Lime Green Color Palette
Lime Green is hex #32CD32, rgb(50, 205, 50). Lime green is a bright, highly saturated yellow-green. It is one of the most attention-grabbing colors in the spectrum, so it is usually used in small doses.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Lime Green color codes
Reading the lime green color codes
The hex code #32CD32 is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. 32 is 50, CD is 205 and 32 is 50, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(50, 205, 50) in CSS. The green channel is the strongest here, which is what gives lime green its green character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 120 degrees places lime green in the green part of the color wheel. Saturation of 61% makes it vivid, and lightness of 50% makes it a mid-tone color. HSL is the easiest format to adjust by hand: keep the hue, then raise or lower lightness to create tints and shades that stay in the same family.
For print, the approximate CMYK mix is 76% cyan, 0% magenta, 76% yellow and 20% black. Screen and print colors never match perfectly, because monitors emit light while ink absorbs it, so always proof a printed sample before committing to lime green for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Lime Green shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #32CD32, so you can use lime green for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"lime-green": {
50: "#D6F5D6",
100: "#B5EDB5",
200: "#94E594",
300: "#74DD74",
400: "#53D553",
500: "#32CD32",
600: "#2BB12B",
700: "#259625",
800: "#1E7A1E",
900: "#175F17",
950: "#104310",
},
},
},
}:root {
--lime-green-50: #D6F5D6;
--lime-green-100: #B5EDB5;
--lime-green-200: #94E594;
--lime-green-300: #74DD74;
--lime-green-400: #53D553;
--lime-green-500: #32CD32;
--lime-green-600: #2BB12B;
--lime-green-700: #259625;
--lime-green-800: #1E7A1E;
--lime-green-900: #175F17;
--lime-green-950: #104310;
}A shade-by-shade guide to lime green
The 50 to 950 scale above follows the same structure as Tailwind's built-in palettes, so each step has a natural job. The lightest steps, 50 (#D6F5D6) and 100 (#B5EDB5), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the lime green mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#94E594) and 300 (#74DD74) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where lime green is most recognizable, so use it for brand moments, illustrations and primary buttons. White text reaches the 4.5:1 body-text contrast minimum from step 800 upward, so use step 800 or darker when a button label needs to be white. Near-black text stays readable on steps 50 to 700.
The darkest steps, 800 (#1E7A1E) through 950 (#104310), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to lime green. Using step 900 or 950 for text instead of pure black is one of the simplest ways to make an interface feel designed rather than default.
Colors that go with lime green
How the lime green color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from lime green is #CD32CD, which sits closest to hot pink among common named colors. Complementary pairs create the strongest contrast of hue, so use the second color sparingly, for a single call to action or highlight, rather than in equal amounts.
Analogous. #80CD32 and #32CD80 sit 30 degrees either side of lime green. Analogous palettes feel calm and cohesive because the colors share undertones; they are ideal for illustrations, gradients and backgrounds where you want harmony more than contrast.
Triadic and split complementary. The triadic set (#3232CD and #CD3232) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to denim blue. The split complementary set (#8032CD and #CD3280) keeps much of the complementary contrast but is easier to balance, which makes it a good choice for data visualization and multi-category tags.
Monochromatic. The monochromatic set runs from #ADEBAD to #165A16. A single-hue palette is the safest way to build a calm, premium interface: rely on lightness for hierarchy, then add one neutral and one accent if you need emphasis.
Lime Green compared with similar colors
forest green (#228B22) is darker (34% vs 50% lightness) and similarly saturated, and shares almost the same hue. Choose forest green if you need more weight and contrast; choose lime green if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
sea green (#2E8B57) is darker (36% vs 50% lightness) and more muted, and leans further around the wheel toward green. Choose sea green if you need more weight and contrast; choose lime green if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
emerald green (#50C878) is lighter (55% vs 50% lightness) and more muted, and leans further around the wheel toward green. Choose emerald green if you want a softer, airier version; choose lime green if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
Lime Green in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here lime green carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
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Using lime green in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. White labels on lime green only reach 2.12:1, so use dark text (9.91:1 with black) or a deeper shade for the button.
- Text. Avoid lime green for body text on white; use step 800 or darker for links and headings that need to read as lime green.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a vivid mid-tone color draw attention, so give them a reason, like a hero section or pricing highlight.
- Dark mode. Steps 900 and 950 make a dark surface tinted with lime green. On dark backgrounds the base color often needs a lighter step (300 or 400) to keep enough contrast for icons and borders, as required by WCAG non-text contrast.
- States. Shift one step darker for hover and two steps darker for pressed. Keep focus rings in a contrasting color so keyboard users can always see them.
Contrast and accessibility
AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text. AAA needs 7:1.
Color contrast is measured as a ratio from 1:1 (no contrast) to 21:1 (black on white). Lime Green scores 2.12:1 against white (Fail) and 9.91:1 against black (AAA). The WCAG 2.1 contrast guideline asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, which is why the shade guide above recommends specific steps for text and labels.
Contrast is only half of accessibility. Around 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women have some form of color vision deficiency, so never use lime green alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What lime green means
Green reads as growth, health, money and calm. Muted greens feel natural and organic; saturated greens feel fresh and energetic.
Lime green is a bright, high-saturation yellow-green named after the fruit. It has strong associations with energy drinks, sportswear and safety gear because it is one of the most visible colors to the human eye.
In interfaces green is already wired to mean success and confirmation, so if you use it as a brand color, pick a different hue (or a much darker shade) for success states so the two never get confused.
Where lime green works best
- Sports and energy drinks
- Gen Z and streetwear brands
- Highlights in dark UIs
- Safety and visibility gear
How to style lime green
Lime looks best against black, charcoal or deep navy. It is almost never readable as text on white, so use it for highlights, badges and data accents in dark interfaces. Keep it to one element per screen to avoid visual fatigue.
Build a UI with lime green
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #32CD32 as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Lime Green · History and definition of lime green.
- WCAG 2.1: Contrast (Minimum) · The W3C rule behind the 4.5:1 and 3:1 thresholds used on this page.
- WCAG 2.1: Use of Color · Why color should never be the only way information is shown.
- MDN: CSS color values · Reference for hex, rgb() and hsl() syntax.
- Tailwind CSS: Customizing colors · How to add a custom color scale to your theme.
Similar colors
Questions people ask
What is the hex code for lime green?
The hex code for lime green used on this page is #32CD32. In RGB that is rgb(50, 205, 50), and in HSL it is hsl(120, 61%, 50%).
What colors go well with lime green?
Lime Green pairs well with #0D0D0D, #F5F5F5, #1E1E1E (the Voltage palette above). Its complementary color is #CD32CD, and analogous colors are #80CD32 and #32CD80.
Is lime green a warm or cool color?
Lime Green is a slightly warm color. Its hue sits at 120 degrees on the color wheel with 61% saturation.
Can I use lime green for text?
Lime Green has a contrast ratio of 2.12:1 against white and 9.91:1 against black. Body text needs at least 4.5:1, so it works as a background behind dark text, but not as text on white.
What does lime green mean?
Green reads as growth, health, money and calm. Muted greens feel natural and organic; saturated greens feel fresh and energetic. Lime Green in particular is used for sports and energy drinks and gen z and streetwear brands.
How do I use lime green in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#32CD32] for a one-off, or add the 50-950 scale from this page to theme.extend.colors in tailwind.config.js and use classes like bg-lime-green-500 and text-lime-green-900.
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