Ben Jefferson, age 8, of Birmingham, Ala., for his question:

HOW TALL DO LIME TREES GROW?

The lime tree is a small citrus tree. It rarely grows higher than 4 0 to 1 2 feet.

The sharp, sour flavor of the lime fruit is appreciated by many people. The lime is used to make a popular drink called limeade. It is also used in ice cream, sherbet and other foods. In southern Florida, a favorite dessert is Key lime pie.

The fruit is rounded and also pointed at both ends. It is greener than a lemon, to which it is related.

The lime tree originally comes from India. It now grows in the

Mediterranean basin, the West Indies, Mexico, Florida and southern

California. Most of the United States limes come from the trees that

grow in southern Florida.

The lime tree belongs to the rue family, Rutaceae. The tree is classified as genus Citrus, species C. aurantifolia.