How to Grow Lime Trees

Tahitian Lime (Citrus X latifolia) is the most commonly grown lime in home gardens. It fruits from autumn to spring and is a heavy bearer, which means your kitchen will be well stocked. The tree grows to around 4 m tall, but you can also find dwarf forms that grow between 1.5-2 m tall – great for growing in small gardens and pots. Fruits are small-medium with pale green-coloured skin. Branches are nearly thornless, unlike other lime varieties. Grows in most climates and will tolerate light frosts, once established.

West Indian Lime (Citrus aurantifolia) is often considered the ‘true’ lime due to its strong acidic flavour. The fruit is small and filled with numerous seeds. The West Indian Lime grows between 2-5 m but can be pruned after fruiting to remain on the more compact side. Branches are thorned, so take care with placement around children and pets, and when harvesting. Grows best in warm, humid climates. Also known as Key Lime.

Finger Lime (Citrus australasica) is a native Australian lime with stubby, finger-like fruit. The fruit is filled with juicy, caviar-like pulp that burst with zesty flavour when eaten. The trees grow between 3-6 m tall and are ideal for pots or garden beds. The leaves are smaller than traditional lime trees but form a dense crown of foliage that birds and other native wildlife use for shelter and protection. Branches are also thorned. Prefers warm zones, but may tolerate cooler areas, provided it is in a warm, protected spot throughout winter.

Kaffir Lime (Citrus hysterix) also known as Makrut Lime, is much loved for its aromatic leaves and zesty rind. The bumpy-skinned fruit is a feature too, but unlike most citrus, holds little juice. Grows to 3-4 m tall with strongly spined branches, but thornless varieties are available. Prefers warm areas but can grow in cooler zones provided there is protection from extended cold periods and frost.

Choose a spot in the garden that receives full sun (at least 6 hours a day) and has good drainage. Lime trees do not tolerate poorly drained soil. In areas with heavy clay or poor drainage, to help partially elevate the Lime tree above the poorly drained soil, create a 20cm high mound of free-draining soil (bagged garden soil is ideal) and plant the tree into this mound. It can also be helpful to mix some gypsum clay-breaker into the planting hole.

Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root ball. Rough up the edges of the hole with the shovel/spade. Mix Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser in with the soil dug from the hole.

Remove the plant from the container, and gently tease the roots, cutting away any circled or tangled roots. Position in hole and backfill with enriched soil, gently firming down. Form a raised or doughnut-shaped ring of soil around the outer edge of the plant's root zone. This helps keep water where it's needed. Water in well after planting to settle the soil around the roots.

Keep the soil moist for several weeks while the new plant establishes. 

Mulch around the root zone with organic mulch, like pine bark or sugar cane mulch, keeping it away from the base of trunk.

Lime trees are hungry and require lots of nutrients to promote a great harvest. Feed every eight weeks from spring until the end of harvest with Yates Thrive Natural Citrus & Fruit Organic Based Pelletised Fertiliser to promote healthy leaf growth and lots of flowers and fruit.

Finger Limes should be fed with a fertiliser that’s safe for feeding Australian native plants, like Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser. Apply around the root zone every spring and autumn.

Water Lime trees thoroughly two to three times a week, depending on the weather conditions.

Choose a pot that is at least 40 cm in diameter and has good drainage holes. Strong and lightweight pots, like Yates Tuscan Pots, are ideal for growing a Lime tree. Place the pot in a wind-protected position that receives at least 6 hours of sunshine a day.

Part fill the pot with a quality potting mix, like Yates Premium Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter. Remove the plant from the existing container and gently tease the outer roots.

Place the root ball on the potting mix and backfill around the roots with the fresh potting mix. The final level of mix should be at the same as the level currently around the plant.

Water the tree in well. Keep the potting mix consistently moist for several weeks while the new plant establishes. Apply mulch, such as bark chips, sugarcane or pea straw, around the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk. Mulch helps keep the potting mix moist and the roots protected.

Water potted Lime trees thoroughly, two to three times a week, depending on weather conditions.

Lime trees are hungry and require lots of nutrients to promote a great harvest. Feed every one to two weeks from spring until the end of harvest with Yates Thrive Natural Citrus & Fruit Concentrate to promote healthy leaf growth and lots of flowers and fruit.

Finger Limes should be fed with a fertiliser that’s safe for feeding Australian native plants, like Yates Dynamic Lifter Liquid Concentrate. Apply around the root zone every 1-3 weeks from spring until the end of harvest.

