The main difference between Lime and Forest Green is brightness and saturation: both are green shades, but Lime is lighter and Lime is more saturated. Lime (#00FF00) has an HSL of 120°, 100%, 50%, whereas Forest Green (#228B22) sits at 120°, 61%, 34%.
Four real design scenarios, with the recommended pick based on hue, saturation, and WCAG contrast.
Lime is more saturated (100% HSL vs 61%) so it reads as bolder and more memorable at logo scale, while Forest Green can feel washed out when printed small.
Forest Green hits a 4.39:1 WCAG contrast against white — safer for text-heavy interfaces — where Lime only reaches 1.37:1 and risks failing AA at small body sizes.
Lime is a cool-leaning tone that flatters spring/summer collections and warmer skin undertones, while Forest Green leans cooler and is better suited to autumn/winter layering.
Forest Green is the more muted of the two (61% saturation) and sits more calmly on large wall surfaces, while Lime's higher chroma can overwhelm a room when used beyond accent pieces.
Lime (#00FF00) is a medium, vivid green with a cool-leaning undertone — it feels balanced, versatile and bright, energetic, eye-catching.
Forest Green (#228B22) is a dark, moderately saturated green with a cool-leaning undertone — it feels rich, serious, substantial and balanced in intensity.
Text legibility depends on the contrast ratio between foreground and background. WCAG 2.1 AA requires at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text; AAA requires 7:1. Use these numbers to choose accessible combinations for your design.
Each color has a dedicated page with shades, tints, CSS name, pairings, and color psychology.