So I thought these were just a Martha Stewart affectation. But I accidentally bought a bag of them this week, and OMG! They really are quite remarkable! I could almost eat one like a tangerine. Are they some sort of hybrid? It’s a really unique flavor. Are there other Martha Stewart fruits out there I don’t know about?
Aren’t they are really common hybrid? Martha Stewart’s not really well known in Australia and yet that is a very common lemon tree for many gardens here - my grandparents planted one in their garden in the 50s. Or perhaps I’m reading your OP wrong and you just mean varieties she promotes, rather than developed.
They are lower acid and more sugar than regular lemons, IIRC. Great for garnishes, cooking additives, desserts, etc.
Same with blood oranges.
And you can grow them in your house as a potted plant and they will produce lemons even if you live in the North. They smell real nice when blooming, which they seem to do year round.
I had one in front of a window for 2 years that just thrived here in NW Oregon. I moved it to the garage and it got too cold and died.
If you have a sunny window at home get yourself one and it will grow and produce even in northern areas.
There is a little tangerine, or orange, genetics somewhere in their background. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meyer_lemon
I’ve had a Meyer lemon in my back yard for 15 years now (California, Central Coast). If you can give it a sheltered, sunny location and keep it from freezing in the winter it should do very well. One year we carted off 150 pounds of ripe lemons to the food bank because there were just too many for us to use.
We had occasional problems with aphids, but after hanging a hummingbird feeder in the tree that was no longer an issue (hummingbirds need protein, too, and will eat aphids and other small bugs).
Isn’t there some time-honored thing you’re supposed to do when life gives you lemons?
Please don’t taint the delicious Meyer Lemon by associating it with Ms Stewart.
20 years ago, I had a Meyer tree in my Sacramento back yard that was prodigiously profligate at propagating those delightful gold orbs. We were foisting the things off on unsuspecting friends, one overflowing paper grocery sack at a time. Rather like zucchini, but far more tasty! As it was, the raccoons probably got half the crop, but we didn’t mind as there was quite enough to share.
:rolleyes:
I can’t tell you how happy this makes me! I’m officially on the lookout for a Meyer lemon tree. We live in the Seattle area, so winters are mild. I’ll try both indoors and outdoors. Any idea why the name Meyer is attached to them?
I made lemonade from Meyer lemons a few weeks ago. They were much easier to juice than normal lemons and made a sweet, not-very-tart lemonade with an interesting “grassy” flavor.
Would they grow in Kansas, if you kept them inside during winter, in a big planter?
Is that not the lemon I buy at Safeway?
I prefer to use Meyer lemons when making hummus.
Every so often, I can buy a pack of four Meyer lemons for a few bucks at Trader Joe’s. I usually grate the zest and put it in the freezer for later use. Those lemons are really good.
They were imported from China by a guy named Meyer in the early 1900’s.
Probably not, unless it is labeled as a Meyer lemon. They are more round in shape with thinner skin than a typical lemon. There is almost an orange colored tint to the skin when it is ripe, definitely a deeper yellow color. Less acid, slightly sweeter taste.
Like it or not they owe a great deal of their current popularity in the U.S. to Ms. Stewart. She’s been using them on her shows for a while. Alice Waters is a chef who has also done quite a bit to popularize their use. But she isn’t a household name like Martha is.
I was fine with them being a California secret. 
Don’t know Martha Stewart - another Aussie here - but certainly know Meyer lemons. I fnd them particularly good for making cordial - you need less sugar. We have a Meyer and a Lisbon lemon tree so we get the sweeter Meyer for cordial and some dishes which don’t want the full lemon tang. Plus the traditional Lisbon for the real lemon tang.
I don’t understand the OP, though, but suspect I want to hear the answer. Does the question refer to other fruits varieties which offer something different from the main variety?
I have bought a couple from these people. They are a very good vendor, strongly recommended.
mundylion, how long did it take to get lemons out of your tree? I’m debating whether to order from them or from an other place that sells 4’ tall trees (more expensive, of course).
You can also make marmalade with Meyer Lemons, like you could with oranges. Lovely yellow color, much prettier, only a bit more tart.