Citrus hystrix Plants GrowTropicals
Citrus hystrix — 12cm12cm
Makrut Lime

Citrus hystrix

£16.99
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Pot size
12cm £16.99

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Description

Edible fruit and leaves. Sold here as a culinary plant grown for its harvest of aromatic makrut lime leaves and fruit, not as an ornamental.

Citrus hystrix, the makrut lime (long sold as kaffir lime), is the citrus behind the unmistakable fragrance of Thai cooking. Its glossy double lobed leaves release an intense lime aroma when torn, and mature plants can carry knobbly, bumpy skinned fruit. A hard working addition to a bright kitchen or conservatory among our flowering houseplants.

Origins

Native to Southeast Asia, where it grows as a small evergreen tree and its leaves and zest are kitchen staples from Thailand to Indonesia.

Care

Give it your sunniest spot; it belongs with our bright light houseplants. Water when the top few centimetres of compost dry out and feed through spring and summer. It can summer outdoors on a warm, sheltered patio but it is not frost hardy, so bring it back in for a cool, bright, frost free winter. Explore more houseplants for every room.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

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How to care for Makrut Lime

Let me bask in full sunshine and water me when the top of my soil feels dry.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
Get to know me

About Makrut Lime

Citrus hystrix is a houseplant that takes a little effort. It needs bright direct light, watering once the top 2 to 3cm of compost has dried out, average household humidity and a minimum temperature of 5°C. It is harmful to pets and small children if eaten.

Care level

EasyChallenge

A little effort

Light

ShadeFull sun

Bright, direct sun

As much bright light as possible, including direct sun. A south facing windowsill or a conservatory is ideal. In poor light citrus grow leggy and may drop leaves. Read moreShow less

As much bright light as possible, including direct sun. A south facing windowsill or a conservatory is ideal. In poor light citrus grow leggy and may drop leaves.

Watering

Evenly moistDries out fully

Let the top few centimetres dry out

Water thoroughly when the top few centimetres of compost feel dry, then let the excess drain away. Reduce watering in winter so the compost stays only just moist. Never leave the pot standing in water. Read moreShow less

Water thoroughly when the top few centimetres of compost feel dry, then let the excess drain away. Reduce watering in winter so the compost stays only just moist. Never leave the pot standing in water.

Humidity

Average homeHigh humidity

Happy at normal household humidity

Average home humidity is fine. Good airflow helps keep pests away, and an occasional rinse in the shower keeps the glossy leaves clean. Read moreShow less

Average home humidity is fine. Good airflow helps keep pests away, and an occasional rinse in the shower keeps the glossy leaves clean.

Temperature

Keep above 5°C · Tolerates a cool room

Warm rooms suit it in the growing season. In winter it prefers a cooler, bright spot, always frost free and ideally above 5C. It can summer outdoors on a warm, sheltered patio once nights are mild. Read moreShow less

Warm rooms suit it in the growing season. In winter it prefers a cooler, bright spot, always frost free and ideally above 5C. It can summer outdoors on a warm, sheltered patio once nights are mild.

Can it go outside?

Patio friendlySummer outdoors

Yes. This tropical thrives indoors year-round and can spend the warmer months outside on a sheltered patio. Bring it back in before the first frosts, and acclimatise it gradually when moving between indoors and out.

Feeding

Feed monthly with a balanced fertiliser from spring to autumn, and let it rest over winter.

Growth habit

Tree-form →

Plant type

Citrus/Fruiting

Toxicity

Harmful if chewed or swallowed. Keep it out of reach of pets and small children, and wash your hands after pruning.

Also known as

Citrus hystrix

Genus

Citrus
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Citrus hystrix the same as kaffir lime?

Yes. Citrus hystrix is the plant traditionally sold as kaffir lime, though makrut lime is now the preferred name. It is the citrus whose fragrant double lobed leaves flavour Thai curries, soups and salads.

Can I cook with the leaves?

Absolutely, that is the main reason to grow one. Pick leaves fresh as you need them and harvest lightly from a young plant so it keeps enough foliage to fuel new growth.

Can my makrut lime go outside in summer?

Yes. Once nights are reliably mild it will enjoy a warm, sheltered, sunny patio. It is not frost hardy, so bring it back indoors in early autumn and keep it frost free over winter.

Will it produce fruit indoors?

Given plenty of light and a few years of maturity it can flower and set its knobbly fruit indoors, but there are no guarantees. Most growers prize it for the leaves, which you can use from day one.

Is the makrut lime safe for pets?

No. Like other citrus it contains essential oils and psoralens that can cause tummy upsets in cats and dogs if eaten, so keep it out of reach of nibbling pets.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

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Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Citrus hystrix
£16.99