A Versatile Lime Tree Is a Happy Addition to a Warm-Winter Garden
What can you do with a lime tree? Quite a lot, as it happens
Marianne Lipanovich
July 16, 2017
Houzz Contributor. I'm a California-based writer and editor. While most of my projects are garden-based, you might also find me writing about home projects and classical music. Away from the computer, I'm found in the garden (naturally), on my bike, or ice-skating outdoors (yes, that is possible in California). I'm also willing to taste-test anything that's chocolate.
Houzz Contributor. I'm a California-based writer and editor. While most of my projects... More
Limes may not have gotten the same attention as lemons in the past, but they’re definitely becoming more popular now. In warm-winter gardens they add year-round interest, thanks to their good looks, fragrant blossoms and delicate fruits. In the kitchen, the fruits add a sweet yet tangy flavor to everything from salads to desserts — including Key lime pie. They’re also indispensable for many favorite drinks, such as limeade, margaritas and mojitos.
Persian limes, also known as Tahitian limes, and Mexican, or Key, limes are the most commonly grown culinary limes. Less popular but still available in some areas are Indian limes (Citrus limettioides) and makrut limes (C. hystrix), which are used in a number of cuisines. Rangpur lime is a type of mandarin.
Note: Linden trees (Tilia spp.) are known as lime trees in the British Isles but are not members of the citrus family.
Persian limes, also known as Tahitian limes, and Mexican, or Key, limes are the most commonly grown culinary limes. Less popular but still available in some areas are Indian limes (Citrus limettioides) and makrut limes (C. hystrix), which are used in a number of cuisines. Rangpur lime is a type of mandarin.
Note: Linden trees (Tilia spp.) are known as lime trees in the British Isles but are not members of the citrus family.
‘Bearss’ lime blossom and fruit
Botanical name: Citrus spp.
Common name: Lime
Origin: Southeast Asia
Where it will grow: Hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 6 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 9 to 12; find your zone); may survive in sheltered locations to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 17.8 degrees Celsius (zones 7 to 8), or when kept indoors in winter
Water requirement: Regular
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: Persian limes reach 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 meters) tall; Mexican limes reach about 12 to 15 feet (3.6 to 4.5 meters) tall; dwarf varieties are about half those sizes
Botanical name: Citrus spp.
Common name: Lime
Origin: Southeast Asia
Where it will grow: Hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 6 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 9 to 12; find your zone); may survive in sheltered locations to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 17.8 degrees Celsius (zones 7 to 8), or when kept indoors in winter
Water requirement: Regular
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: Persian limes reach 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 meters) tall; Mexican limes reach about 12 to 15 feet (3.6 to 4.5 meters) tall; dwarf varieties are about half those sizes
Benefits and tolerances: Limes are one of the best sources of vitamin C (British sailors were nicknamed “limeys” because of the limes that were an important part of their shipboard diet to prevent scurvy); flowers attract birds and bees
Seasonal interest: Evergreen tree or shrub with fragrant flowers year-round; flowers are more abundant in spring on Persian limes and in fall on Mexican limes; small green fruits begin appearing after the flowers fade
When to plant: Plant anytime during a frost-free part of the year; avoid planting on hot summer days, to avoid stressing the plant
Seasonal interest: Evergreen tree or shrub with fragrant flowers year-round; flowers are more abundant in spring on Persian limes and in fall on Mexican limes; small green fruits begin appearing after the flowers fade
When to plant: Plant anytime during a frost-free part of the year; avoid planting on hot summer days, to avoid stressing the plant
xaviergardens
Distinguishing traits. Grow lime trees for their year-round glossy green leaves, white blooms and small green fruits that turn yellow as they age.
Laura Henry Kukulski
How to use it. Train a lime to be a tree or small shrub and grow as a specimen plant, in a small orchard, in a large pot or as an anchor in a garden bed, especially where you can enjoy its fragrance. Place it next to a patio, a deck or an outdoor eating area, where it will be easy to harvest for meals and drinks.
You can also espalier lime trees along a wall or fence, or train them over an arbor or a pergola. Grow several as a hedge or screen.
Top Off Your Cocktails With Homegrown Garnishes
You can also espalier lime trees along a wall or fence, or train them over an arbor or a pergola. Grow several as a hedge or screen.
