Fruit · Rutaceae
When to plant limes
Limes sold for cooking include different species and hybrids. This catalog uses Citrus aurantiifolia; retain the supplier's cultivar and rootstock details because fruit size, acidity and climate suitability vary.
First crop estimate
Year 2
From planting; plant age and cultivar affect timing.
Hardy in USDA zones
10a to 11a
A winter-survival reference; heat, chill and drainage also matter.
Frost tolerance
Tender
How much cold the plant itself will take.
Choose a place for estimated dates and local climate checks.
Timing, in frost-relative terms
Limes occupy their position for years. Check mature size, drainage, winter survival and cultivar requirements before choosing a planting window. Frost dates alone cannot tell you whether the plant will thrive, flower or fruit.
- Approximate first cropping: year 2 after planting; nursery plant age, variety and growing conditions change this.
- Hardy in USDA zones 10a–11a.
Getting the timing right
Give the tree sun and moist but well-drained soil. In regions with unsuitable winters, plan a bright sheltered place for a container-grown plant. The fact that roots survive a cold spell does not mean flowers or young shoots escaped damage.
Frost tolerance
Check the named variety and local forecast before exposing young growth. The catalog cold-damage figure is a reference, not a guarantee: plant age, acclimatisation, wind and the duration of a freeze affect damage.
Classified as tender, with a catalog cold-damage reference of -2°C (28.4°F)28.4°F (-2°C). Exposure duration, growth stage and acclimatisation change cold tolerance.
Before you plant limes
Use the calendar to plan ahead, then check the conditions in your own garden.
- Check the local overnight forecast before planting out. Delay planting or keep protection ready if frost is forecast, even after the historical last-frost date.
- Check mature size, drainage and cultivar suitability before choosing a permanent position. A suitable planting window does not guarantee long-term survival or fruiting.
Distinguish the lime type before judging its performance
Give the tree sun and moist but well-drained soil. In regions with unsuitable winters, plan a bright sheltered place for a container-grown plant. The fact that roots survive a cold spell does not mean flowers or young shoots escaped damage.
Monitor foliage and fruit for problems, especially in wet humid conditions where citrus diseases can be important. Compare fruit quality and the duration from flowering with local advice for the named lime instead of relying on a single year-round harvest assumption.
What to record this season
Which flowering period produced usable limes, and how did wet weather affect the crop? Add the cultivar, sowing date and conditions to your growing record so you can compare next season.
Further reading: Plants For A Future: Citrus aurantiifolia . General crop guidance; local dates on this site are calculated separately. Source checked 19 September 2026 by Safe to Plant; this is not an expert review.
Plants For A Future compiles botanical and cultivation references. This is general species guidance, not a local field trial or evidence that every cultivar will crop in your climate.
How the dates are calculated and their limits · Keep a growing record · Report a local discrepancy