The perfect mix - Sunrise Lime

Shaped like a small pear, with a tangy cumquat flavour, these limes are a stunning yellow colour and perfect in just about everything.

The Australian Sunrise Lime is a hybrid of the finger lime and a calamondin (cross between a mandarin and cumquat) created by the CSIRO. It produces an elegant pear-shaped golden fruit that is juicy and sharp in flavour. The fruit can be eaten whole as the skin and pith is sweet.

Australian limes are considered amongst the finest in the world, revered for their superb flavour, unique structure, nutritional qualities, and vibrant colours. They are all true citrus fruits, of the genus Citrus. Sunrise Limes are harvested during the winter months of June, July and August. Once frozen can be found all year round.

◎  Common Name: Sunrise Lime

◎  Scientific or Latin Name: Citrus australasica x

◎  Comparison: Tahitian lime or kaffir lime leaves

◎  Seasonality: All year frozen

◎  Region: Widely Grown

◎  Taste Profile: This hybrid is similar to a kumquat in that the fruit can be eaten whole, as the pith and rind are sweet and the juice inside is tangy and fresh with a delicate floral note. 

◎  Types: As far as is known, four cultivars (cultivated varieties) of native citrus are currently available, although others may be under development. These are Rainforest Pearl - a selection of Citrus australasica var. sanguinea, Australian Outback Lime - a selection of Citrus glauca, and two cultivars of partly Australian native citrus parentage, the Australian Blood Lime and the Australian Sunrise Lime.

 

Benefits

• Bursting with zesty flavour, sunrise limes are rich in folate, potassium and Vitamin E.
• Sunrise limes contain high levels of Vitamin C.
• Vitamin E is one of the most important antioxidants in human cell protection and disease prevention.

Traditional Aboriginal Food and Uses

This fruit has been developed by CSIRO and therefore has no aboriginal or indigenous uses. The Australian Sunrise Lime is an open-pollinated seedling selected from a ‘faustrimedin’, a hybrid of Citrus australasica (the finger lime) and a calamondin, itself a hybrid between mandarin and cumquat. The original faustrimedin was bred in California in 1911 and the parent tree of the Sunrise Lime was selected in 1990 at CSIRO, Merbein.

Western & Modern

Sunrise Limes can be eaten fresh (including the skin) or used in fruit dishes, beverages, and preserves. With this heritage, as can be expected the fruit is beautifully coloured in hues of golden orange, while juicy and sweet in flavour, with subtle floral notes.

Medicinal

As a hybrid of the Australian Native Finger Lime, Sunrise Limes offer similar health benefits such as high levels of vitamin C. Everybody is well-aware that this nutrient helps make the immune system strong, therefore making the body less prone to attacking bacteria and viruses. Also present in sunrise lime is Vitamin A, Vitamin E, iron, and potassium. This combination of superfood power helps with the following:

• Increased Immunity to Infections
• Delayed Aging of the Skin
• Healthy Teeth and Gums
• Boosted Eye Health and Vision
• Defense against Age-Related Diseases
• Lowered Blood Pressure
• Reduced Risk of Iron-Deficiency Anemia

 

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Note: The term 'Bush Tucker' and 'Bush Food' are not Warndu's preferred terms for Australian Native Ingredients or Australian Botanicals.

Images: © Luisa Brimble