Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Lemon Tree 'Meyer' (Citrus × meyeri)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Meyer lemon, improved Meyer lemon.

More about lemon tree 'meyer'

About Lemon Tree 'Meyer'

Citrus × meyeri · also called Meyer lemon, improved Meyer lemon · edible

The Meyer lemon, a lemon-mandarin hybrid, is the most popular citrus for pots and indoor growing. It is more compact, more cold-tolerant, and slightly less thorny than true lemons, with sweeter, rounder, deep-yellow fruit and intensely fragrant blossoms. 'Improved Meyer' is the virus-free strain sold today. It needs full sun, sharp drainage, and steady citrus feeding.

Cold limit: USDA 8b-11 outdoors (hardier than true lemons); container-grown and overwintered indoors elsewhere · RHS H2 (13-29°C)

Watch for — Bud and flower drop: Meyer lemon is notorious for dropping buds after a move, draft, or watering swing. Keep its position, temperature, and moisture stable while in bloom; some natural thinning of excess fruit is normal.

What lemon tree 'meyer''s hardiness rating actually means

Lemon Tree 'Meyer' is a tender fruiting plant, not a hardy one. It crops outdoors only in roughly USDA 8b-11 outdoors (hardier than true lemons); container-grown and overwintered indoors elsewhere; in cooler zones it is a container plant moved under cover for winter. Its RHS rating of H2 means: Tender — survives a frost-free greenhouse or a very mild, sheltered spot. On the US scale that maps to USDA 8b-11 outdoors (hardier than true lemons); container-grown and overwintered indoors elsewhere — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about 1 to 5 °C — tolerates cold but no real frost. Lemon Tree 'Meyer' fruits in warmth and is set back or killed by frost.

Concretely, for lemon tree 'meyer' as it gets too cold:

Below about 1 to 5 °C — tolerates cold but no real frost the foliage and any fruit are damaged; a hard frost can kill the whole plant.
A light frost typically scorches leaves and ruins the current crop even when the framework survives.
Roots in a container freeze far faster than roots in the ground, so potted specimens need earlier protection.

Can lemon tree 'meyer' go outside or overwinter — and where?

It can stay outdoors year-round only in USDA 8b-11 outdoors (hardier than true lemons); container-grown and overwintered indoors elsewhere; in a UK or cold-US climate it is a conservatory or move-it-indoors plant for winter.
Summer it outside in full sun for the best crop, then bring it into a cool, bright, frost-free room before the first frost.
A bright unheated (but frost-free) glasshouse or porch is the ideal overwintering spot — cool and dormant, never freezing.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when lemon tree 'meyer' can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H2 figure above.

Frost protection for borderline lemon tree 'meyer'

Lemon Tree 'Meyer' is right on a hardiness edge in many gardens, so if you are pushing it, these measures buy it the margin it needs:

Move containers into a frost-free glasshouse, porch or cool room before the first forecast frost.
For borderline-zone ground plants, wrap the trunk and fleece the canopy, and mulch the root zone heavily.
Keep it on the dry side over winter — cold plus wet roots is what actually kills tender fruit.

Lemon Tree 'Meyer' hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is lemon tree 'meyer' cold hardy?

Lemon Tree 'Meyer' is a tender fruiting plant, not a hardy one. It crops outdoors only in roughly USDA 8b-11 outdoors (hardier than true lemons); container-grown and overwintered indoors elsewhere; in cooler zones it is a container plant moved under cover for winter. Frost-tender. Grow lemon tree 'meyer' in the ground only within USDA 8b-11 outdoors (hardier than true lemons); container-grown and overwintered indoors elsewhere; everywhere colder it lives in a large pot that comes into a frost-free space each winter.

What is the minimum temperature lemon tree 'meyer' can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about 1 to 5 °C — tolerates cold but no real frost. Lemon Tree 'Meyer' fruits in warmth and is set back or killed by frost.

What hardiness zone is lemon tree 'meyer'?

Lemon Tree 'Meyer' is rated USDA 8b-11 outdoors (hardier than true lemons); container-grown and overwintered indoors elsewhere and RHS H2 — Tender — survives a frost-free greenhouse or a very mild, sheltered spot.

Can lemon tree 'meyer' survive winter outside?

It can stay outdoors year-round only in USDA 8b-11 outdoors (hardier than true lemons); container-grown and overwintered indoors elsewhere; in a UK or cold-US climate it is a conservatory or move-it-indoors plant for winter. Summer it outside in full sun for the best crop, then bring it into a cool, bright, frost-free room before the first frost. A bright unheated (but frost-free) glasshouse or porch is the ideal overwintering spot — cool and dormant, never freezing.

How do I protect lemon tree 'meyer' from frost?

Move containers into a frost-free glasshouse, porch or cool room before the first forecast frost. For borderline-zone ground plants, wrap the trunk and fleece the canopy, and mulch the root zone heavily. Keep it on the dry side over winter — cold plus wet roots is what actually kills tender fruit.