Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Dwarf Meyer Lemon
Dwarf Meyer Lemon is the sweeter, less acidic lemon on a small tree, a cross between a lemon and an orange. It stays about 6 to 10 feet tall, small enough for a tight yard or a large patio pot. The round fruit ripens golden yellow with a smooth, thin skin. Sweetly fragrant white flowers and fruit can be on the tree much of the year.
Best for: a lemon tree for a large patio pot or a tight yard, sweeter lemons for fresh use and desserts, and fragrant blossoms that bring in bees.
Dwarf citrus are the best choice for growing in pots. Use a pot about 20 to 24 inches across with drainage holes, and keep it off hot west walls in summer.
It stays about 6 to 10 feet tall and 4 to 8 feet wide in the ground. Plant dwarf citrus about 8 feet apart, in full sun for the best fruit.
The fruit is sweeter and less acidic than a regular lemon, and cooks like it for desserts. Waxy white flowers are sweetly fragrant, and bees work citrus blossoms.
Young trees still need cover on freezing nights. Bare trunks sunburn in the Valley, so keep the low branches. Pots dry out fast and heat up near west walls and pavement.
- 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.
Prune lightly from late winter into spring, never in summer. Leave the low branches, which shade the trunk, and paint any exposed bark with white latex paint.
It is rated to about 25°F, more than other lemons. Cover young trees with frost cloth or sheets to the ground on freezing nights, and 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.
How big does a dwarf Meyer lemon 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 keeps it smaller still.
How is a dwarf citrus tree different from a standard one?
Standard citrus trees can grow past 20 feet across. A dwarf Meyer lemon stays about 6 to 10 feet tall. Dwarf trees are the easier choice for a pot.
Does a dwarf tree give full size lemons?
Yes. The tree is smaller, but dwarf, semi-dwarf and standard citrus trees bear the same size fruit.
Can I grow a dwarf Meyer lemon in a pot in Phoenix?
Yes. 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 Meyer lemons?
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.
What is the difference between a Meyer lemon and a regular lemon?
Meyer is not a true lemon but a cross between a lemon and an orange. Its fruit is sweeter and less acidic, with a smooth, thin skin. It also takes more cold than other lemons.
Why is it called Improved Meyer?
The original Meyer lemon carried a citrus virus and was not allowed in Arizona for decades. Improved Meyer is the virus free selection, and it can be grown here.
How cold can a Meyer lemon take?
It is the most cold hardy lemon, rated to about 25°F. Cover young trees with frost cloth or sheets to the ground, never plastic. A potted tree can be moved to a sheltered spot.
How often should I water a Meyer lemon?
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 lemon tree?
Lemons and limes 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 Meyer lemon tree safe for dogs and cats?
No. Lemon 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 Meyer Lemon for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Dwarf Meyer is the virus free Improved Meyer lemon on a smaller tree, grown in Valley yards and large patio pots. Below are the questions homeowners ask most, from size, pots and spacing to cold, harvest 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 Meyer lemon 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 Meyer lemon in a pot in Phoenix?
Yes. Dwarf citrus are the best choice for pots, and Meyer is often kept as a container lemon. 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 lemon 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.
Dwarf vs standard citrus trees
Standard citrus trees can grow past 20 feet across and need about 15 to 20 feet between trees. A dwarf Meyer lemon stays about 6 to 10 feet tall and can be planted about 8 feet apart.
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.
Can you grow Meyer lemons in Arizona?
Yes. The original Meyer was kept out of Arizona for decades because it carried a citrus virus. Improved Meyer is the virus free selection, and Valley gardeners grow it in yards and pots.
Watering and feeding a Meyer lemon 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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