On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. This article is about the fruit. Not to be confused with Iemon. The tree’s ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world, primarily for its juice, which lemon curd both culinary and cleaning uses.

Lemons are supposed to have entered Europe near southern Italy no later than the second century AD, during the time of Ancient Rome. The first substantial cultivation of lemons in Europe began in Genoa in the middle of the 15th century. The lemon was later introduced to the Americas in 1493 when Christopher Columbus brought lemon seeds to Hispaniola on his voyages. In 1747, James Lind’s experiments on seamen suffering from scurvy involved adding lemon juice to their diets, though vitamin C was not yet known as an important dietary ingredient. The origin of the word lemon may be Middle Eastern.

Detailed taxonomic illustration by Franz Eugen Köhler. The ‘Bonnie Brae’ is oblong, smooth, thin-skinned and seedless. These are mostly grown in San Diego County, USA. The ‘Eureka’ grows year-round and abundantly. This variety is also available as a plant to domestic customers. The Lisbon lemon is very similar to the Eureka and is the other common supermarket lemon. It is smoother than the Eureka, has thinner skin, and has fewer or no seeds.

It generally produces more juice than the Eureka. Teresa’, or ‘Sorrento’ originates in Italy. This fruit’s zest is high in lemon oils. It is the variety traditionally used in the making of limoncello. The ‘Yen Ben’ is an Australasian cultivar.

Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Other essential nutrients are low in content. Lemons contain numerous phytochemicals, including polyphenols, terpenes, and tannins. Lemon juice, rind, and peel are used in a wide variety of foods and drinks.