A Meyer lemon tree in the kitchen, a kaffir lime tree on the terrace, a blood orange tree on either side of the front door. If ever a plant evolved for living out its life in a pot, surely it's a citrus tree. Especially these. All Bay Flora citrus trees are grafted onto dwarfing or semi-dwarfing rootstock that makes pot culture a snap. Not only do grafted citrus trees bloom and bear fruit at an earlier age than seedlings or cuttings, they also have greater frost resistance. And of the hundreds of citrus tree cultivars, we bring you the most useful, the most beautiful and the easiest to grow. Of course, citrus trees are garden mainstays in Zones 9-10 in the ground, but even in favored climates there's something about a citrus tree in a perfect pot that gives a garden a zing few other shrubs can match. The photo at left shows what citrus can do for a garden, although Villa Castello in Florence may have a headstart on the typical suburban spread. Bay Flora citrus trees are pesticide-free. One-year trees are grown in 4" x 4" x 6" pots. Most of these stand about 12" to 16" above the pot. Main trunk is about 3/8" thick. We also have some two-year trees grown on semi-dwarfing rootstock, in 4" x 9" containers, with a 1/2" caliper trunk, and three-year trees grown on dwarfing rootstock in 5 gallon pots. Please read individual descriptions below. Remember, plants in the spring are typically smaller than plants in mid-summer or fall. All the citrus trees can be grown indoors, but they appreciate spending the summer months outside. Meyer lemon, kaffir lime, Bearss lime, calamondin, kumquat and Trovita orange trees are the easiest citrus trees to grow indoors year-round, although they'll need an appropriate spot that gives them full sun and protection from heating and cooling vents. Citrus trees indoors also require ample humidity. The one-year trees will need to be repotted into a larger container or planted in the ground within a month or so. Make sure to provide excellent drainage. Perlite helps lighten soil mix and helps prevent damage from over-watering (the main culprit in citrus tree death). Protect newly planted trees from hot sun. Expect flowering and fruit within a year for these 1 year citrus trees. Meyer lemons, kaffir limes and Buddha's hand citron are available in 5 gallon containers. We also have some other varieties available in larger sizes, including Moro blood orange, Trovita orange, Italian lemon, calamondin and Bearss lime. Check them out below. These are much more established trees and are shipped in braced boxes for extra protection. Citrus trees can be grown outdoors year-round in Zones 9-10, where they can reach 8' x 8'. Protect from frosts. Full sun and good drainage required for good results. Orders received by Fridays 5 pm PDT will be shipped the following Monday. Shipping charges: 25% for CA, 30% for OR and WA, 40% for rest of continental U.S. Photographs courtesy of UC Riverside Citrus Variety Collection, home to the largest collection of citrus on the planet. *VERY IMPORTANT: NO SHIPPING TO AK, AZ, FL,HI and TX.* |
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| Key Lime Tree Semi-Dwarf Citrus aurantifolia. Also known as the Mexican lime, this small round lime packs a wallop of fragrance and flavor within its thin skin. Famous for its contribution to key lime pies as well as margaritas, daiquiris and mojitos, the Mexican lime also has the most pungent leaves of any citrus. Rub a leaf on your pillowcase and be immersed in a cloud of tropical fragrance at bedtime. Ripens generally October to December and falls from the tree when ready to harvest. Tree is bushy, thorny, and grows to about 6' in a pot, more in the ground. Will not tolerate freezing temperatures. Grown in 4" x 9" pots. | |
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| Washington Navel Orange Tree Semi-Dwarf Citrus sinensis. If you're after the classic seedless orange with its bright flavor, look no further. Also known as the Bahia orange for the Brazil town where it was found in the 19th century, the Washington navel tree is a moderate grower to about 15' with a rounded canopy. You'll have oranges for your breakfast table from November through February. These trees have grown to about 3' tall with branching developing. Grown in 4" x 9" pots. | |
