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Spread of Citrus Crops in the Islamic World
Citrus crops (lemon, lime, bitter orange, etc.) spread systematically across the Mediterranean to West Asia in the 7th–8th centuries with Islamic con…
Timeline
- 701–750Damascus · SyriaThe Umayyad dynasty integrated Persian, Byzantine and Arab horticultural traditions, maintaining and expanding citrus orchards in Syria, Palestine and elsewhere; lemons and limes became common fruits in courtyards and markets.
- 711–780Córdoba · AndalusiaAfter the Umayyad conquest of Iberia, citrus seedlings entered Andalusia via North Africa, establishing orchards in Córdoba and elsewhere; citrus cultivation became an important part of the agricultural landscape of Muslim Spain.
- 750–800Baghdad · IraqAbbasid-era agricultural and geographical works systematically recorded citrus grafting, irrigation and pest control, promoting orchard expansion in Mesopotamia and along the Persian Gulf; citrus also spread via trade routes to East Africa and the edges of Central Asia.
Sources
- Agricultural Innovation in the Early Islamic World — Andrew M. Watson (1983)
- Citrus: A History — Pierre Laszlo (2007)