Photo: Étienne Léveillé-BourretCC BY 4.0

3 named cultivars

fruit vegetable

Lemon

$16.95

The Story

Plant Bio

Citrus limon, the lemon, is an open-crowned broadleaf evergreen tree of hybrid origin, reaching ten to twenty feet where frost allows. Thorny branches carry glossy leaves that emerge reddish and mature dark green, and fragrant white star-shaped flowers open through much of the year, followed by the familiar aromatic yellow fruit.

It flowers and fruits more or less continuously, so a single tree usually carries buds, flowers and ripening fruit at once. Grown in a pot north of zone 9 it needs the brightest window in the house and, critically, far less water in winter — cold wet compost in a dim room is what kills most indoor lemons, not the cold itself.

Uses & Benefits:

Glossy evergreen foliage with fragrant white flowers and bright fruit present much of the year.

A productive container fruit tree even in cold regions, given a bright winter position.

Bees work the fragrant flowers heavily wherever the tree is grown outdoors.

Essentials

At a Glance

Plant Type

Fruit Vegetable

Height

180 inches

Width

150 inches

Light

Full Sun

Zones

9, 10

Water

Moderate

Humidity

Moderate

Lifespan

Perennial

Native To

Hybrid of Asian origin

Toxicity

Fruit edible; foliage not eaten

Marketplace

Where to Buy

Fast Growing Trees

In Stock$16.95

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Planting

How to Grow

Grow it in a container north of zone 9.
Give it full sun outdoors, or the brightest window indoors.
Use free-draining citrus compost.
Water thoroughly, then let the surface dry.
Cut watering right back through winter.
Feed with a citrus fertiliser through the growing season.

Pro Tip

Indoor lemons die of winter watering, not winter cold — halve the water when light levels drop and they come through fine.

Keep It Thriving

Care Guide

Do

Give it the brightest position you have ☀️
Use free-draining citrus compost 🌱
Cut watering back sharply in winter ❄️
Feed with a citrus fertiliser 🧪

Don't

Keep the compost wet in winter ❌
Move it suddenly between indoors and out ❌
Let it sit in a saucer of water ❌

Seasonal Care Calendar

Task	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Feed
Reduce Water

Watch Out For

Pests & Diseases

Common Pests

Common Diseases

In the Garden

Landscape Uses & Companions

Landscape Uses

Container tree for a patio or conservatoryEdible garden tree in frost-free regionsBright indoor specimen plant

Companion Plants

Rosemary Olive Bay Laurel Lavender Fig

Multiply

Propagation Methods

Good to Know

Common Questions

Lemon questions

What zones can Lemon grow in?

Lemon is hardy in USDA Zones 9–10. Inside that range it survives winter in the ground; outside it, grow it as an annual or a container plant you protect.

Is Lemon deer resistant?

Yes — Lemon is rated deer-resistant. Deer typically pass it over, though extreme hunger can override any plant's defenses.

When does Lemon bloom?

Lemon typically blooms in much of the year through early summer. Exact timing shifts a week or two with your zone — Sow's bloom calendar maps it to your garden.

Does Lemon need full sun?

Lemon does best in full sun (6+ hours).

Is Lemon drought tolerant?

Yes — once established (usually after the first full season), Lemon handles dry spells with minimal watering. Water deeply its first year to build the root system that makes that possible.