Citrus Trees

A standard form citrus tree grows to its full natural size on its own roots or rootstock, while a dwarf form is grafted onto rootstock that limits mature height for a smaller yard or a large pot. A column form, sometimes sold as a patio or decorative form, stays narrow and upright, useful along a walkway or in a tight side yard. All three fruit at the same quality; the rootstock and pruning change size and shape, not flavor. Check the mature size on each product page before choosing.

Most citrus trees are frost tender and need protection once temperatures drop toward freezing, which happens on a normal winter night in Rosamond and other high desert areas. Cover in-ground trees with frost cloth on cold nights and bring potted citrus into a garage or covered patio when a hard frost is forecast. Hardier types such as kumquat and satsuma mandarin tolerate a light frost better than lime or citron, but none of them are frost proof. Plant against a south facing wall for extra warmth where possible.

Improved Meyer lemon is generally considered one of the more cold tolerant lemons, handling a light frost better than Eureka or Lisbon lemon, though it still needs protection on a hard freeze night. It is actually a lemon and mandarin or orange hybrid, which is part of why it holds up better in cold and tastes sweeter than a true lemon. Grow it in a container in colder areas so it can move under cover when frost threatens.

Feed citrus trees during the active growing season, roughly spring through late summer, and hold off in the cooler months when the tree is not putting on new growth. Citrus fertilizer is typically higher in nitrogen than a general purpose feed, and a light, regular schedule works better than one heavy application. Yellowing leaves with green veins often point to iron deficiency in alkaline California soils, which a citrus specific fertilizer with micronutrients corrects.

Satsuma is a specific type of mandarin, prized for its loose, easy to peel skin, sweet flavor and relatively good cold tolerance compared to other mandarin types. Owari and Aoshima satsuma, both carried here, ripen earlier in the season than many other mandarins such as Clementine or W. Murcott. All mandarins are smaller and sweeter than an orange, with skin that separates from the fruit more easily. Check the bloom and ripening timing on each variety's product page since it varies by type.

A young citrus tree in a 5 or 7 gallon container can move up to a 16 inch decorative pot within its first year or two, with 22 and 55 inch pots reserved for a mature, established tree. Undersized pots stunt growth and dry out fast in summer heat, so size up before the roots fill the container. Choose a pot with real drainage holes, since citrus roots rot quickly in standing water.