Permascaping, by Homegrown Foods
Sign in
Improved Meyer lemon fruit growing on a citrus tree

Wholesale citrus

Improved Meyer lemon

Citrus × meyeri ‘Improved Meyer’

Also known as Meyer lemon · Improved Meyer

A lemon crossed with a mandarin: sweeter, thinner-skinned and juicier than a true lemon, on a compact tree that takes cold better than any other lemon. The virus-free selection every nursery sells now.

EdibleLemon hybridCompactCold hardy for a lemon
Check the current program →
Landscape layersLower canopy
Mature sizeUsually 10–20 ft tall and wide; rootstock and pruning change final size
Climate fitUrban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b · Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b
Special categoriesEDIBLE
Hardiness guidanceTypically USDA 9–11; frost tolerance varies by cultivar and microclimate
Winter chillNone
Typical harvestMainly November through March, with smaller flushes through the year

Before you plant

These conditions determine whether it will thrive.

Required microclimatePlacement is part of the growing system.

Zone A — morning sun, afternoon shade, at the east end of the sunnier south-facing side. Shields thin skin and variegated foliage from west sun, and gives blood oranges the cooler afternoons they need to color.

Right plant, right place

Will Improved Meyer lemon grow at your Arizona property?

Plant in fast-draining soil with the graft union above grade. Keep mulch away from the trunk and avoid lawn irrigation at the root crown.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b.

Light

Sun exposure

Full sun; young trunks and exposed scaffold limbs need sunburn protection

Water

Irrigation

Deep, regular irrigation with drying between cycles; expand the wetted zone as the canopy grows

Fruit set

Pollination

Self-fruitful

Harvest

How to use it

Juice, zest, desserts, and eating with the peel in salads

Planting & stewardship

How to help Improved Meyer lemon thrive

  1. 1

    Verify both the named cultivar and rootstock on the nursery tag before planting.

  2. 2

    Whitewash newly exposed bark and protect cold-sensitive trees during hard freezes.

  3. 3

    Feed in several light applications during the active season rather than one heavy dose.

  4. 4

    Let fruit color and flavor—not a calendar date alone—confirm harvest readiness.

Read the horticultural reference ↗

Keep exploring

More plants for this system