Lemon Trees in Ubon Ratchathani?

[ChrisB87]

Hey guys,

Sorry, if its a silly question, but does anyone know where to buy lemon trees in Ubon? We have tried the local garden shop area in the city with no luck.

People in our area used to grow them (my wife's grandmother), but nobody does anymore. They are called "stupid limes" by our neighbours .

Anyway, anyone know a place selling them?

Thanks

Edited June 1, 2015 by ChrisB87

[khwaibah]

We grow Spanish Lemons in Kap Choeng, sout of Surin. We brought the first tree from Chiang Mai about 6 years back and the wife has grafted another 15 from the first. All are doing fantastic. If your asking about a Thai so called lemon which is a lime there all over the place.

Edited June 1, 2015 by khwaibah

[Michael Hare]

You may like to try a garden centre at Non Khon called Raan Maa Nop. It is about 15 km out of Ubon on the road to Yasothon on the right hand side. The Agricultural college is on a road off to the left. There are several shops there selling a range of trees and shrubs. Ask around. I am sure you will be in luck.

[SantiSuk]

I think western-style lemons are Mediterranean climate fruit (think California, Florida, Spain for citrus fruits), rather than Sub-tropical. Would be OK in Northern Thailand but not that surprising they are not grown routinely in Isaan. No market for the fruits either, since limes are so endemic in back gardens/yards.

As Khwaibah shows they will grow here, but I'm guessing that he puts lots of shade and water on them - probably more needy than the local varietals which would again put off commercial growers.

Good luck finding and growing them though!

Lime juice is an essential part of Thai cooking and lemons don't quite make it as a substitute. On the other hand limes don't make it in real lemonade or squeezed over fresh fish IMO. If my wife didn't screw up her face and pronounce 'pree-ow' every time lemons appear on a plate when we visit the UK I'd have a go myself.

[Michael Hare]

I think western-style lemons are Mediterranean climate fruit (think California, Florida, Spain for citrus fruits), rather than Sub-tropical. Would be OK in Northern Thailand but not that surprising they are not grown routinely in Isaan. No market for the fruits either, since limes are so endemic in back gardens/yards.

As Khwaibah shows they will grow here, but I'm guessing that he puts lots of shade and water on them - probably more needy than the local varietals which would again put off commercial growers.

Good luck finding and growing them though!

Lime juice is an essential part of Thai cooking and lemons don't quite make it as a substitute. On the other hand limes don't make it in real lemonade or squeezed over fresh fish IMO. If my wife didn't screw up her face and pronounce 'pree-ow' every time lemons appear on a plate when we visit the UK I'd have a go myself.

The confusion between limes and lemons has arisen from incorrect names by Western people.

What I call limes in Thailand are makrut limes. I grow them at my home. The leaves are used in cooking and the juice is often used as a shampoo. Difficult to grow. It takes a few years before they produce fruit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaffir_lim

What Thais call manao is what Westerns call limes.

Lemons in the west are usually grow in cool temperate climates. I doubt very much they would survive the heat in northeast Thailand.' Back in my home in NZ I had several trees in my garden.

'Limes Manao: Limes, and not lemons, are the main citrus that gives the sharp sour and zesty flavor that Thai people so love. The larger, thick-skinned, yellow lemon is a temperate-climate citrus and does not grow in tropical Thailand. There is, however, confusion in the use of English terminology among Thai people, and limes are erroneously referred to as "lemons" in Thailand. (The Thai word for lime is manao.) Perhaps the reason is: the first westerners to translate local language into English did not know what limes were and called them lemons since they are sour like lemons. As a result, "lemon" has stuck and "lime" does not exist in Thai people's English vocabulary; therefore, in present-day recipe exchanges with English-speaking peoples, the mistaken term "lemon" may be used. Limes do have a much more intensely sour and zesty flavor than lemons, and although they may be substituted with the latter, the results definitely lack the vigor that limes give to Thai dishes. So use fresh limes whenever possible, but avoid the pre-squeezed or bottled varieties, which lack freshness of flavor.

[Farma]

If you can find a Meyer Lemon it should grow easily around Ubon.

They easily grew in outback Oz with little care needed. One in my backyard produced more fruit than we could eat or give away.

[ChrisB87]

Thanks for all input!

I eventually got a response from a lime farm on Facebook who say they have lemons. Here's their page https://www.facebook.com/lemon.numyeun.farm , if anyone is interested.

Will head over there next weekend, I think.

[khwaibah]

Thanks for all input!

I eventually got a response from a lime farm on Facebook who say they have lemons. Here's their page https://www.facebook.com/lemon.numyeun.farm , if anyone is interested.

Will head over there next weekend, I think.

Wish you the best but what they are advertising are limes not lemons. These are just some of the Spanish lemons that SWMBO grows.

Edited June 1, 2015 by khwaibah

[GinBoy2]

Thai's often use the word lime for lemons and limes. I've found 'real' lemons in the likes of Tops to be horribly expensive, the idea of growing my own is appealing

[NeverSure]

Actually that guy's facebook page does show something that might be lemons. I'd want to taste one because the growth habit on the tree is unlike anything I've seen, lime or lemon in the S. US. or the Mediterranean.

Here is a S. California lemon tree.

Here is a pic from that Thai's facebook page, linked above.

Edited June 1, 2015 by NeverSure

[Martyjustice]

Seen a big sign for a lime farm on the way to Phibun from Warin, on the left just before Bung Malang turn off.

