Variegated pink lemons

Lemons are generally categorized as true lemons or as hybrids. This can be a bit confusing, since botanists don’t completely agree whether the lemon should be classified as Citrus limon or as Citrus x limon, implying the plant is actually a hybrid. Eureka and Lisbon lemons are widely considered to be true lemons; the rest are designated as hybridized varieties. Eureka and Lisbon lemons are what you’ll commonly find at your local supermarket.

Growers break lemons into four rough categories: Eureka-type, Lisbon-type, lemon hybrids, and rough lemons. The University of California Riverside’s College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences has grown a number of lemon varieties through its citrus collection program, not all of which are commercially available. Here’s a sampling of each type of lemon and their hybrids available to California gardeners; if you are outside California, check with your local nursery for available cultivars. Many of these cultivars are available throughout the country.

Eureka-type lemons

Eureka-types:
Produce crops mostly in late winter, spring, and early summer. Low acid; commonly found in grocery stores.

• Allen Eureka lemon
• Frost Eureka lemon
• Old line Eureka lemon
• Taylor Eureka lemon
• Variegated Pink Eureka lemon

Lisbon Lemons

Lisbon-types:
Produce several crops per year, but mostly winter and early spring. Similar in taste to Eureka, but juicier.

• Dr. Strong Lisbon lemon
• Frost Lisbon lemon
• Monroe Lisbon lemon
• Prior Lisbon lemon
• Yen Ben Lisbon lemon

The improved Meyer lemon, a lemon hybrid

Lemon Hybrids:
Lemons cross-bred with other citrus varieties to produce unique cultivars, many of them sweeter than true lemons. Harvesting times vary.

• Genoa lemon
• Improved Meyer lemon
• Ponderosa lemon hybrid
• Villafranca lemon
• Yuma Ponderosa lemon

Rough lemon

Rough Lemons:
Bumpy, thick-rinded hybrids. Also called Bush lemons. Often used as rootstock for other lemon varieties, but have tasty flesh, rind, and zest.

• Schaub rough lemon
• UCLA rough lemon
• Vangasay rough lemon

Which type of lemons have you grown? Do you have a preference? Please share your opinion.