Gardening Guides
Edible Gardens
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
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.
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
Distinguishing traits. Grow lime trees for their year-round glossy green leaves, white blooms and small green fruits that turn yellow as they age.
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
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