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| 'Bouquet de Fleurs' Sour Orange Tree 5 Gal Citrus aurantium 'Bouquet de Fleurs.' If you’ve ever walked along the narrow streets of Seville and admired the shiny green shrubs covered with small orange fruit, you know the allure of the sour orange. The most ornamental of all the sour oranges, ‘Bouquet de Fleurs’ has rounded, glossy leaves and waxy white flowers that are used in the manufacture of neroli oil, a component of classic perfumes. The peel flavors liqueurs such as Grand Marnier and Cointreau, and the high-pectin fruit is the basis for classic marmalade. Perfect for pot culture, sour oranges become 6’ x 6’ shrubs that will flower in spring and fall. Fruit dangles on the shrub throughout the year. Current crop of new trees is on the small side, narrow and about 2' above soil line. Shipped in 5 gal containers. | |
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| 'Bouquet de Fleurs' Sour Orange Tree 1 Year Citrus aurantium 'Bouquet de Fleurs.' The younger version of the variety shown above. About 16" tall, fairly robust growth for a one year tree. Grown on dwarfing rootstock in 4" x 6" pots. TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK. | |
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| Buddha's Hand Citron Tree Citrus medica var. sarcodactylus. Buddha's Hand citron is a really fun plant to grow. The long and shiny leaves, with tiny serrations, have a rumpled but distinguished air, with a beautiful purple flush on new growth (and young fruit). The tree is shrubby and open in growth, to about 6' tall. Grow outdoors during warm weather and bring indoors during winter months because citrons can't take freezing temperatures. The crowning glory is the winter fruit, which really does look like the hands of Buddha posed so carefully in Tang Dynasty statues. Fruit has no pulp or juice--its claim to fame is its peel, which is loaded with fragrant oils. The pith, unlike other citrus, is not bitter, so no worries about separating it from the peel. Considered the most propitious of fruit in many Asian cultures. Showcase a Buddha's Hand on your dining room table and your entire house will fill with a clean citrus fragrance overlaid with jasmine. Use the peel to make candied citron, zest it onto fish or salads or citrus curds, or flavor alcohol with it. If you don't want to make your own, then buy some Buddha's Hand vodka from the Bay Area distiller Hangar One. Well-branched plants, grafted onto dwarfing rootstock to promote early bearing, are about 2' above soil line in 5 gal containers. This new crop of trees is on the small side at the moment. Shipped in 36" x 12" x 12" boxes, with wooden bracing. | |
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| Kara Mandarin Tree 5 Gal Citrus reticulata x. The Kara mandarin is a cross between the Owari Satsuma mandarin and the King tangerine. It's a little more frost-sensitive than the Owari, but the plant is more vigorous and the fruit is larger. Blooms in spring and fruit ripens the following spring. Needs a little more heat than the Owari satsuma. Rich flavor to this easy to peel mandarin orange. Grown on dwarfing rootstock in 5 gal containers. Shipped in braced 3' x 1' x 1' boxes. Plants are well-developed and flowering. | |
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| Improved Meyer Lemon Tree 1 Year Citrus x meyeri. The Meyer lemon tree is our most popular citrus, for good reasons. This is the most adaptable citrus tree available for indoor growing. Meyer lemon trees, along with kumquats and satsumas, can also take more frost than other citrus trees. And Meyer lemon trees bear fruit even in the fog belt, with the biggest crop fall through spring. Not a true lemon, the Meyer is a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. So why do chefs from Abilene to Zanesville beg for these lemons? Because the thin skin is full of fragrant oils, the fruit is sweet yet penetrating in flavor, and the juice makes the best lemonade ever. Shipped in 4" x 6" pots. Grown on dwarfing rootstock. Trees are on the small side, but some have fruit. TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK. | |
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| Improved Meyer Lemon Tree Semi-Dwarf Citrus x meyeri. This Meyer lemon is grown on semi-dwarfing rootstock and produces a more vigorous plant than the dwarf Meyer lemon. In the ground it will grow to about 10', as opposed to 8' for dwarf citrus. In a pot you can keep this semi-dwarf lemon tree the same size as the dwarf Meyer lemon. Equally great for indoor culture, and some of these Meyer lemon trees are blooming. These trees are grown in 4" x 9" containers, so they'll need a pot that's about 8" wide and 12" deep. Main trunk is about 1/2" thick. TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK. | |
