History
The citron, whose scientific name is Citrus medica, is a rare citrus fruit but nevertheless present in Martinique. It is also called perfumed lemon or Jewish lemon. Already known in Mesopotamia around 4000 BCE, the citron was the first citrus fruit to spread across Asia and Europe. Its date of introduction to Martinique is unknown, but it is believed to have first arrived in Puerto Rico in 1640, imported by the Spanish.
Today, citron is found in many parts of the world.
It is worth noting that the citron is nicknamed Jewish lemon because it is mentioned several times in the Torah, the central text of Judaism. The fruit also plays an essential role in the Jewish festival of Sukkot.
Varieties
There are many varieties of citron depending on the region of the world (for example, the sarcodactylis variety, known as Buddha’s hand, found in Asia). Citron is fragrant and most often oblong, obovoid, or oval, sometimes pear‑shaped, but highly variable. Smooth or rough fruits may appear on the same branch. One form is deeply divided at the apex into elongated sections. A prominent style is often present. Its size varies considerably, from 9 to 30 cm in length.
The rind is yellow when fully ripe, usually rough and bumpy but sometimes smooth. It is generally very thick, fleshy, and firmly attached. The pale yellow or greenish pulp is divided into 14 or 15 segments, firm, not very juicy, acidic or sweet, and contains numerous mono‑embryonic, ovoid, smooth seeds that are white inside.
The tree, the citron tree, is a slow‑growing shrub or small tree reaching 2 to 4.5 meters in height, with stiff branches, rigid twigs, and short or long spines at the leaf axils. The leaves are evergreen, lemon‑scented, oval‑lanceolate or oval‑elliptical, 6 to 18 cm long, leathery, with short petioles.
The fragrant flowers, about 4 cm wide, grow in short clusters. Most are perfect flowers, though some are male due to pistil abortion. They have 4 to 5 petals, often pinkish or purplish on the outside, with 30 to 60 stamens.
Medicinal Virtues
Citron has many therapeutic properties. Among them are its ability to reduce cancer risk, support weight‑loss efforts, lower blood pressure, reduce intestinal acidity, relieve pain, and strengthen the immune system.
Like other citrus fruits, citrons may help reduce cancer risk by slowing disease progression and neutralizing carcinogenic agents.
The potassium, vitamin C, and other electrolytes contained in this fruit help improve blood pressure by reducing strain on the arteries and lowering the risk of heart attack, atherosclerosis, and stroke.
The anti‑inflammatory and analgesic properties of its juice and essential oil make it useful for acute pain or chronic conditions such as headaches or arthritis‑related discomfort.
With its high vitamin C content, citron can stimulate the immune system and increase the production of white blood cells, the body’s first line of defense against infections.
Uses
In the Caribbean, the thick, fragrant rind of the citron is candied in sugar. It can also be used to make soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, syrups, candied peel, jams, and marmalade.
