Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Improved Meyer Lemon
Improved Meyer is the sweeter, less acidic lemon, a cross between a lemon and an orange. The round fruit ripens golden yellow with a smooth, thin skin. It stays a compact evergreen tree about 6 to 10 feet tall, with sweetly fragrant white flowers. Flowers and fruit can be on the tree much of the year.
Best for: a compact lemon tree for a smaller yard or patio, sweeter lemons for fresh use and desserts, and fragrant blossoms that bring in bees.
It stays about 6 to 10 feet tall and about as wide, smaller than most lemons. Plant small citrus like this about 8 feet from other trees, in full sun for the best fruit.
The fruit is sweeter and less acidic than a regular lemon, with a smooth, thin, golden yellow skin. Cooks like it for desserts and fresh use.
Waxy white flowers, blushed purple in bud, are sweetly fragrant. Bees work citrus blossoms, and flowers and fruit can be on the tree much of the year.
It is the hardiest lemon, but young trees still need cover on freezing nights. Bare trunks sunburn in the Valley, so keep the low branches. Citrus drops leaves, blossoms and fruit.
- Small trees 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.
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. The tree is smaller and 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 big does an Improved Meyer lemon get?
Expect about 6 to 10 feet tall and about as wide. It grows at a moderate rate and stays compact enough for a smaller yard or patio.
How far apart should I plant Meyer lemons?
Plant small citrus like this 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.
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 on freezing nights, never plastic.
When do Meyer lemons ripen?
Flowers and fruit can be on the tree much of the year, with the heaviest crop in winter. Pick them when the skin turns golden yellow.
Improved Meyer vs Lisbon lemon
Lisbon is a true lemon with tart, acidic fruit on a larger, thorny tree. Improved Meyer has sweeter, less tart fruit on a compact tree, and it takes more cold.
How often should I water a Meyer lemon?
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.
Improved Meyer Lemon for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Improved Meyer is the virus free Meyer lemon now grown in Arizona yards, with sweeter fruit than a regular lemon on a compact tree. Below are the questions Valley homeowners ask most, from size 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.
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 can grow it.
How big does a Meyer lemon tree get?
Expect about 6 to 10 feet tall and about as wide. It is a compact, evergreen tree that suits smaller yards and patios.
Meyer lemon vs Lisbon lemon
Lisbon is a true lemon with tart fruit on a larger, thorny tree. Improved Meyer is a lemon and orange cross with sweeter, less acidic fruit, and it handles more cold.
How cold hardy is a Meyer lemon?
It is the most cold hardy lemon, rated to about 25°F. Cover young trees with frost cloth or sheets to the ground on freezing nights.
How far apart do you plant a Meyer lemon?
Plant 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.
When to fertilize lemon trees in the Valley
Lemons and limes get three feedings a year. Apply citrus fertilizer in January or February, March or April, and August or September.
Watering a Meyer lemon in Phoenix
Water deeply, wetting the soil 2 to 3 feet down and out past the canopy edge. Established trees need water about every 7 to 14 days in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in winter.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.