Lime
Citrus aurantiifolia
A sharp, fragrant evergreen citrus for frost-free corners — kitchen-ready fruit nearly year-round once established. Cold-shy and happiest in heat with steady moisture.
Lime in a syntropic line
Lime belongs in the Medium layer as a Secondary productive species. The productive heart — most of your yield lives here. Rough in-row spacing starts around 5 m in a syntropic row. Good line partners include Black locust, False indigo bush. As a Secondary species it carries mid-term yield and structure while climax trees slowly claim the canopy.
Tolerances and growing conditions
- Strata
- Medium
- Lifecycle
- Secondary
- Soil preference
- Loam, Sandy
- Soil pH range
- 6 – 7.5
- Min. temperature
- -1°C
- Min. rainfall
- 600 mm/year
- Wind tolerance
- Low
- Frost tolerance
- Low
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Irrigation needed
- Medium
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Waterlogging tolerance
- Low
- Origin
- Asia
- Native to Portugal
- No
How to manage it
Evergreen citrus for warm frost-free sites; lightly prune to keep an open framework and pick fruit as it ripens year-round in mild climates.
How to prune
Lime is evergreen and frost-tender, so prune only lightly in late winter once hard frost risk has passed, removing dead, crossing or inward growth to keep an open framework. Never prune during or just before frost, as fresh cuts increase cold damage. Avoid heavy cuts into old wood.
How to propagate
Named lime cultivars must be grafted onto rootstock; seed produces wild, inferior trees.
Guidance, not a guarantee — success varies by species and skill.
What to watch out for
Very frost-tender (damaged near 0C) — needs a warm coastal or sheltered microclimate. Thorny; brittle wood dislikes strong wind.
Frequently asked questions about Lime
Is lime frost-hardy?
Yes for winter cold in many climates — generally hardy to around -1°C when dormant, with low frost tolerance in the catalog. Flowering crops can still lose a season to late frost, so site them carefully.
What soil does lime need?
It does best on loam, sandy ground, at pH about 6–7.5.
How much water does lime need?
Plan for a rainfall floor around 600 mm/year, plus medium irrigation once established.
Can lime handle wet or waterlogged soil?
Poorly — lime has low waterlogging tolerance, so keep it off winter-wet clay and standing water.
What should I watch out for with lime?
Very frost-tender (damaged near 0C) — needs a warm coastal or sheltered microclimate. Thorny; brittle wood dislikes strong wind.
Lime in soil templates
Design your line to see how your land fits Lime.
Start designing your line →