5 Kaffir Lime Seeds-citrus Hystrix-makrut, or Magrood, Leaves Are Highly Aromatic The kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix DC., Rutaceae), also known as kieffer lime, makrut, or magrood, (Bai Ma-gkood,PewMa-gkrood) is a type of lime native to Indonesia, commonly used in Thai cuisine, and widely grown worldwide as a backyard shrub. The kaffir lime tree is well suited to container growing. The fruit is rough, bumpy green and grows on very thorny bush with very fragrant leaves. Even a small scratch of the lime releases a roomful of refreshing fragrance, like a fragrant bouquet of citrus blossoms. Kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix), a small evergreen tree, produces small, bumpy, yellow-to-green limes in late winter. The fruit is bitter and not very palatable, but the rinds and leaves are widely used in Thai cooking. Kaffir, also called keifer, lime trees grow best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11. In the ground, standard trees grow to 15 feet. The green lime colored fruit is distinguished by its bumpy exterior and its small size (approx. 4 cm wide). The leaves are distinguished by their hourglass shaped leaves. Even though the kaffir lime is not the most beautiful fruit, it is incredibly important in Southeast Asian cooking (especially Thai recipes). Kaffir lime leaves cannot be replaced with any other type of citrus leaves. Their flavor is so important that anyone following a Thai recipe should take the time to find and use them as their special characteristics are irreplaceable. In most regions of Thailand, the kaffir lime is so beloved that almost everyone's home in the countryside has at least one tree growing in the yard. Because its strong flavor can over power the more subtle ones in a dish, the rind should be used sparingly, grated or chopped finely and reduced in a mortar with other paste ingredients until indistinguishable. Some recommend that the name kaffir lime should be avoided in favor of makrud lime because kaffir is an offensive term in some cultures. For this reason, some South Africans refer to the fruit as K-lime. However, kaffir lime appears to be a much more common discription.