Like all citrus species, lemon trees are evergreen, producing several crops of fruit in a year. Although the mature yellow fruits are harvested for culinary uses, the best quality oil is obtained from fruit harvested while it is still green.
In the warm climate of the Mediterranean, where lemon trees thrive, the lemon is cultivated for food and for its essential oil, which is pressed from tiny oil glands in the rind. The aroma of the essential oil is intensely fruity, citrusy, zesty and fresh, with wonderful light, fizzy top notes.