Meyer Lemon Tree
Citrus × meyeri
📖 About this plant
The Meyer Lemon is a beloved indoor fruit tree prized for its thin-skinned, wonderfully fragrant, sweeter-than-regular lemons. It produces glossy, dark green leaves, clusters of intensely fragrant white blossoms, and an abundance of round, orange-yellow fruits simultaneously with flowers. A compact, productive tree that fruits readily indoors in bright conditions.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Full sun (8+ hrs)
Every 1-2 weeks
Moderate (40-60%)
15-30°C
Well-draining, slightly acidic citrus potting mix (pH 5.5-6.5); blend of peat, perlite, and sand with organic compost
Citrus-specific fertilizer with micronutrients every 4-6 weeks during growing season (spring through early autumn)
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- China — believed to be a hybrid between Citrus limon (lemon) and Citrus reticulata (mandarin orange), introduced to the US by Frank N. Meyer in 1908
- 📏 Max height
- 120-200 cm (4-7 ft indoors; up to 3-4 m outdoors in frost-free climates)
- 📐 Spread
- 60-120 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Spring
- 🎨 Bloom color
- White
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Dark Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic to humans; mildly toxic to pets — essential oils in leaves and stems can cause GI upset, vomiting, and photosensitivity in dogs and cats
- 🌱 Propagation
- Semi-hardwood cuttings (10-15 cm) with rooting hormone in warm conditions, or grafting onto rootstock
🛡️ Health & Safety
Non-toxic to humans; mildly toxic to pets — essential oils in leaves and stems can cause GI upset, vomiting, and photosensitivity in dogs and cats
Common issues
- Leaf drop from sudden temperature changes or drafts, Yellowing leaves with green veins (iron chlorosis), Scale insects, spider mites, and citrus mealybugs, Flower/fruit drop from inconsistent watering or relocation shock, Root rot from overwatering, Sooty mold from pest honeydew
💡 Care tips
- Compact citrus tree that produces fragrant flowers and edible lemons indoors,Needs at least 8 hours of direct sunlight or grow lights,Fertilize monthly during growing season with citrus-specific food,Prune in early spring to maintain shape and encourage branching
