Kaffir lime tree- where to buy?

Can anyone recommend an online shop, or preferably, a nursery that sells kaffir lime plants? I've seen that Dobies, Gardeners dream and even B&Q sell them online- but unsure of the quality. I'm on the Suffolk/Essex border, but often in East London and would travel to Norfolk if anyone knows of a nursery with them?

 

Thompson and Morgan sell them. I'd go with a reliable supplier that I'd used before for other things.

 

I'd love one.
I visited Thailand years ago and bought a carrier bag full of leaves from the market - it cost 50p.
I brought quite a few home, washed them and froze them.

I also wanted to grow one.
The research I done seemed to indicate of all the citrus, kaffir lime is one of the most difficult to look after.
I did find some suppliers of good quality plants on the web, but the cost was like £50+ for a fairly small specimen.
I decided it probably wasn't worth the risk.
They do sell them fresh in Waitrose at 80p for 3-4 leaves...

 

Is there much difference between Kaffir lime leaves and just lime leaves, or possibly other citrus leaves.?

 

Good point @pete

I don't know, so I asked Google-

AI Overview
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Yes, there's a significant difference between Kaffir lime leaves (also known as makrut lime leaves) and regular lime leaves, primarily in their flavor profile and aroma, with Kaffir lime leaves having a more intense, citrusy, and slightly earthy flavor.
Here's a more detailed comparison:

Kaffir Lime Leaves (Makrut Lime Leaves):

• Flavor: Possess a vibrant, citrusy, and zesty flavor with a slight earthy undertone, often described as a blend of lime, lemon, and a hint of floral notes.
• Aroma: Known for their strong, aromatic, and refreshing citrus scent.
• Appearance: Have a unique, double-lobed shape, and are dark green in color.
• Culinary Uses: Widely used in Southeast Asian cuisines, particularly in dishes like curries, soups, stir-fries, and rice dishes.
• Other Names: Also known as makrut lime leaves.

Regular Lime Leaves:

• Flavor: Regular lime leaves are less aromatic and have a more bitter taste than Kaffir lime leaves.
• Aroma: Less intense citrus scent than Kaffir lime leaves.
• Appearance: Have a different shape compared to Kaffir lime leaves.
• Culinary Uses: Less common in cooking compared to Kaffir lime leaves.

 

Not being a foody I doubt I would notice.

 

Poncirus can be grown outdoors in the UK but its hard to get it to fruit. Not sure what the leaves taste like though.

I wonder if Mexican Orange Blossom can be eaten, it smells nice. Seems to be in the rue family so might be mildly poisonous, idk.

 

google says -
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Poncirus - AI Overview
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Yes, the young leaves of the Poncirus trifoliata (also known as trifoliate orange or hardy orange) are edible, particularly when cooked, and can be used as a condiment or in various dishes.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:

• Edible Parts:
  The fruit and young leaves of Poncirus trifoliata are edible.
• Fruit:
  While the raw fruit is often described as bitter and acrid, it can be used to make marmalade, jams, jellies, or refreshing drinks.
• Leaves:
  Young leaves, when cooked, can be used as a condiment or in various dishes.
• Uses:
  • Marmalade: The fruit is commonly used to make marmalade.
  • Drinks: The fruit can be used to make refreshing drinks.
  • Seasoning: In China, the bitter fruits were used as seasoning (dried and powdered), and young leaves are occasionally boiled and eaten.
  • Medicinal: The plant has some medicinal uses and is widely used in Oriental medicine as a treatment for allergic inflammation.
• Other notable features:
  • The plant is known for its large thorns, making it a good barrier plant.
  • It is a hardy citrus plant, able to tolerate cold temperatures.
  • The fruits are quite acidic and seedy but can be used for drinks and marmalade.

and for Mexican Orange Blossom -
Toxicity and Safety
If ingested, the Mexican Orange Blossom can lead to various symptoms. Common signs include nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The severity of these symptoms can escalate, potentially leading to more serious health risks. It's crucial to seek medical attention if ingestion occurs.

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For a really strong lemon/citrus aroma, it's hard to beat lemon verbena leaves, but they're really nothing like Kaffir lime leaves

 

The fruit of Poncirus are small hard and fairly dry,very acidic, I used to have a biggish one but it got dug out when I did some building work years ago.
The thorns are also lethal, leaves are small trifoliate, hence the name P. Trifoliata I guess.
Mexican orange blossom has a kind of herby scent to me, I don't think I'd try eating it though.
Looking online lots of kaffir lime plants available, T&M, Suttons some on Etsy, I'd stick to UK sellers on there.

 

Yes. Ordinary lime leaves are much like lemon or orange. Kaffir lime is much more pungent. Personally, I preferred using the fruits grated or food-processed.

 

Thanks everyone. I do have kaffir leaves in the freezer I use, but would like an actual plant. I cook a great deal and would definitely know the difference between kaffir and regular lime leaves. I have a greenhouse, and also a very bright room in the house I move plants to in the winter. I was really hoping there was a nursery to see the tree before buying, but online might be the only option.

 

I've never seen it amongst other citrus plants at garden centres.
Maybe you need a specialist nursery as the citrus in garden centres are all imported.
I'm wondering if it can be propagated by seed.

 

@pete -Yes, you can propagate from seed. BUT, I'd need to find a fresh fruit to get the seeds, plus it would take 2-3yrs before it fruits.

A local garden centre, yesterday, said that they did have them for sale last year, but the staff member admitted to buying 2 of them herself and she'd never seen them there before or since! Oh well, I do think online might be the only option.

 

I thought you used the leaves and not the fruit.
Admittedly you would have to grow it on for a while before removing too many leaves but the sooner you start the sooner you will have a plant.
Some I was looking at online looked to be fairly small plants.

 

It's so frustrating because GCs here have loads of big, healthy plants but that's no help! Did find this, though...a Spanish nursery that claims to ship to UK.
Partida Rosafina, s/n - Polígono 20 - 46370 CHIVA (Valencia) Espagne

Tél. (+34) 961 804 210
Email [email protected]