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| Improved Meyer Lemon Tree 5 Gal Citrus x meyerii. This older and larger version of our 1 year Meyer lemon tree has a nice branching structure, a main trunk that's about one-half inch thick, and stands about 2' above the 5 gallon container. Shipped in braced 36" x 12" x 12" containers. Some trees are fruiting, which can happen from fall through spring and sporadically through the summer. This new crop of trees is on the small side at the moment but will have a new flush of growth in a month or two. TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK. | |
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| Variegated Pink Lemon Citrus limon. Swirls and blobs of creamy white marble the lemon-scented leaves of this Eureka sport. New growth is burgundy with pink edging, almost like a variegated fuchsia. Each leaf is unique, with three different shades of green as background for the creamy marbling. Wow! The young fruit also show off stippled creamy stripes over the green rind. The pulp is pink, hence the nickname 'Pink Lemonade.' Like most variegated plants, 'Variegated Pink Lemon' is a little less vigorous than its forebears, so it's grown on semi-dwarfing rootstock to provide more growth in its early years. Over 2' tall, in 4" x 9" containers. TEMPORARILY SOLD OUT. | |
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| Lisbon Lemon Tree 5 Gal Citrus limon. The Lisbon lemon is what you want if you're looking for the lemon found in the grocery store. High-acid fruit develops well without high temperatures and the tree is vigorous in many areas. Blooms and fruits throughout the year, but main crop of fruit occurs in winter and early spring. Frost-sensitive and not suitable for indoor culture unless you have a conservatory. Grown on dwarfing rootstock in 5 gal containers. Trees are currently on the small side, but will have a flush of new growth by the end of March. Shipped in 3' x 1' x 1' braced containers. | |
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| Italian Lemon Tree 1 Year Citrus limon 'Genoa.' Italians take their lemons seriously. This Italian lemon cultivar was brought to California from Genoa, Italy over a hundred years ago. A little-known yet cherished lemon for most of that time, gardeners around the U.S. are finally able to grow 'Genoa' and experience its merits for themselves. The fruits ripen throughout the year on vigorous shrubs that are less thorny than 'Villa Franca'. Peel, high in lemon oil, is the base for the most divine limoncello you'll ever sip. Juice is perfect for drinks and marinades. Spreading growth to 6' x 6.' More frost sensitive than Meyer lemon. Benefits from spending summer outdoors. Shipped in 4" x 6" pots. TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK. | |
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| Italian Lemon Tree 5 Gal Citrus limon 'Genoa.' These are whopping big plants that will outgrow their 4' shipping boxes any day. Same wonderful qualities as the 1 year trees, but you should get flowering this year, since most trees are already developing flower buds. OUT OF STOCK UNTIL FALL 2010. | |
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| Owari Satsuma Mandarin Tree 5 Gal Citrus reticulata subsp. unshiu. The Owari satsuma is more cold-hardy than other citrus, with established trees surviving temperatures of 15 degrees. Owari satsumas are also slower growing than other mandarins, which makes it more manageable in the ground in warm climates. The spreading growth habit of this citrus tree is charming, with slightly drooping leaves. Current crop of trees is small, but they have flushes of new growth just beginning. And there's nothing more exciting in the gardening world than picking your very own mandarin orange, peeling the loose skin and enjoying the fruits of your labor. Grown on dwarfing rootstock in 5 gal containers. Shipped in braced 3' x 1' x 1' boxes. | |
