• A potted meyer lemon tree with yellow lemons and green leaves in a terracotta pot, set outdoors on a gravel surface with a building wall and shutter in the background.
  • A potted young meyer lemon bush with green leaves in a black plastic nursery pot, isolated on a white background.
  • Informational graphic for a Improved Meyer Lemon Bush, featuring a top photo of lemons and text stating it is self-pollinating and produces a full crop on its own.
  • A USDA hardiness zone map of the United States with labeled patio and outdoor zones, showing a light teal map on a beige background with explanatory text blocks below.
  • White flowers with green leaves from the meyer lemon bush on a blurred green background
  • A potted meyer lemon bush with green leaves and yellow lemons, placed in a woven basket planter on a windowsill with a window view in the background.
  • Several bright yellow lemons from the meyer lemon bush arranged in a white bowl on a light fabric surface.
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Improved Meyer Lemon Bush

Sweeter than any lemon you can buy

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About the Variety

New

Key Features

Heat Tolerant
Container Friendly
Fragrant
Attracts Bees
Edible
Challenging but Rewarding

Plant Details

LIFE CYCLE

  • Perennial

SEED TYPE

  • Live Plant

LIGHT REQUIREMENT

  • Full Sun

BLOOM SEASON

  • Spring - intermittent blooms year-round

GROWTH HABIT

  • Compact Bush
  • Upright

COLOR

  • Green

MATURE SIZE

  • 5-10 ft. x 3-4 ft.

The Improved Meyer Lemon Bush makes growing your own fresh lemons easier than ever, bringing fragrant blossoms and flavorful fruit to patios, porches, balconies, and garden spaces. Naturally compact and easy to maintain, this productive citrus is a cross between a true lemon and a mandarin orange, producing round, deep golden-yellow to orange fruit with a sweeter, less acidic flavor than the tart lemons found at the grocery store. The Bush is grown with fuller branching beginning closer to the base, creating a dense, shrub-like appearance.

Its glossy evergreen foliage thrives outdoors in warm climates and adapts beautifully to container growing, spending summers in the sun and winters in a bright indoor location wherever temperatures dip below freezing.

This item is excluded from coupon codes and site-wide promotions.

Available across most of the U.S. — except AK, AL, AZ, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, OR, TX.

  • • Smooth rind and juicy flesh make the zest as valuable as the squeeze
  • • Enjoy making fresh lemonade, salad dressings, marinades, desserts, and cocktails
  • • Naturally compact and slow to outgrow a pot

Planting Information

PLANTING SEASON

  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Fall

PLANTING DEPTH

  • Plant at the same depth as the container

WATER NEEDS

  • Average

PLANT SPACING

  • 5 to 6 feet

HARDINESS ZONES

  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11

Planting Guide

recommended growing zone View our Meyers Lemon Tree Planting Guide to learn more.

Ready to Grow

We guarantee that our seeds & bulbs will be true to type and ready to thrive. If something doesn't grow as expected, we will make it right. Questions? Call us at 855-440-2929

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Improved Meyer Lemon Bush FAQs

How is an Improved Meyer lemon different from a regular lemon?

It's a natural lemon–mandarin cross, so the fruit is sweeter, less acidic, and deeper gold than a standard grocery lemon. The thin, fragrant skin is edible, making the whole fruit useful for zest, juice, cooking, and baking. Most people find Meyers far more versatile — and much better fresh — than ordinary lemons.

Can I grow it indoors or in a cold climate?

Yes. The Improved Meyer is one of the best citrus for containers. Grow it outdoors year-round in zones 8–11, or anywhere in a pot that spends summers outside and winters indoors. It's damaged below about 28°F, so in cold regions move it inside before the first frost and give it the brightest window you have, or a grow light.

How soon will it produce lemons?

Sooner than most fruit trees. A healthy, well-grown Improved Meyer can flower and set fruit while still young, often within the first year or two, and a mature plant fruits heavily, frequently flowering and fruiting at the same time.

Do I need more than one plant to get fruit?

No. Meyer lemons are self-fertile, so a single plant will produce. Outdoors, bees handle pollination; for indoor plants, gently transfer pollen from flower to flower with a small brush to boost the harvest.

Why are the leaves turning yellow or dropping?

Yellowing is usually a watering or nutrition issue. Soggy soil and poor drainage are the most common causes, so let the top inch dry between waterings and make sure pots drain freely. Pale leaves with green veins point to a micronutrient shortage. In this case, feed with a citrus fertilizer that includes iron, zinc, and manganese. A little leaf drop after a move or a change in light is normal.

What can I make with Meyer lemons?

Almost anything! The thin, aromatic peel is part of the appeal. Use the zest in baking and dressings, the sweet-tart juice in lemonade, marinades, and cocktails, and whole slices to brighten roasted vegetables, fish, and chicken. The whole fruit is usable, which is exactly why home cooks and chefs prize them.

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