Blood lime

{{Short description|Citrus fruit and plant}}

{{Infobox cultivar

| name = Blood lime

| image = CSIRO ScienceImage 7979 Blood limes.jpg

| image_caption = Blood limes

| hybrid = Citrus australasica var. sanguinea x 'Ellendale Mandarin' hybrid

| origin = Australia

}}

Blood limes (or 'Australian Blood Lime') are a hybrid citrus fruit developed by the CSIRO project to investigate salt-resistant crops.{{cite news|last1=Powell|first1=Robyn|title=In season|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac;jsessionid=160BC58749FD4320E89C5026AB98D6B9?sy=afr&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=1month&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=brs&cls=2353&clsPage=1&docID=SMH110531BUA037HUDMD|access-date=9 December 2014|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=31 May 2011}}

While the limes proved suitable for high-salt conditions, they have seen no commercial development; the first commercial crop appeared in markets in Australia in July 2004, and are under consideration for export.{{cite web|title=Jamberoo Valley Farm Australian Blood Limes |url=http://www.jamberoovalleyfarm.com.au/blood-limes/ |publisher=Jamberoo Valley Farm |access-date=16 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118034416/http://www.jamberoovalleyfarm.com.au/blood-limes/ |archive-date=18 January 2017 |url-status=dead}}

The blood lime is smaller than most limes, approximately {{cvt|4|cm}} long by {{cvt|2|cm}} diameter, and somewhat more sweet than the standard. It is egg-shaped in the winter.{{cite web |title=Blood Lime Red Centre Native Lime - Citrus Gem |url=http://theplantshop.com.au/finger-lime-judy-s-everbearing-citrus-gem-9928.html |publisher=theplantshop.com.au |access-date=16 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118050711/http://theplantshop.com.au/finger-lime-judy-s-everbearing-citrus-gem-9928.html |archive-date=18 January 2017 |url-status=dead}} The flesh inside a blood lime is composed of red-orange vesicles.{{Cite news|url=https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/agribusiness/farm-magazine/blood-limes-thrive-in-sandy-loam-soil-on-the-bellarine/news-story/15420943d5701e48defb7b7f54a0ece7|title=Blood limes thrive in sandy loam soil on the Bellarine|last=Smith|first=Camille|date=1 August 2018|work=The Weekly Times|access-date=3 August 2018|url-access=subscription}} The skin can be eaten with the fruit. It is usually red or burgundy, but can sometimes be green like the standard lime.

The blood lime is a cross between the red finger lime (Citrus australasica var. sanguinea) and the 'Ellendale Mandarin' hybrid.{{cite web|title=Australian Blood Lime |url=http://www.scienceimage.csiro.au/library/food/i/3335/australian-blood-lime/ |publisher=CSIRO Science Image |access-date=16 January 2017}} The Ellendale is a sweet orange/mandarin cross.{{cite web|title=Australian Blood lime |url=http://www.homecitrusgrowers.co.uk/australiannativecitrus/bloodlime.html |access-date=16 May 2012}} The medium-sized trees, which have thorns, may be used as ornamental plants.