everything I've read states that limes when ripe are indeed yellow. Big news to me. I actually got a "yellow" lime. I found it to taste still like a lime, but more lemon flavor too.

Sure be nice to live in an area where thesetrees culd grow inthe yard!

concider yourself lucky!

My Bearss/Tahitian limes are indeed lemon-yellow when really ripe, and I find that the fragrance and flavor is milder at that time, as well as a little off. I actually like them best when they are just starting to get a little yellow on them, but are mostly green. When yellow they look exactly like grocery-store lemons, and sometimes I have to scratch at the skin and smell it tell the difference after they've been sitting around for a bit.

You can also check by crushing a leaf and smelling it, at least if it's supposed to be the same type of tree I have.
The leaves smell very "limey". I doubt your tree is a Mexican/Key lime since the fruit tends to be much smaller--like a big walnut maybe?--though they also turn yellow when very ripe and are quick to fall off the tree.

I find that lemons tend towards being quite seedy, and Bearss/Tahitian limes are seedless. Also the limes have very thin skins compared to grocery-store lemons, at least where I live.

HTH.

Yellow, egg-shaped, and a "different" taste make me wonder if it may be a limequat -- a hybrid of key lime and a kumquat?

laura...my Bearess limes do the same thing.And I do prefer to pick them when they just start to yellow up.But if you scratch & sniff the skin then you'll know that its either a lime or a lemon.***Suzanne

My guess - you have a Mexican "Key" lime. They have a unique flavor... - Bubbacat