[khwaibah]

So enlighten me. What kind of lemons are these?

[ChrisB87]

He says he has lemon trees. 70 Baht per tree, apparently.

I will update if this is the case or not after i go there. I was quite specific when I asked him, I'd be surprised if he thinks I am talking about limes.

Lemons do grow here, like I said, the wife's grandmother grew them.

[khwaibah]

He says he has lemon trees. 70 Baht per tree, apparently.

I will update if this is the case or not after i go there. I was quite specific when I asked him, I'd be surprised if he thinks I am talking about limes.

Lemons do grow here, like I said, the wife's grandmother grew them.

No way at 70 baht per tree are they real lemons. Limes maybe. Our trees (Spanish lemons) when purchased were 250 to 400 baht per tree. A finger lime that we purchased 3 months back was 500 baht per tree. BTW If you do get them for 70 a tree and they are real take all he has and run like h=e=l=l.

Finger Lime.

Edited June 2, 2015 by khwaibah

[NeverSure]

So enlighten me. What kind of lemons are these?

I have no idea. It would be interesting to see if they taste like lemons. I know of only 4 varieties of lemons and all look similar to each other, and I've seen them all across the S. US and the Mediterranean, mostly Italy and Spain.

[khwaibah]

So enlighten me. What kind of lemons are these?

I have no idea. It would be interesting to see if they taste like lemons. I know of only 4 varieties of lemons and all look similar to each other, and I've seen them all across the S. US and the Mediterranean, mostly Italy and Spain.

I am still working on a name for this tree but my wife says they are NOT lemons and we had this fruit in Chiang Mai.

[Isan Farang]

So enlighten me. What kind of lemons are these?

I have no idea. It would be interesting to see if they taste like lemons. I know of only 4 varieties of lemons and all look similar to each other, and I've seen them all across the S. US and the Mediterranean, mostly Italy and Spain.

I am still working on a name for this tree but my wife says they are NOT lemons and we had this fruit in Chiang Mai.

Longan ?

[MYKTHEMIN]

Often get Lemon trees in my local market near loei, usually 80 baht as are all the other trees, tried to grow, but they do not like my soil, so buy in Macro when required, any one who pays over 100 baht for a tree payed farang price.

[khwaibah]

Often get Lemon trees in my local market near loei, usually 80 baht as are all the other trees, tried to grow, but they do not like my soil, so buy in Macro when required, any one who pays over 100 baht for a tree payed farang price.

What is the name of your lemon tree. ?

[cracktheskye]

So enlighten me. What kind of lemons are these?

I have no idea. It would be interesting to see if they taste like lemons. I know of only 4 varieties of lemons and all look similar to each other, and I've seen them all across the S. US and the Mediterranean, mostly Italy and Spain.

I am still working on a name for this tree but my wife says they are NOT lemons and we had this fruit in Chiang Mai.

Asked my wife today, she says they are called Mafai and are a little like Lychee but sweet and sour tasting.

[DILLIGAD]

Often get Lemon trees in my local market near loei, usually 80 baht as are all the other trees, tried to grow, but they do not like my soil, so buy in Macro when required, any one who pays over 100 baht for a tree payed farang price.

What is the name of your lemon tree. ?

Keith.

[MYKTHEMIN]

Often get Lemon trees in my local market near loei, usually 80 baht as are all the other trees, tried to grow, but they do not like my soil, so buy in Macro when required, any one who pays over 100 baht for a tree payed farang price.

What is the name of your lemon tree. ?

Dead lemon tree

[bergen]

So enlighten me. What kind of lemons are these?

I have no idea. It would be interesting to see if they taste like lemons. I know of only 4 varieties of lemons and all look similar to each other, and I've seen them all across the S. US and the Mediterranean, mostly Italy and Spain.

I am still working on a name for this tree but my wife says they are NOT lemons and we had this fruit in Chiang Mai.

Asked my wife today, she says they are called Mafai and are a little like Lychee but sweet and sour tasting.

Mafai is correct, we have several trees in our garden/farm!

[khwaibah]

Often get Lemon trees in my local market near loei, usually 80 baht as are all the other trees, tried to grow, but they do not like my soil, so buy in Macro when required, any one who pays over 100 baht for a tree payed farang price.

What is the name of your lemon tree. ?

Dead lemon tree

Thats what happens with an 80 baht want to be lemon tree.

[MYKTHEMIN]

No a mate bought a load at the same time and his soil is not the same as mine and they grew well and have loads of lemons. you were just ripped off.

[khwaibah]

No a mate bought a load at the same time and his soil is not the same as mine and they grew well and have loads of lemons. you were just ripped off.

So what is the name and how about photos.

[MYKTHEMIN]

They are called LEMON TREES!!!!!! I don't do photos.

[ubonjoe]

A pair of posts have been removed. Time to end the bickering.

[ChrisB87]

Hey,

Sorry, I disappeared for a while there.

I didn't go to that place I was talking about, though I did manage to get some at the garden shop area in the city. One of them got some in after we had asked .

Bought 2 trees. Fruit on them. Decent size. Lemon shape, but not yellow yet. I think we got the 2 trees for around 400B.

Shall post pictures later, if anyone is interested.

And in case you want to know the place: it's the 1st garden shop on that road opposite 7Eleven (right at the intersection). By "that road" I mean the road with all the garden shops, just off the Ubon-Trakan Road (2050)

Anyway, cheers for all input.

Edited June 17, 2015 by ChrisB87