Top Off Your Cocktails With Homegrown Garnishes
Planting notes.
How to Keep Your Citrus Trees Well-Fed and Healthy
There’s a Lot to Love About a Meyer Lemon Tree
How to Grow the Edible Garden That’s Right for You
- Choose a spot in full sun that drains well, especially if you have clay soil. If your soil is especially slow-draining, plant in a raised bed.
- Plant in a hole that matches the depth of the lime’s nursery container and is twice as wide. Firm the soil around the plant and water well. Add compost or other organic materials, such as mulch, keeping it away from tree trunks.
- If you live where the sun is hot, protect exposed bark from sunburn with commercially available paper wraps, whitewash or diluted white latex paint (use a 50-50 solution of water and paint).
- Water trees regularly — up to twice a week when they’re getting established, then at least once a week thereafter. Time your watering schedule so the soil drains thoroughly and the roots won’t be in standing water.
- Fertilize with a citrus fertilizer three times a year: in winter, late spring and late summer. Learn more about fertilizing citrus
- Prune to remove weak or dead branches and to shape; remove any suckers.
- Pests, such as aphids, mealybugs, mites and scale insects, can be blasted off with a jet of water. Other possible pests include citrus bud mites and Asian citrus psyllid. The first can often be controlled with a horticultural oil spray; check with local cooperative extensions if you suspect you have the latter.
- Leaf discoloration, or chlorosis, may indicate a lack of iron, magnesium or zinc, which can be treated with foliar sprays containing chelates. Fungal problems, usually the result of poor drainage, can also occur.
- Harvest: Let limes ripen completely on the tree; taste to tell when they are fully ripe. The good news is that they can stay on the tree for months, so harvest just as you need them.
How to Keep Your Citrus Trees Well-Fed and Healthy
There’s a Lot to Love About a Meyer Lemon Tree
How to Grow the Edible Garden That’s Right for You
What are you working on?
Related Products
Related Stories
Landscape Design
What Will We Want in Our Landscapes in 2024?
Discover seven trends that landscape designers predict homeowners will be bringing into their outdoor spaces this year
Full Story
Spring Gardening
8 Tips to Get Your Early-Spring Garden Ready for the Season
Find out how to salvage plants, when to cut back damaged branches, when to mulch and more
Full Story
Winter Gardening
How to Prune Your Fruit Trees in Winter
Garden chores may slow down this season, but pruning your fruit trees now means healthier plants that will produce more
Full Story
Winter Gardening
Get a Head Start on Planning Your Garden Even if It’s Snowing
Reviewing what you grew last year now will pay off when it’s time to head outside
Full Story
Landscape Design
Pros Share Their Top Plant Picks for a Low-Maintenance Yard
Landscape pros weigh in on the plants they’d use — and ones they’d avoid — to create an easy-care garden
Full Story
Landscape Design
10 Tips for Planting a Beautiful, Low-Maintenance Landscape
Landscape pros share their advice for planning a garden that’s easy to care for
Full Story
Gardening Guides
12 Gardening Ideas You Can Count as Resolutions
See how to set up your outdoor areas for more enjoyment next year and make them a bit more earth-friendly in the process
Full Story
Holidays
Last-Minute Ideas for Attractive Winter Container Designs
Create a welcoming holiday entryway with ideas from these 9 looks
Full Story
Winter Gardening
8 Tips for Keeping Your Houseplants Healthy in Winter
Reduce watering, stop fertilizing, move them into the light and more
Full Story
Fall Gardening
7 Reasons Not to Clean Up Your Fall Garden
Before you pluck and rake, consider wildlife, the health of your plants and your own right to relax
Full Story
I don't think there are any varieties of lime tree that thrive in cold winters, but the Japanese yuzu is supposed to be the most cold hardy citrus and can be used in a similar way for cooking.
The Persian lime is thorny, our Mexican/key limes are not. We've got ours in big pots (as well as Meyer lemon and Cara Cara orange) in zone 8 and move them to the shed in the winter. We tried moving them into the house one year but the air was too dry and all the leaves fell off.
We have small Keffir limes in Oakland growing in a pot. The fruit isn't good, but the leaves are fantastic when diced into Thai food! It's one of those flavors that taste exotic, and mades SE Asian food ring true! Also for mixed drinks, salad dressing, etc