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| 'Nagami' Kumquat Tree 5 Gal Fortunella margarita 'Nagami.' Of all the citrus trees, the kumquat may be the most decorative and suitable for pot culture. It's also fairly cold-hardy relative to other citrus, since it is semi-dormant in winter. Kumquats flower in the summer, and you need only a few to appreciate the fragrance. Its oval leaves are dark green and the olive-shaped fruit that appear in winter and ripen throughout the spring are a bright orange when ready to eat. In fact, the name kumquat is derived from the Cantonese word for golden orange. Fruit lasts a long time on the tree, usually until June. Kumquats are eaten whole, since the peel is the sweetest part of the fruit. The contrast between the sweet peel and the sour pulp is a mouth-watering experience. Thin slices of kumquat make any salad special. Or fruit punch, or iced tea, or grilled fish, or...you get the idea. Current crop of trees is well-established and fruiting. Feed with a citrus food that contains zinc, because this cultivar can become deficient in that nutrient. Shipped in 5 gal containers, these trees are full and fruiting. | |
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| 'Meiwa' Kumquat Tree 1 Year Fortunella margarita 'Meiwa.' Like all kumquats, 'Meiwa' benefits from warm temperatures during fruit development in early spring. Heat helps develop the flavor of the fruit. 'Meiwa' differs from 'Nagami' in the shape of the fruit, which is rounder and slightly larger. The rind is also thicker, which results in a sweeter taste. Slightly more cold sensitive than 'Nagami.' Current crop of trees are on the small side. Shipped in 4" x 6" containers. TEMPORARILY SOLD OUT. | |
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| 'Meiwa' Kumquat 5 Gal Fortunella margarita 'Meiwa.' These kumquat trees are the devil to propagate, but well worth the trouble (see above). Trees are on the small side but are currently covered with those sweet/sour round fruit. Grown on dwarfing rootstock in 5 gal containers. Shipped in 3'x 1'x 1' braced boxes. | |
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| Kaffir Lime Tree 1 Year Citrus hystrix. The species name for the kaffir lime tree is Greek for porcupine and you'll find out why this plant is so named when you're careless in handling it. But oh, these amazing leaves. Kaffir lime leaves grow in a manner unique to the plant world. One leaf appears to grow from the tip of another. And when you crush them between your fingers, the released fragrant oils would make a stable smell like a spa. They're necessary ingredients in many Asian dishes. The dried kaffir lime leaf is a pathetic version of one picked off a plant growing in your kitchen window. Fruit from kaffir lime trees bears an alarming resemblance to those bumpy osage oranges that scare cows all over the Midwest, but it's smaller and a much darker green. Very frost sensitive, so bring indoors when temperatures dip into the 30s. Benefits from humid conditions, but not wet soil. Also enjoys a dash of epsom salts every month or so. Shipped in 4" x 6" pots, trees are about 12" tall, not much branching yet, and grown on dwarfing rootstock. TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK. | |
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| Kaffir Lime Tree Semi-Dwarf Citrus hystrix. A heftier version of the one year dwarf Kaffir lime, this tree is grown on semi-dwarfing rootstock in 4" x 9" pots. About 3' tall, beginning to branch. You can prune the top of the tree to harvest leaves, and new growth will develop below the cut. OUT OF STOCK UNTIL MAY 2010. | |
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| Kaffir Lime Tree 5 Gal Citrus hystrix. If you don't want to wait for the 1 year trees to grow, then here's your chance to have a year's supply of kaffir lime leaves fresh off the tree. About 2' tall, with one-half inch trunk and branching above the graft. Grown in 5 gal pots and shipped in braced 36" x 12" x 12" containers. New crop of trees is small this time of year. | |
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| Bearss Seedless Lime Tree Semi-Dwarf Citrus latifolia. Bearss seedless lime tree originated in the Porterville, California citrus tree grove of T.J. Bearss in 1895. The classic lime for cooking and bartending, Bearss limes ripen even in cooler coastal areas. This citrus tree is a fast grower with fruit ripening in the fall. Its leaves are especially good for coating with melted chocolate (use the underside of the leaf). After the chocolate sets, pull off the leaf to reveal a chocolate twin with a tantalizing hint of citrus. Perfect for decorating cakes and lemon curds. One of the easier citrus trees to grow in pots outdoors if you're willing to bring the pot indoors when temperatures drop below freezing. Shipped in 4" x 9" pots, trees are over 2' tall, with side branches beginning to develop. One of the more vigorous citrus trees, especially when grown on semi-dwarfing rootstock such as these. | |
