Lime tree

Lime tree: Canopy width 365 cm (144 in). Full sun, 6–8 hours a day.

Key facts

Canopy width	365 cm (144 in)
Sun	Full sun, 6–8 hours a day
Root depth	40 cm (16 in)
Height when grown	270 cm (106 in)
Crop rotation group	Herbs, flowers and perennials
Support	None needed

Planting

How it is started	From a bought plant
When to plant	Outdoors after the last frost; soil at least 8 °C

Care

Takes transplanting	Only with care, keep the root ball
Life cycle	Perennial
Cold tolerance	Tender, hurt by frost
Soil	Ordinary garden soil, free draining, pH 5–7
In a pot	40 L, 40 cm (15.7 in)
Watering	Water when the soil is dry two fingers down; while fruit sets, in dry spells
Feeding	Moderate; in spring
Support and training	A stake; prune, tie in as it grows

Harvest and planning

Days to first harvest	2–3 years, from planting
Ready when	The fruit is the size you want, still young
Harvest window	Picked again and again, 8–16 weeks
Typical yield	5–20 kg per plant
Botanical family	Rutaceae
Watch out for	Scale insects, spider mites
First crop after	2–3 years
Pollination	Fruits on its own

Good neighbours

◐ good with a condition · Why, with the sources →

Plan Lime tree in your garden

Open the free planner, drop Lime tree onto a bed and see how many plants fit.

Start Planning Your Garden

Sowing and harvest

Plant out	Mar–Apr
Harvest	Sep–Dec

My dates for this crop

My country Last spring frost where I live

Give the date once and this page, the sowing calendar and the planner all follow it.

Months for a temperate climate: about a month later in the north and a month earlier in the south. Give your own last frost date for exact dates.

What to plant next to Lime tree →

From the same family

Plants of the Rutaceae family share diseases and pests, so they follow each other in the rotation only after a break.

Grown much the same way

Crops that need about the same room and care, from another family.

Sources

The values on this page marked as checked come from these sources: spacing, sowing depth, germination, soil, timing and safety notes, each against the source named here.

Growing citrus in the home garden — UC Cooperative Extension (Fruit & Nut Research and Information Center) for: between rows, spacing in the row; checked 2026-10-31
Citrus production: site selection and orchard design (course presentation) — University of California, Davis for: soil; checked 2026-10-31

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