Lemon
Also called Meyer lemon, Lemon tree.
| Light | full sun |
|---|---|
| Water | Every 7 days in the growing season, every 18 in winter |
| Pets | Cats toxic, dogs toxic |
Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control, toxic and non-toxic plants, Lemon entry.
Edible here means commonly eaten. Nothing on this site is medical or dietary advice.
Toxic to cats and dogs if chewed. Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. The principles are essential oils and psoralens, in the peel and the foliage rather than the flesh of the fruit. Keep it where an animal that eats houseplants cannot reach it, and speak to a vet if one does. In South Africa telephone the Poison Information Helpline on 0861 555 777; in the US, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435.
A lemon in a pot is the most rewarding difficult plant on this list. It wants what its Mediterranean home gives it: bright light, a gritty compost that drains freely, water that soaks and then dries, and a cool but frost free winter rest. What kills them indoors is a warm room with damp compost, which rots the roots while the leaves drop one by one. Feed with a proper citrus feed, which is formulated for the way they take up iron and nitrogen, and water with rainwater where the tap water is hard. Move it outdoors for the summer if you can, and bring it in before the first frost. The fruit ripens slowly over months and holds on the tree.
Ailments observed
| Yellow new leaves at the growing tip | Iron chlorosis, from alkaline tap water locking up the iron. Water with rainwater and feed with a citrus feed containing chelated iron. Yellow between green veins on the newest leaves is the sign. |
|---|---|
| Leaves falling off | A move, a cold draught, or wet compost. Keep it somewhere steady, above five degrees, and let the compost dry between waterings. Citrus drop leaves at every change. |
Filed underStatement plants
Neighbouring entries
Apple
Malus domesticaApples: the bare root planting months for each hemisphere, when the fruit is actually ready to pick, and what the codling moth leaves behind in it.
Corn plant
Dracaena fragransCorn plant care for an office corner, with the long watering interval it wants, why the tips brown, and how to cut a bare cane back.
Dragon tree
Dracaena marginataDragon tree care for an office or a hallway, with how often to water, why the tips brown, and how to cut a bare stem so it branches.