Blood limes (or 'Australian Blood Lime') are a hybrid citrus fruit developed by the CSIRO project to investigate salt-resistant crops. While the limes proved suitable for high-salt conditions, they have seen no commercial development; the first commercial crop appeared in markets in Australia in July 2004, and are under consideration for export. The blood lime is smaller than most limes, approximately long by diameter, and somewhat more sweet than the standard. It is egg-shaped in the winter. The flesh inside a blood lime is composed of red-orange vesicles. The skin can be eaten with the fruit. It is usually red or burgundy, but can sometimes be green like the standard lime. The blood lime is a cross between the red finger lime (Citrus australasica var. sanguinea) and the 'Ellendale Mandarin' hybrid. The Ellendale is a sweet orange/mandarin cross. The medium-sized trees, which have thorns, may be used as ornamental plants. References Limes (fruit) Citrus hybrids CSIRO