You can grow a Lime tree from seed, but the results will differ depending on the source of the seed. Tahitian Limes are hybridised, so the seeds are highly unlikely to breed true, so you probably won't get the same fruit. Finger Limes, Kaffir/Makrut Limes, and West Indian Limes will produce true-to-type plants, meaning they will be the same tree as the original source. 

Many Lime trees from garden centres are also grafted onto rootstock that keeps the tree more compact. As Lime trees grown from seed will not be grafted, they may eventually grow to a larger size than anticipated.    

Growing a Lime tree from seed can take up to 15 years for the tree to mature, but if you have the patience or want to try growing for fun, here’s how.

Remove seeds from fruit and gently wash to remove any pulp. Then, soak the seeds in a glass of water for a few hours discarding any seeds that float to the surface.

Fill seed trays or small pots with Yates Seed Raising Mix. Insert seeds approximately 1-1.5 cm deep into the mix then lightly cover with the mix.

Position the pot or tray in a warm brightly lit spot, out of direct sunlight. Gently water the pot and keep the mix consistently moist.

Germination may take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.

Repot seedlings into larger pots once they are 10-15 cm tall.

Limes prefer warm climates and thrive in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate areas. In cool climates, try Tahitian Lime as it is more tolerant of cold conditions and can withstand light frosts once established. Finger Lime and Kaffir/Makrut Lime can also grow in cool areas, but require a warm, protected spot over winter.

For a better chance at success in cool climates, grow Limes in pots. This allows you to move them to the warmest part of the garden during the day, like in front of a north-facing brick wall, and move them indoors at night, if required.

Avoid windy sites, especially when establishing young trees.

Choose a spot in full sun, with at least 6-8 hours of sunlight.

Limes need rich, well-drained soils. If you have a heavy clay or poorly drained soil, you will need to improve your soil before planting as Lime trees don’t tolerate a wet root zone.  

To check if your soil is poorly drained, dig a hole and pour a bucket of water into the hole – if it takes more than 30 minutes to disappear, then you will need to improve your soil.

To help partially elevate the Lime tree above the poorly drained soil, create a 20 cm high mound of free-draining soil (bagged garden soil is ideal) and plant the tree into this mound. It will also be helpful to mix some gypsum and Yates Dynamic Lifter Organic Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser into the planting hole will also be helpful. Yates Dynamic Lifter contains a rich source of organic matter that helps improve soil structure.

Lime trees prefer a neutral or slightly acidic soil pH (6.0 – 7.0). Soil that is too alkaline can be made more acidic by applying Yates Soil Acidifier Liquid Sulfur. Soil that is too acidic can be made more alkaline by applying Yates Hydrangea Pinking Liquid Lime & Dolomite.

When growing Lime trees in pots, choose a dwarf variety and plant in pot filled with a good quality potting mix like Yates Premium Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter. The pot should be at least 40 cm wide with good drainage holes.

Feed established garden-planted Lime Trees every 8 weeks, from spring until the end of harvest, with Yates Thrive Natural Citrus & Fruit Organic Based Pelletised Fertiliser. It’s a special combination of organic ingredients boosted with fast-acting fertilisers, designed to produce richer, juicier and more abundant citrus fruit.

Finger Limes should be fed with a fertiliser that is safe for Australian native plants, like Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser. Apply around the root zone every spring and autumn and water in well.

For potted Lime trees, feed every one to two weeks from spring until the end of harvest with Yates Thrive Natural Citrus & Fruit Concentrate.

Finger Limes should be fed with a fertiliser that is safe for Australian native plants, like Yates Dynamic Lifter Liquid Concentrate. All year-round apply every one to three weeks as a foliar spray and/or around the root zone.

Water regularly after planting. Once established, Limes are fairly drought tolerant but will benefit from deep watering at least once or twice a week, especially during hot, dry spells. Lime tree roots are quite shallow. Spreading a layer of organic mulch, such as bark chips, around the root zone helps conserve soil moisture and suppress weeds, as well as protect the root system. To promote good air circulation, keep the mulch away from the trunk.

Most types of Limes have their peak fruiting season from autumn to spring.

Trees will start to bear fruit from about two years after planting. While small fruit may develop sooner, it’s best to remove them and this will encourage better-sized and better-tasting fruit to develop in the coming years.

Limes are usually picked while they are still under-ripe, tangy and green. However, if they’re left on the tree their skin will yellow and the fruit will become slightly sweeter. So, if your Limes turn yellow, they’re still perfectly fine to eat.

Native finger limes are ready to be picked when they’re full of pulp and the fruit comes easily off the tree.

Yes, it's best practice to remove flowers from young citrus trees for the first few years, so they can put their energy into developing a good root system and branch structure.

