Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Lisbon Lemon
Lisbon is the classic tart, juicy lemon, a true lemon with medium size fruit and a smooth rind. It grows into a vigorous evergreen tree that handles heat, cold, wind and neglect better than other lemons. The main crop ripens in winter, and the tree can set more than one crop a year. Lemons can be picked green and used before the rind turns yellow.
Best for: a full size lemon tree for juice and cooking, a vigorous evergreen tree that takes Valley heat, and spring blossoms that bring in bees.
Lisbon gives medium size, tart, juicy lemons with a smooth rind. The main crop ripens in winter, and lemons can be picked green and used before the rind turns yellow.
It handles heat, cold, wind and neglect better than other lemons and grows well in desert valleys. It takes more cold than Eureka, the other common true lemon.
It is a vigorous tree about 10 to 15 feet tall and wide. Plant it about 15 feet from other trees, and let it keep its low branches to shade the trunk.
The branches are thornier than most lemons. Lemons are frost tender, and damage starts around 25 to 27°F. Bare trunks sunburn in the Valley, and dropped blossoms can load a pool filter.
- Row of lemon treesAbout 15 ft apart
- Standalone treeAbout 20 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, and wear gloves for the thorns. Leave the low branches, which shade the trunk, and paint any exposed bark with white latex paint.
Lemons are among the least cold hardy citrus, with damage starting around 25 to 27°F. On freezing nights drape frost cloth or sheets over young trees to the ground, and water the day before.
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 Lisbon lemon tree get?
Expect about 10 to 15 feet tall and about as wide. It is a vigorous, fast growing tree with thorny branches.
How far apart should I plant Lisbon lemon trees?
Plant them about 15 feet apart center to center for a row. Give a standalone tree about 20 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.
Does a Lisbon lemon have thorns?
Yes. Lisbon is thornier than other lemons, so wear gloves and long sleeves when picking and pruning.
Lisbon vs Eureka lemon: which is better for Phoenix?
The fruit is very similar. Lisbon is the tougher tree and handles cold and heat better, while Eureka is thornless but more frost sensitive. Lisbon fruit has a smoother rind and a pointed tip.
Lisbon vs Improved Meyer lemon
Lisbon is a true lemon with tart, acidic fruit on a larger, thorny tree. Improved Meyer is a lemon and orange cross with sweeter fruit on a smaller tree, and it takes more cold.
When are Lisbon lemons ready to pick?
The main crop ripens in winter, and the tree can set more than one crop a year. You can pick lemons green and use them before the rind turns yellow.
How cold can a Lisbon lemon take?
Lemons are among the least cold hardy citrus, with damage starting around 25 to 27°F. Lisbon takes more cold than Eureka. Cover young trees with frost cloth or sheets to the ground on freezing nights, never plastic.
How often should I water a Lisbon 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 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.
Lisbon Lemon for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Lisbon is a top choice of true lemon for desert yards, with tart, juicy fruit on one of the toughest lemon trees for heat. Below are the questions Valley homeowners ask most, from size 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.
Best lemon tree for Phoenix
Lisbon is the true lemon that handles heat, cold, wind and neglect best, and it grows well in desert valleys. It takes more cold than Eureka, the other common true lemon.
How big does a Lisbon lemon tree get in Arizona?
Expect about 10 to 15 feet tall and about as wide. It is a vigorous, fast growing, thorny tree that stays evergreen year round.
Lisbon vs Eureka lemon
The fruit is very similar. Lisbon has a smoother rind, a pointed tip and a thorny, tougher tree, while Eureka is thornless and more frost sensitive.
How far apart do you plant lemon trees?
Plant Lisbon lemon trees about 15 feet apart center to center for a row, and give a standalone tree about 20 feet. The spacing calculator can count trees for a row.
When to pick Lisbon lemons
The main crop ripens in winter, and the tree can set more than one crop a year. Lemons can be picked green and used before the rind turns yellow.
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.
Protecting a citrus trunk from sunburn
Citrus bark burns in the Valley sun. Keep the low branches so the canopy shades the trunk, and prune in late winter or spring, not summer. Paint bare bark with white latex paint or whitewash.
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.