A dwarf lemon tree makes an excellent houseplant with its fragrant flowers followed by the yellow fruit. I found an article which explains how you can grow a lemon tree from seed, but there are problems with this approach so it is easier to purchase a full grown plant. The information comes from Marion Owens over at the Plan Tea website and tells you all you need to know about growing a lemon tree.
My dad makes his Caesar salad dressing from scratch, which calls for fresh lemon juice. He squeezes the lemons by hand, which yields juice, and sometimes a few seeds…
One time, I noticed a tiny, green shoot emerging from one of the seeds. It had sprouted. Question is, if you plant the seed, will produce fruit someday?Here’s the deal: As long as the seed is not damaged, and it didn’t dry out while you were doing the dishes, the odds are good that it will produce a plant. The plant will have oval, shiny green leaves, fragrant winter flowers, and a better chance at usable fruit than sweet citrus like oranges, which need hot summers to develop sugars and seldom bear fruit in confinement (potted, indoors).
Lemons on the other hand, don’t mind life as a houseplant and will be comfortable in containers as long as the container is large and the soil in them is well drained. There are a couple downsides, however: For one, seed-grown lemon trees are often a gamble when it comes to height–you may need a 20-foot ceiling!
According to Leslie Land, garden writer for the New York Times, if you’re serious about citrus, consider trees that are sold for growing in containers because they are generally dwarf varieties, like the Meyer lemon, or grafted onto dwarfing rootstock.
Meyer lemons are hardier than other lemons and more generous about fruiting. During warm summer periods, you can set them outside for a dose of the real stuff. According to Raintree Nursery, they produce medium size juicy lemons. And here’s an added bonus: The waxy white blossoms are lovely and fragrant.
See more at Plan Tea
Image source: Rachel Tayse
Beautiful!!