Plotwright
Home
Lemon
Habit (mature) · Xosema / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Limited coverage
Lemon
Citrus x limon
The leading acid citrus — a small broadleaf-evergreen tree to 10-20 feet, usually armed with sharp thorns on the twigs, bearing fragrant white flowers (purplish beneath) that ripen into the familiar oval, nipple-tipped yellow fruit dotted with aromatic oil glands. A tender subtropical: hardy outdoors only in USDA zones 9-11, but a classic large-container plant that can summer outside and overwinter indoors in colder climates. Native to Asia, not North America.
Review: Source-backed
Climate fit: narrow (30/100)
Focal point
Edible
Container
Light
Full sun
Water
Moderate water
Mature size
120-240" tall · 144" apart
Hardy in zones
9a-11b
frosty to nearly frost-free winters
Summer heat range
Warm-Extreme
warm to extreme summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
No
A documented larval host for the Giant swallowtail — caterpillars feed on its foliage before becoming the next generation.
Wildlife relationships
Cold hardiness
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Won't grow here
2050
Zone 7b
Plotwright
Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)
Won't grow here
In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.
Out of range today and still out of range in 2050.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Lemon (Citrus x limon). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/lemon
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited18 source-backed.
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
Botanical research database
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes
Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Backs 1 field
Image
Community photos
The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.
Plotwright
Climate-aware plant planning — every plant checked against your zone now and in 2050.
support@arteractive.co
© 2026 Plotwright