For most citrus, it takes about 3-4 years for a well-cared-for tree to become established and to fruit well.

The best time to plant a Lime Tree in cool climates is in spring. The best time to plant a Lime tree in temperate and warm areas is in spring and autumn.

The best time to transplant a Lime tree from one position in the garden to another is in spring.

Lime trees do not usually require pruning. However, if the tree becomes too large for the space, pruning can be done immediately after harvesting the fruit or in late winter. Dead branches or stems can also be pruned off during late winter.

The squiggly lines you see on the leaves of your Lime tree are caused by Citrus Leaf Miner.

Citrus Leaf Miner is a problem during spring and late summer to early autumn. The Citrus Leaf Miner Moth lays eggs onto soft young leaves, tiny larvae hatch and burrow their way through the leaf tissues, causing the foliage to become curled and distorted. A tell-tale sign is the silvery, squiggly lines on the upper or lower surface of the leaves.

Prevention is the best way to reduce Citrus Leaf Miner damage. To deter the adult Citrus Leaf Miner moths from laying eggs on the tree in the first place, spray trees every 5-14 days with  PestOil during spring and late summer to autumn. Avoid applying horticultural oils on hot days with temperatures greater than 35 degrees Celsius, as it may cause the leaves to burn.

If you find small immobile bumps on the stems, leaves or fruits of your Lime tree, and you can squish them under your fingers and ‘juice’ comes out, then it's a sap-sucking pest called Scale. 

Scales can be hard or soft, and come in a variety of sizes and colours, including white, brown and black. Soft Scales excrete a sticky substance called honeydew. Honeydew attracts Ants, so you may see Ants crawling up and down the tree. Honeydew can also lead to a fungal disease called Sooty Mould, which appears as a black powdery film over leaves and stems.

As soon as Scale are noticed, spray Lime trees with Yates Nature’s Way Citrus & Ornamental Spray. This spray works via contact so it’s important to spray the Scale directly. Repeat each week as required.

If there is a white speckled coating on the trunk and branches of your Lime tree, then it's probably White Louse Scale, also known as Citrus Snow Scale. If you look really closely, the individual Scales are long, thin and flat, and sometimes have a brown dot at one end.

To control White Louse Scale, spray Lime trees during winter with Yates Lime Sulfur. This spray works via contact so it’s important to spray the Scale directly.

Symptoms of Citrus Rust Mite appear as brown and rough patches on fruits and are mostly found on less-exposed fruits.

Control Citrus Rust Mite by spraying the Lime tree with Yates Lime Sulfur in winter or summer.

If you see tiny insects congregating at the tips of the branches where the new growth is, and the new growth is wilting, then it's probably Aphids. Aphids are sap-sucking pests and can be green, yellow, brown or black. Aphids excrete a sticky substance called honeydew. Honeydew attracts Ants, so you may see Ants crawling up and down the tree. Honeydew can also lead to a fungal disease called Sooty Mould which appears as a black powdery film over leaves and stems.

As soon as Aphids are noticed, spray Lime trees with Yates Nature’s Way Citrus & Ornamental Spray. This spray works via contact so it’s important to spray the Aphids directly. Repeat each week as required.

Sap-sucking insects, like Aphids and Soft Scales, excrete a sticky substance called honeydew. Honeydew attracts Ants, so you may see Ants crawling up and down the tree. Once the sap-sucking insect is controlled, the honeydew and Ants will disappear.

Sap-sucking pests, like Aphids and Scale, excrete a clear sticky substance called honeydew. The fungal disease Sooty Mould can grow on this honeydew and appears as a black powdery coating over leaves and stems. In severe cases, Sooty Mould can impact plant health. Once the sap-sucking pests are controlled, the honeydew and the Sooty Mould will disappear.

Large smelly bugs on Lime Trees are likely to be Bronze Orange Bugs. Sometimes referred to as stink bugs, they are green when young, turn bright orange as they develop and are dark brown when mature. They are sap-sucking pests and cause new leaves and stems to wilt and die. Bronze Orange Bugs can also feed on young fruit stems, leading to the fruit turning black and dying.

As soon as Bronze Orange Bugs (stink bugs) are noticed, spray Lime trees with Yates Nature’s Way Citrus & Ornamental Spray. This spray works via contact so it’s important to spray the Bronze Orange Bugs directly. Repeat each week as required.

There are a few pests that consume or damage large amounts of Lime tree leaves, including Caterpillars, Snails and Slugs, Possums, Rats, and Birds.

There are various Caterpillars that chew the leaves of Lime trees. If it is the Small or Large Citrus Butterfly Caterpillar, and they are eating more of the foliage than you would like, simply pick them off by hand and squish underfoot. Take care when picking them off as they can exude a foul-smelling substance. 

