About
Scientific Name: Citrus limon is what we commonly use and is a hybrid of bitter orange and citrus medica. Meyer lemons while seemingly similar are not actually part of the same family ( Rutaceae)
Origin: some form of citrus tree has been around for 7-8 million years but Citrus Limon appeared in Europe sometime during the 2nd century AD near Italy.
Cultivation: Cultivation as an ornamental plant in Islamic gardens was first found in literature from the 10th century. Lemons found their way to the America’s in the 13th century but remained mainly ornamental until the 19th century.
A little more in depth look at lemons origins come from National Geographic. Using DNA analysis the scientists were able to trace the current citrus fruits back to the Miocene Epoch (7 to 8 million years ago. The three original species of citrus were citrons, mandarins and pomelos.
Historically, while it was more commonly limes, lemons were used to help prevent scurvy aboard ships in the mid 18th century.
In China lemons are a symbol of happiness and this resonates with me personally, the scent is just so bright and fresh and the bright colour just adds to it.
Magic
Correspondence: Feminine/Yin, Water, Moon, Cancer and Pisces. Friendship, purification, love, spiritual openness, clarity, concentration, memorization, decision making, happiness, beauty, longevity, inspiration and on the other side of things can be used in curses.
How to use: Invisible ink sigils and petitions, in cooking/kitchen witchery, tea, as essential oils, in simmer pots, sachets, floor wash and added to a ritual bath.
Mundane
Health: The fiber and vitamin C may promote heart health and the compounds hesperidin and diosmin may help with cholesterol. The fiber also may contribute to healthy blood sugar levels.
There are a few theories that suggest lemon aiding in weight loss however the results leave me with a large dose of skepticism. One theory is about the pectin fibre (but few eat a whole lemon or even the lemon pulp at all) and the other concerning specifically lemon water and the water could easily be the reason for the results. There is one study that could prove fruitful but has only been tested on mice and that is a test done specifically on polyphenols from the peel.
The amount of citric acid found in a half a cup of lemon juice may be enough to help prevent kidney stones in those that have had them before however more studies are needed. The theory though is that raising the PH of your urine would make it more difficult for the crystalline deposits to form.
Works against anemia as it contains both Vitamin c and citric acid which help your body absorb iron from plant sources (our bodies are pretty good at getting iron from animal sources) so this is a good tip for those vegetarians and vegans out there.
As with anything that has antioxidants in it there's a possibility that lemons may help prevent cancer. Slightly more exciting research has been seen, in test tubes and rodents, cancer fighting properties. This of course comes with two caveats, the first being that it wasn't in a human body and the other being the fact that they used doses of the specific chemicals that you would not find in culinary uses of lemons.
In the kitchen: lemon is a super versatile flavour believe it or not. My favourites are lemonade, cocktails and marinades but it is also fantastic in salad dressings, roasted veggies, and, of course, baking.
Pro tip** lemon juice can help stop the oxidation of some cut fruits and veggies, I know from experience it works with apples but will also prevent the “rust” on potatoes and lettuce.
More: Cleaning because it has cleansing properties but it also just smells so fresh. It is one of the key ingredients in Sun-in for lightening of hair so just skip the extra dollars and grab a lemon. In this same vein be careful about having lemon on your skin and going in the sun since it does make you more photosensitive. And as I mentioned before in the magic section it's a really fun project for kids (or adults, who am I to age gatekeep) to make invisible ink messages. The lemon juice is reactivated by heat.
Links to check out for more info:
Healthline
Witchipedia
Wicca Now
White Witch Parlour
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