Yesterday I picked my first lime --Tahiti/Persion that I bought 2 1/2 years ago. I cut it in half & found one seed. Dr. Manners, it was you that said it is rare to find a seed in these limes. What was the ratio again? One lime out of ?? might have a seed?
I feel lucky & will plant it soon!
Maybe this should be in "Citrus News"?

Don't quote me on this, but I have read it is 1 seed every 1000 limes. So very rare to find one!! Would be good to plant and grow another one!

Patty, this must be your luck day, you should quickly go out and buy me a lottry ticket. The Bearss lime (same as Tahiti/Persian), was:

" While the facts are unknown, it (Bearss) presumably occurred as a seedling of a tree grown from seed from a fruit of Tahitian origin" CCPP.

Plant your seed and water it with Holy Water. They might have to add new lime variety and name to the list of limes. - Millet

Tomorrow I will buy a lottery ticket & go to church to get some holy water. LOL Millet

Congrats on the seed, Patty. Yes, it's about 1 per 1000 fruit in a solid block planting (no pollenizers). With a fertile pollenizer (some other variety), it can rise to as many as 1 seed per 50 fruit, so still rare.

For a good number of years, the University of Florida Tropical Research and Education Center at Homestead, where I did my Ph.D. research, had a planting of many seedlings of 'Tahiti' lime, in the hope of getting something new and interesting. As far as I remember (this is over 25 years ago), they got no nucellar seedlings at all. However, they also got mostly poor-growing, "crippled" trees. So we'll hope for better luck for you, but don't be too disappointed if the results are not spectacular.

Malcolm

CitrusJoe has a picture on another forum of a Bearss cut in half with a seed in it. When I asked him about it, he (very generously) sent me two limes off of the tree to see it I would also be so lucky. I should have warned him that I am not the "win the lottery" type of person. Alas, no seed for me! Delicious limes, though! Congratulations, Patty.

Does this mean that it is a 0% chance of a true Bearss? Is it absolutely a product of pollination? Or if it is a 1-in-1000 (no pollinator) is it likely a weak tree, but if it is a 1-in-50 (pollinator) does it have equal odds at being a strong tree, albiet a new cultivar? Barbara

Thanks Barbara, guess that was a tough question to answer LOL
Thanks Malcolm, I won't get my hopes up but I will take care of my new baby & post about it later. I just hope it germinates!!
Millet, you are a hoot!