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| Bearss Seedless Lime Tree 5 Gal Citrus latifolia. If you can't wait for a smaller Bearss lime tree to get to fruiting size, then this 5 gal lime tree is for you. Blooms in spring, fruits in fall. Vigorous grower. Grown on dwarfing rootstock in 5 gal containers. Current crop of trees is small, with new flush of growth beginning to develop. Shipped in 3' x 1' x 1' braced containers. | |
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| Calamondin Citrus Tree 1 Year Citrus x Citrofortunella mitis. One whiff of the numerous flowers of this kumquat-orange hybrid and you'll succumb to the charms of the Calamondin tree. Mature Calamondin fruit is about an inch wide and has an orange skin when ripe. The fruit will last on the tree for months. Flowers on the Calamondin tree appear throughout the year, with an abundance in early summer. Calamondin fruit is used extensively in the Philippines for marinating fish, creating marmalades and making juice (add sugar because it is very sour). The always entertaining food writer Marlena Spieler is a great fan of the Calamondin, and you will be too once you have some on hand. One of the easier citrus to grow indoors. This crop of trees is bushy and well-established. 1 year trees in 4" x 6" containers. TEMPORARILY SOLD OUT. | |
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| Calamondin Tree 5 Gal Citrus x Citrofortunella mitis. Like teenagers, Calamondin trees may go through a difficult period in their early years and can sulk for no apparent reason. If you'd like to avoid such challenges, then try an established tree like our 5 gal specimens. This is a new crop of trees, so they're on the small side. Not blooming/fruiting at the moment, but the new growth should support flowering this season. The fragrance of these flowers is truly intoxicating. | |
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| Moro Blood Orange Tree Semi-Dwarf Citrus sinensis. For a Moro blood orange tree to ripen properly, plant it in front of a stone wall. The retained heat will help the blood orange fruit ripen in early spring. Moro blood orange trees definitely need to be planted in a lot of sun to develop the sugars that make their fruit so appealing in salads and so rich in color. The tart juice has a fresh raspberry flavor. An amazing public garden south of San Francisco, Filoli, grew this citrus tree to perfection on a decomposed granite terrace. The space was a long rectangle, with weeping Camperdown elms at each end. Five blood orange trees were grown in terra cotta pots around each weeping elm, forming a double pentangle. Sublime. Shipped in 4" x 9" pots, these trees are over 2' tall, developing a branching structure on most trees, and sturdy. | |
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| Moro Blood Orange Tree 5 Gal Citrus sinensis. Well established trees in 5 gal containers, these Moro Blood orange trees are full and bushy. Grown on dwarfing rootstock. Shipped in 3' x 1' x 1' braced containers. TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK. | |
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| Trovita Sweet Orange Tree 1 Year Citrus sinensis. A chance seedling of the Washington navel orange, the Trovita orange is juicier and sweeter than its parent. It lacks the juvenile segment that produces a navel. Fruit is smaller than parent and may have a few seeds. The Trovita ripens in spring. Since it also blooms in spring, you may have blooms and fruit at the same time, as in photo. This is the only orange that is suitable for indoor culture, since it will develop a sweet flavor without a lot of heat. Shipped in 4" x 6" pots. TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK. | |
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| Trovita Sweet Orange Tree 5 Gal Citrus sinensis. Get a jump start on those sweet Trovita oranges with a 5 gal specimen. These trees have put on a lot of growth during the past few months and are looking great, very bushy with flower buds. | |
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