Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Mexican Lime
Mexican lime is the key lime, the small, tart lime prized for pies, cooking and drinks. The fruit runs about 1 1/2 to 2 inches across and is often used green, turning yellow when fully ripe. It grows into a small, bushy evergreen tree, and some fruit can ripen through much of the year. White blossoms open mostly in spring and bring in bees.
Best for: key limes for pies, cooking and drinks, a small bushy citrus tree for a warm spot near the house, and spring blossoms that bring in bees.
The small, tart fruit is the classic choice for key lime pie, and it is squeezed into drinks and over food. The fruit is often picked green and turns yellow when fully ripe.
It stays smaller than most citrus, about 8 to 15 feet tall and wide, with a bushy shape. Plant it in full sun, about 12 to 15 feet from other trees.
This is the most frost tender citrus you can grow here. Plant it in the warmest part of the yard, close to the house, so it is easier to cover on cold nights.
Leaves can be damaged near 30 to 32°F, and wood dies back below about 29°F. Bare trunks sunburn in the Valley, so keep the low branches.
- Row of lime treesAbout 12 to 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.
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 Mexican lime tree get?
Expect about 8 to 15 feet tall and about as wide, with a small, bushy shape. It grows fast and needs only light pruning.
How far apart should I plant Mexican lime trees?
Plant them about 12 to 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.
Mexican lime vs Bearss lime: which should I plant?
Mexican lime has small, seedy, tart fruit with the classic key lime flavor. Bearss has larger, seedless fruit, and it takes a little more cold.
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. Plant it close to the house and cover it with frost cloth or sheets to the ground on cold nights, never plastic.
How often should I water a Mexican lime?
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.
Mexican Lime for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Mexican lime is the key lime, grown for its small, tart, aromatic fruit. 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.
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.
How big does a Mexican lime tree get in Arizona?
Expect about 8 to 15 feet tall and about as wide. It is a small, bushy, fast growing tree that needs only light pruning.
Can you grow key limes in Phoenix?
Yes, with frost care. It is the most frost tender citrus, so plant it in the warmest spot close to the house. Cover it with frost cloth or sheets to the ground on cold nights.
Mexican lime vs Bearss lime
Mexican lime has small, seedy, tart fruit on a bushy tree. Bearss has larger, seedless fruit and takes a little more cold.
How far apart do you plant lime trees?
Plant Mexican lime trees about 12 to 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.
Watering and feeding a lime tree in the Valley
Water deeply, 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. Feed with citrus fertilizer in January or February, March or April, and August or September.
When to pick key limes
Some fruit can ripen through much of the year. Key limes are often picked green, and they turn yellow when fully ripe.
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.