Mexican Lime Tree
Citrus x aurantiifolia
Mexican Lime Tree
Citrus x aurantiifolia
How are the heights measured?
All tree, and nothin' but the tree! We measure from the top of the soil to the top of the tree; the height of the container or the root system is never included in our measurements.
What is a gallon container?
Nursery containers come in a variety of different sizes, and old-school nursery slang has stuck. While the industry-standard terminology is to call the sizes "Gallon Containers", that doesn't exactly translate to the traditional liquid "gallon" size we think of. You'll find we carry young 1-gallons, up to more mature 7-gallons ranging anywhere from 6 inches to 6ft.
How does the delivery process work?
All of our orders ship via FedEx Ground! Once your order is placed online, our magic elves get right to work picking, staging, boxing and shipping your trees. Orders typically ship out within 2 business days. You will receive email notifications along the way on the progress of your order, as well as tracking information to track your plants all the way to their new home!
Why are some states excluded from shipping?
The short & sweet answer is: "United States Department of Agriculture Restrictions." Every state has their own unique USDA restrictions on which plants they allow to come into their state. While we wish we could serve everyone, it's for the safety of native species and helps prevent the spread of invasive disease & pests. We've gotta protect good ole' Mother Nature, after all.
About Me
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Everyone has heard of the world-famous Key Lime Pie, but few people know that this unique and special fruit is easy to grow for yourself, so that you can enjoy its special flavor and distinctive tartness, that sets this lime apart from ordinary limes. By growing this tree in a pot you can have your own supply of this extra-special fruit whenever you want to make up a special dessert or cocktail. Grown in a pot it is unlikely to grow beyond six feet tall, yet it will flower and fruit profusely. The flowers are larger than most other citrus, very fragrant and occur during the summer months. Fruit ripens in the spring following flowering and stores well on the tree or in a cool place, so you will have beautiful fresh Key limes for most of the year
- The best lime tree for growing in pots or outdoors
- Word-famous fruit with a unique flavor for all recipes
- Grows easily indoors in winter, and outdoors in summer
- Tough, hardy, and easy to grow
- One of the easiest and best citrus you can grow
Planted in a pot, you can bring your Key Lime Tree indoors to a sunny spot in winter, and keep it outdoors for the rest of the year, since it is hardy to at least 40 degrees. Even young trees bear well and you will have bushels of fruit from a mature tree. You will never have to buy wrinkled old limes from the store again.
- Plant Hardiness Zones 9-10
- Mature Width 3-6
- Mature Height 6-15
- Sun Needs Full Sun
Limes are very useful citrus fruits and their juice is popular for cocktails, Asian cooking, to make limeade and of course for pies. The most famous lime pie is Key Lime pie, made from the Key Lime, which originally grew in the Florida Keys. This lime is different from the common or Persian Lime, because the Key Lime has a distinctive, stronger flavor, with more acidity and therefore a better balance when made into pies or drinks. This lime has almost mythical qualities and is the very best lime you can possibly grow. Imagine being able to make genuine Key Lime Pie in your own kitchen from fruit from your own garden, or the best cocktails on the block. Even if you don’t live in an area warm enough to grow your tree outdoors, the Key Lime tree is one of the easier citrus trees to grow in a pot. You just need a bright place to keep it during the winter and you too can have your very own genuine key limes.
Growing the Key Lime Tree
Size and Appearance
The Key Lime Tree is a small, shrubby tree that grows to around 15 feet in height and several feet across. There are small thorns on the branches. The leaves are 2 or 3 inches long, evergreen and very similar to the leaves of the common orange tree. The flowers are larger than many citrus flowers as they are about one inch across. They are fragrant and have some purple shading on the back of the flower. The tree may flower anytime but usually it will flower between May and September. Fruits take nine months after flowering to be ready to harvest. They are ready to pick when the fruit begins to turn from deep green to a yellowish green. Left on the tree they will eventually turn completely yellow. Your tree should begin to produce fruit in just a couple of years and will go on to have bigger and bigger harvests as it matures.
Growing the Key Lime Tree in a Pot
In cooler areas the Key Lime tree is an excellent plant to grow in a pot. Choose a pot several inches bigger than the one your tree came in and plant into a regular potting soil with about 20% coarse sand added to it. A soil for cactus is also suitable also for citrus trees. A clay pot is better than plastic as the soil will ‘breathe’ better and the extra weight will stop your tree from blowing over. Always let the soil dry a little before watering again and always water thoroughly each time you do it. Us a special liquid fertilizer for citrus trees during the growing season.
Keep your potted tree in a very sunny spot throughout the growing season and bring it indoors once the temperature reaches 40F at night. Find a cool, bright spot indoors for your tree and just water it enough to stop the soil becoming completely dry. In spring start putting your tree outdoors on warmer days but bring it in a night for the first week or two before leaving it outside permanently. Watch out for late spring frosts which can cause damage to your tree.
Hardiness
The Key Lime tree needs a warm, sunny location and since it is sensitive to cold it should be grown outdoors in zones 9 and 10. Choose a warm, protected location for your tree, especially in the cooler parts of zone 9.
Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions
The Key Lime tree prefers a sheltered spot in full sunlight. It will tolerate some shade but shaded trees will produce less fruit. A tree growing outdoors will grow in most kinds of soil that are well-drained and even sandy, with plenty of organic material added to the soil. If your soil is a bit wet, plant your tree on a mound 4 to 6 inches above the level of the surrounding area. After planting put organic mulch over the root zone but not touching the trunk.
Maintenance and Pruning
Each spring add fresh mulch, extending it to cover the roots as the tree develops. Usually that is all the fertilizer that will be needed, but if your tree is not growing well, apply a citrus-tree fertilizer in spring. Only a little pruning is needed. Just remove any weak branches and trim back strong growths to encourage branching and good fruit production. If your tree becomes very bushy, remove some branches from the center to make it more open, and to let the sun penetrate to encourage flowering and to ripen the fruit.
History and Origin of the Key Lime Tree
The Key Lime tree is a very special variety of lime tree, Citrus x aurantiifolia. It is very different to the common Persian lime which is the kind usually seen in stores.
Buying the Key Lime Tree at the Tree Center
Our trees are produced from genuine trees by stem cuttings or by grafting on to strong root systems. Beware of cheaper seedling trees that will only be a disappointment and produce very inferior limes. Order now, and enjoy the best – but order soon, as the demand for these great trees is always huge.