Should I Plant Lemons or Limes?

Q. Will either dwarf lime or lemon trees do well here? We consider pots but our patio faces the west and gets very hot. We have a small space for pots in the front yard which faces east. Any suggestions?

 

A. The principle limitation for citrus here is winter cold. Cold tolerance in citrus generally follows this progression of tolerance from the most hardy to least goes something like this: (most) kumquat, Meyer’s lemon, grapefruit, Mandarin or Satsuma orange, navel orange and lime (least).

Eureka lemon tree in Las Vegas. Fruit still immature.

            Once you get to navel orange the rest will not handle any freezing. You should locate citrus in the part of the yard that is the warmest in the winter and protected from cold winter winds.

            If you like lemons, Meyer’s is a good choice and very popular in Las Vegas even though it is not a true lemon. I would put limes only in much protected locations.