikaans Alemannisch አማርኛ Aragonés Asturianu Atikamekw Azərbaycanca تۆرکجه বাংলা Bân - lâm - gú Башҡортса Беларуская Беларуская ( тарашкевіца ) ‎ Български Boarisch བོད ་ ཡིག Bosanski Brezhoneg Català Чӑвашла Cebuano Čeština Corsu Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch ދިވެހިބަސް Dolnoserbski Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français Gaeilge Gaelg Gàidhlig Galego 贛 語 ગુજરાતી 客家 語 / Hak - kâ - ngî 한국어 Հայերեն हिन्दी Hornjoserbsce Hrvatski Ido Ilokano Bahasa Indonesia Ирон Íslenska Italiano עברית Basa Jawa ಕನ್ನಡ Kapampangan ქართული Қазақша Коми Kreyòl ayisyen Kurdî Кыргызча Ladino Лезги Latina Latviešu Lëtzebuergesch Lietuvių Lingála Magyar मैथिली Македонски മലയാളം Malti مصرى Bahasa Melayu Mìng - dĕ̤ng - ngṳ̄ မြန်မာဘာသာ Nāhuatl Nederlands नेपाली 日本 語 Нохчийн Nordfriisk Norsk ਪੰਜਾਬੀ پنجابی Перем Коми Picard Piemontèis Polski Português Qaraqalpaqsha Română Runa Simi Русский संस्कृतम् Sardu Scots Shqip Sicilianu Simple English سنڌي Slovenščina Soomaaliga کوردی Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog தமிழ் Татарча / tatarça తెలుగు ไทย Тоҷикӣ Lea faka - Tonga ᏣᎳᎩ Tsetsêhestâhese ತುಳು Türkçe Українська اردو ئۇيغۇرچە / Uyghurche Vèneto Tiếng Việt 文言 Winaray ייִדיש 粵語 Žemaitėška 中文 Kabɩyɛ Edit links This page was last edited on 21 September 2017, at 21 : 00. 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Question: who brought the first lemon seeds to america
Answer: Christopher Columbus