Citrus trees are great to have in any backyard or inside the house, as they add allure to the surroundings, provide clean scented air, and put the freshest fruit within our reach. However, as much as we may want to have multiple citrus trees at home, limited space often restricts the number of trees we are able to manage. The good news is we now have the option to grow a Lemon Lime Cocktail tree, and get two kinds of fruit from one single tree.
Lemon Lime Hybrid Tree
It may come as a shock to some when they hear that one single tree can produce two types of fruit. It may sound like fiction, but the Cocktail Tree Lemon Lime is already in existence, made possible by horticulturists who have grafted the perfect combination of sweet-tart Meyer Lemons and summery Key Limes onto a single, compatible rootstock. This hybrid Lemon Lime tree is a great option for home gardeners with small spaces but big ambitions.
The wonderful dwarf Lemon Lime tree is a greenhouse specimen that can be planted outdoors in regions with infrequent frosts or USDA plant hardiness zones 9 to 11. For areas experiencing severe frost during the winter season, the dwarf Lemon Lime tree hybrid can still be planted in a container, and moved indoors during the cold months.
Tree Care
When you purchase a Lemon Lime tree for sale, know that it needs proper care to thrive and start bearing fruit. Check out the few tips we have below on how to care for your lemon lime tree for it to start growing lovely blooms that will soon turn into colorful fruit.
- Planting Location – the evergreen Lemon Lime tree hybrid is a citrus tree that needs 6 to 8 hours of sunlight a day. If planted outdoors, select a south-facing location where the tree can get as much sunlight and protection from cold at the same time. If planted in a pot that needs to be moved indoors, make sure to place the pot near a sunny window where it can absorb 6 to 8 full hours of sunlight every day.
- Pruning – keep an eye on the size and health of your Lemon Lime fruit tree branches. Since you are growing a mixed graft fruit tree one branch must not get much bigger than the other branches as they may draw nutrients away from the other branches causing them to become weak. Prune the branches to roughly the same size to divide nutrients and resources equally.
- Fertilization – lemon lime trees, like other fruiting trees, are heavy feeders and should be given citrus fertilizer high in nitrogen. A Lemon Lime hybrid tree should be given a fertilizer with NPK ratio 2-1-1 or 3-1-1 to replenish the nutrients in the soil, and at the same time, provide the tree the necessary nutrients it needs to grow fruit. Make sure to follow the package instructions for the best results.
