Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Dwarf Mexican Lime
Dwarf Mexican Lime is the key lime, the small, tart lime prized for pies, cooking and drinks, on a smaller tree. It stays about 6 to 10 feet tall, a size that fits a warm corner or a large patio pot. The fruit is often used green and turns yellow when fully ripe. White blossoms open mostly in spring and bring in bees.
Best for: key limes for pies, cooking and drinks, a lime for a large patio pot or a warm spot, and spring blossoms that bring in bees.
Dwarf citrus are the best choice for pots, and a potted lime can be moved to shelter on cold nights. Use a pot about 20 to 24 inches across with drainage holes.
This is the most frost tender citrus you can grow here. In the ground, plant it close to the house, about 8 feet from other trees, where it is easier to cover.
The small, tart fruit is the classic choice for key lime pie, and it is squeezed into drinks and over food. Pick it green, or let it turn yellow when fully ripe.
Leaves can be damaged near 30 to 32°F, and wood dies back below about 29°F. Pots dry out fast and heat up near west walls.
- Dwarf citrus in a rowAbout 8 ft apart
- Standalone tree8 to 10 ft from other trees
A young citrus tree needs water every few days in its first months, more often in summer. Water out past the edge of the canopy, not at the trunk.
Soak it 2 to 3 feet deep about every 7 to 14 days in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in winter. Never water shallow and daily.
Feed with citrus fertilizer three times a year, the lemon and lime schedule: January to February, March to April, and August to September.
It needs only light pruning, from late winter into spring, never in summer. Leave the low branches to shade the trunk, and paint any exposed bark with white latex paint.
This is the most frost tender citrus. Plant it close to the house, and on cold nights drape frost cloth or sheets over the tree to the ground. Water the day before a freeze.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Is a Mexican lime the same as a key lime?
Yes. Mexican lime and key lime are two names for the same small, tart lime. It is the lime used for key lime pie.
How big does a dwarf Mexican lime get?
Expect about 6 to 10 feet tall and 4 to 8 feet wide in the ground. A standard Mexican lime grows about 8 to 15 feet. It stays smaller in a pot, and light pruning keeps it smaller still.
Does a dwarf tree give full size limes?
Yes. The tree is smaller, but dwarf, semi-dwarf and standard citrus trees bear the same size fruit.
Can I grow a dwarf Mexican lime in a pot in Phoenix?
Yes, and a pot lets you move it to shelter on cold nights. Use a pot about 20 to 24 inches across with drainage holes. Pots dry out fast in summer, so check the soil often.
How far apart should I plant dwarf lime trees?
Plant dwarf citrus about 8 feet apart center to center. Give a standalone tree 8 to 10 feet from other trees. The Spacing tab can count trees for a row.
Which size should I buy?
The 15 gallon is the easier tree to cover on frosty nights while it roots in. The 25 gallon gives you more size at planting. The size guide describes each one.
When are Mexican limes ready to pick?
Some fruit can ripen through much of the year. Pick limes green for cooking, or let them turn yellow, which shows they are fully ripe.
How cold can a Mexican lime take?
It is the most frost tender citrus. Leaves can be damaged at 30 to 32°F, and wood dies back below about 29°F. Cover it with frost cloth or sheets to the ground on cold nights, never plastic.
How often should I water a Mexican lime?
In the ground, water deeply out past the edge of the canopy, 2 to 3 feet down. Established trees need water about every 7 to 14 days in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in winter. Young trees need water every few days at first.
When should I fertilize a lime tree?
Limes and lemons get three feedings a year with citrus fertilizer. Apply one in January or February, one in March or April, and one in August or September.
Is a lime tree safe for dogs and cats?
No. Lime trees are listed as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Chewing the peel, leaves or stems can cause vomiting, diarrhea and depression, so keep pets from chewing on the tree.
Dwarf Mexican Lime for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Dwarf Mexican lime is the key lime on a smaller tree, grown in warm Valley corners and large patio pots. Below are the questions homeowners ask most, from size, pots and spacing to harvest, frost and feeding.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
How big does a dwarf key lime tree get?
Expect about 6 to 10 feet tall and 4 to 8 feet wide in the ground. It stays smaller in a pot, and light pruning in late winter or spring keeps it smaller still.
Can you grow a key lime tree in a pot in Phoenix?
Yes. Dwarf citrus are the best choice for pots, and Mexican lime is a common pick for patio pots here. Plan on a pot about 20 to 24 inches across with drainage holes. Pots dry out fast in summer and heat up near west walls and pavement.
Do dwarf lime trees give full size fruit?
Yes. Dwarf, semi-dwarf and standard citrus trees bear the same size fruit. Only the tree is smaller, so you get regular fruit from a tree that fits a small space.
Can you grow key limes in Phoenix?
Yes, with frost care. It is the most frost tender citrus, so grow it close to the house or in a pot you can move. Cover it with frost cloth or sheets to the ground on cold nights.
How far apart do you plant dwarf citrus?
Plant dwarf citrus trees about 8 feet apart center to center, and give a standalone tree 8 to 10 feet. The spacing calculator can count trees for a row.
Is a Mexican lime the same as a key lime?
Yes, they are the same lime. Mexican lime, or key lime, has small, tart, aromatic fruit about 1 1/2 to 2 inches across, prized for pies, cooking and drinks.
Watering and feeding a lime tree in the Valley
In the ground, water deeply about every 7 to 14 days in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in winter. Feed with citrus fertilizer in January or February, March or April, and August or September.
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