If there are too many Caterpillars to pick off by hand, then spray them directly with Yates Nature's Way Citrus & Ornamental Spray.

Snails and Slugs can move up the trunk and into Lime trees, chewing on and damaging the leaves. Snails up in amongst the leaves can be picked off by hand. Lightly sprinkle Yates Snail & Slug Bait around the tree's root zone, to kill Snails and Slugs before they can climb up the trunk.

Lime trees can be protected from Possums with netting or a wire cage, or Possums can be deterred with Yates Possum Repellent Spray. Head to our Possum Prevention article for additional information on Possums and how to deter them.

Netting the tree is the best option. Look for wildlife/bird-safe netting, then drape over the tree, or drape over a frame built around the tree.

Other bird-deterrents include decoy birds (e.g., plastic owls), hanging shiny objects, and scarecrows.

Rats can be a real problem near fruit trees. To repel them away from the area, apply RATSAK Rodent Repellent Gel - made from natural ingredients of garlic oil and white pepper.

If you find the stems and branches of your Lime tree are swollen, bulging or lumpy, then it's probably Citrus Gall Wasp.

Citrus Gall Wasp cause large galls to form on citrus plants. The galls form in response to Citrus Gall Wasp larvae feeding inside the soft growth of citrus plants.

There is no chemical control for the Citrus Gall Wasp, but regular monitoring of your Lime tree will ensure no major infestation occurs. The best treatment is to prune off infected stems to remove any galls as soon as they are noticed, especially just before winter. It’s important to dispose of these prunings correctly, by either burning or placing them in a sealed bag in the garbage bin. Then follow up with an application of Yates Thrive Natural Citrus & Fruit Organic Based Pelletised Fertiliser to help the tree recover and promote healthy new growth.

Lime trees, and other citrus, can be prone to Borer. There are a few types of Borer, most are the larvae of Moths and Beetles.

There is no effective chemical control for Borer. Trees that are affected by Borer are usually unhealthy trees that have not had the right care over the past years.

The best thing for Borer is prevention. Use fertilisers and soil improvers, and make sure they are getting enough sun and the right amount of water.

If your Lime fruits, stems, and leaves have brown, rough and raised spots and streaks, chances are it is Melanose Scab - a fungal disease caused by Diaporthe citri.

As a preventative spray, apply Yates Leaf Curl Copper Fungicide. Spray at 50-80 % petal fall and again after 6-12 weeks if necessary.

There are a few things that might cause the bark of Lime trees to shed off, including Collar Rot, White Louse Scale, Rats, Rabbits, and Birds.

Visit the Collar Rot, Scale and Rat problem solver pages via the links above. To prevent Rabbits from eating Lime Tree bark, create a wire cage around the lower trunk.

Lime trees are prone to Root Rot and Collar Rot, particularly during prolonged wet weather or in poorly drained soil. Trees can rapidly start to wilt, shed leaves and die.

Plant trees in well-drained soil in full sun; avoid overwatering; and keep mulch away from the base of the trunk.

As a protective treatment, spray the foliage of trees with Yates Anti Rot Phosacid Systemic Fungicide. Spray trees in late winter prior to flowering, and again in autumn when fruit are approaching maturity.

Lime trees require lots of nutrients to promote healthy green leaves. Nutrient deficiencies result in leaves becoming yellow or discoloured. Once established, feed garden-planted Lime Trees every eight weeks, from spring until the end of harvest, with Yates Thrive Natural Citrus & Fruit Organic Based Pelletised Fertiliser. It’s a special combination of organic ingredients boosted with fast-acting fertilisers, designed to promote healthy green leaf growth and lots of fruit.

Finger Limes should be fed with a fertiliser that’s safe for Australian native plants, like Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser. Apply around the root zone every spring and autumn and water in well.

Lime trees will often produce many more flowers than they can turn into fruit. So, it’s normal for trees to drop some flower buds. However, excess shedding of flower buds may indicate a problem with a lack of nutrients or moisture. Ensure the tree is well-fed with a specialised citrus fertiliser like Yates Thrive Natural Citrus & Fruit Organic Based Pelletised Fertiliser or Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser for Finger Limes. And keep the soil or potting mix consistently moist (not wet).

Soils with excess nitrogen or potassium, or low phosphorus can cause citrus fruits rind to thicken, and dry flesh.

To prevent this, avoid overfeeding and apply a specialty fruit and citrus fertiliser such as Yates Thrive Natural Citrus & Fruit Pelletised Plant Food.