Botanical Spotlight: Lime

Crafting a luxury perfume means being able to discover, identify and thoughtfully pick the botanicals that go into different fragrances. Different combinations of botanicals can create entirely distinctive scents– and scent has the power to transport, transform and inspire. In short, it’s a job we take seriously.

In our Botanical Spotlight series, we will delve into the scientific, cultural and olfactory roots of the key botanicals from our fragrance collections.

Popular around the globe, lime is part of the family Rutaceae, genus Citrus and species: C. aurantiifolia and C. latifolia.

Small but powerful

Vibrant, tangy and bright, limes are renowned members of the Citrus family.

There are several different species of lime grown for their fruit, as well as many commercial hybrid varieties too. Limes are farmed in countries around the globe, including Italy, America, South Asia, Cuba and Mexico.

Limes are a beautiful green colour and small in size and grow on small evergreen trees in generally hot climates.

A vibrant and useful fruit

Juicy, tart and fragrant, limes are popular in the food and drink industries and are used in many different cuisines. Every part of the fruit is utilised, from the flesh to the rind and juice.

Lime essential oil is a useful and natural by-product of the lime juice industry. Cold pressing the rind allows collection of oil, and then the rest of the fruit can be pulped to produce lime juice.

In perfume, lime generally appears as a top note, cutting through any fragrance and instantly brightening it. It pairs beautifully with floral, oriental and fresh scents, bringing a distinctive vibrance to any perfume. You can find lime in a few of our luxury fragrances: tropical Moments in Mauritius™ and evocative Sunset in Ibiza™.

To delve deeper into the history, biology and uses of the diverse botanicals in CRANBOURN^® fragrances, explore our extensive botanicals directory.