Plant family: Rutaceae
Plant origin: China, India.
Fruit description: Lemons are up to 20cm long, oval, bright yellow, fragrant. Fruit is produced all year round, the major crop is in Spring and Summer, Villa Franca is a late season fruiter.
Villa Franca lemons have a thick skin and few seeds inside, they are dark yellow when ripe.
Flowers: The flowers are produced all year round. They are waxy, white and fragrant.
Growing conditions: The Villa Franca Lemon is an evergreen tree, up to 4 metres in height. You can prune it to the size and shape you want. It does very well and looks great in a pot. Lemons like well-drained, well-prepared soil and plenty of sunshine. Fertilise the established plant at least twice a year, or more often with less fertiliser. Do not allow mulch to touch the stem or it can cause rot. Villa Franca Lemons are very hardy, and tolerant of cool weather, as well as hot tropical climates.
Uses: Villa Franca Lemons have many cooking uses, including cakes, biscuits, icing, juice, salad, pickles, marmalade, marinades, dips, complimenting fruits, vegetables, meat, and seafood. In cooking, use the flesh, the juice or the zest - even the leaves are good in a curry. Lemon juice is an excellent cleaner (metal, plastic), stain remover (rust, ink) bleach, antiseptic, deodoriser. The oil from the skin is a good cleaner and solvent, and is also an insecticide.
Villa Franca lemons are excellent for juice, marinades, salad dressings.
Medicinal uses: The juice can relieve the symptoms of a cold, especially when mixed with hot water and honey.
Pollination requirements: Self-Pollinating.
Harvest time Villa Franca Lemons can be picked all year. They are green when unripe, yellow when ripe. Pick them when they are ripe, with a bit of stem left on. They keep quite well at room temperature, better under refrigeration or in a cool, ventilated place.
Plant relatives Related to other citrus species including Lemon, Lime, Mandarin, Orange, Tangelo, Tangerine, Kumquat, Finger Lime, Kaffir Lime, Grapefruit, Buddha’s Hand Citron, Calamondin, Variegated Calamondin, Pummelo
Special features:
Grown by method: Grafted Pot size: 6 litre
Plant growing Height and Width for pots or in the ground planting: Grows to 2 metres high by 2 metres wide if Planted in a Pot. Grows 4 metres high by 3 metres wide if Planted in the Ground.
Shipping plant pot or planter bag size: 6 litre
