The genesis of the Tahiti lime tree is a bit nebulous. Recent genetic testing indicates that the Tahiti Persian lime hails from Southeast Asia in east and northeastern India, north Burma and southwest China and east through the Malay Archipelago. Akin to the Key lime, Tahiti Persian limes are undoubtedly a tri-hybrid composed of citron (Citrus medica), pummelo (Citrus grandis), and a micro-citrus specimen (Citrus micrantha), creating a triploid.
The Tahiti Persian lime tree was first discovered in the U.S. growing in a California garden and is thought to have been brought here between 1850 and 1880. The Tahiti Persian lime was growing in Florida by 1883 and commercially produced there by 1887, although today most lime growers plant Mexican limes for commercial uses.