Growing your own Citrus is an incredibly fun and rewarding way to add flavor, fragrance, and year-round interest to your container gardens, porches, and even indoor areas.
Citrus plants have so many fantastic qualities to recommend them—shiny, evergreen leaves, fragrant flowers, and attractive, nutritious fruits that are produced for many months. And best of all, Citrus can be successfully grown by gardeners in the Pacific Northwest!
Because they are not fully cold hardy, it is best to grow dwarf citrus varieties in pots in the Pacific Northwest to help facilitate Winter protection. Citrus plants are more productive when slightly rootbound, and fruits produced on even the smallest container-grown citrus plant are the same size as those from a full-grown citrus tree, and they taste just as bright and flavorful!
Citrus fruits are nutritious and absolutely delicious, with hundreds of culinary uses that you’ll unlock when you grow your own fruits. Growing citrus in the Pacific Northwest may require some intentional care, but it’s totally worth it.
The 7 Best Citrus Varieties to Grow in the PNW in 2025
Some citrus plants are more cold-resistant than others, though all citruses can be damaged by frost and should be given Winter protection. In general, hardiness tends to follow fruit size—grapefruits are the least hardy, limes and oranges are slightly hardier, and lemons and kumquats are the hardiest of dwarf citruses available at Garden Centers.
Tip: When shopping for citurs, choose sturdy, nursery-raised plants with only a few fruits and flowers—they’ll have stronger tops and better root development!
1. Improved Meyer Lemon
Improved Meyer Lemons are a must-grow thanks to their incredibly reliable production of sweet, fragrant, juicy thin-skinned fruit. Meyer Lemons are not a true lemon—they are actually a type of sour orange with incredibly aromatic orange-yellow fruit that is less acidic than regular lemons and becomes sweeter as it hangs on the tree. Improved Meyer Lemons can fruit year-round and are heavy producers that can yield up to 30 pounds of fruit in a single year from one container-grown plant!
2. Bearss Seedless Lime
The most cold-hardy of all limes is Bearss Seedless Lime, a.k.a. “the bartender’s lime.” In the Pacific Northwest, these limes usually ripen in late summer or fall. Heavy crop of juicy, seedless lime fruits are produced on semi-dwarf, self-fertile plants. Sometimes in cooler climates the ripening fruit turns yellow instead of green.
3. Changsha Mandarin
Changsha Mandarin, an easy-to-peel Mandarin Orange, is a sweet treat for Pacific Northwest growers and is hardy down to 10° F (with consequences)! Watch for ripeness and pick at their prime, otherwise fruit become flavorless hanging on the plant after they’ve reached their peak.
4. Eustis Limequat
Round yellow fruits on the Eustis Limequat are a cross between a Key Lime and a Kumquat, and are grown on sturdy, everbearing plants. The fruit has a tart flavor and edible skin, making it an excellent garnish or citrus for slicing into salads.
5. Variegated Pink Lemon
A strikingly beautiful citrus, Variegated Pink Lemons have creamy white variegation on their leaves, and stunning striped variegation on the outside of the fruit! Inner flesh is light pink and has a strong lemon flavor.
6. Variegated Calamondin
While most people living in the Pacific Northwest might not be familiar with the Calamondin, gardeners will find it to be an incredibly rewarding and fun plant to grow. Strong plants have bright yellow variegation on their leaves, and the small fruits bear green and yellow striping on their skin. The fruit has an intense sour orange flavor, is bright orange on the inside, and has large seeds that are easy to remove.
7. Buddha’s Hand Citron
Buddha’s Hand Citron is a wildly wonderful Citrus that is unlike any other. With long fruit that is made up of many finger-like segments, this is a truly unique plant to add to your Citrus collection. The fruit is incredibly fragrant and is primarily used for its aromatic zest.
How to Grow & Care for Citrus Plants
Temperature Requirements for Citrus
Growing Citrus Plants OUTDOORS
- Citrus plants can be grown outdoors in pots in the Pacific Northwest almost year-round! Most are hardy to Zone 9.
- For Winter protection, move potted plants close to the house under an eave of onto a covered porch, out of wind and rain, and water as needed. If temperatures drop below 28°F, bring into a more protected area like a garage or mud room.
- When nighttime temperatures rise above freezing, return plants to a sheltered outdoor location.
Growing Citrus Plants INDOORS
- In Fall, citrus plants can be brought indoors to a cool, bright location. Keep away from heat vents, fireplaces, or areas that experience frequent temperature fluctuations.
- In Spring, bring citrus plants back outside. Place in morning sun and afternoon shade—as plants acclimate to sun, they can be gradually moved to a full sun location.
- Remember—Citrus plants may lose leaves in heat or with sudden changes in temperature, humidity, or light; foliage should grow back when the environment stabilizes.
Citrus Plant Sunlight Needs
- Citrus plants do best in full sun or with at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily.
- High light levels promote blooming and fruit development.
- If kept indoors during Winter months, it is best to use grow lights for 12 hours per day.
Watering Citrus Plants
- Water thoroughly until water drips from the holes in the bottom of the pot.
- Let the soil dry down 2–3 inches between waterings.
- Never wait until the leaves wilt to water—the stress can cause developing fruit to drop, and prolonged drought causes leaf drop and may even kill the plant.
- In winter, water less and do not fertilize in order to accommodate the lower light levels.
Fertilizing Citrus Plants
- Fertilize in Spring and Summer prior to the flush of new growth, and again in late August; do not fertilize citrus plants in Winter.
- Feed with an organic acid fertilizer such as E.B. Stone Citrus & Fruit Tree Food or G&B Citrus & Fruit Tree Fertilizer. They are organic, probiotic, people/pet safe, and feed for several months.
- If you’re new to fertilizing plants, check out our blog about Fertilizing Basics.
Pruning & Repotting Citrus Plants
- Dwarf citrus can be pruned any time to keep the plant compact and bushy; unpruned plants can grow 6–8 feet tall.
- If needed, repot in early Spring into a slightly larger container every 3 years or so.
- Citrus plants prefer being rootbound to encourage blooming—smaller containers help to prevent root rot due to overwatering.
- If you don’t want to repot citrus into a larger container, you can treat it as a bonsai! Remove plant from pot, trim some top growth and roots, add fresh potting soil such as G&B Palm, Cactus & Citrus Planting Mix, and replant in the same size container.
Treating Citrus for Pests & Diseases
- A few pests are common to citrus plants, especially when kept indoors. Keep an eye out for aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, and scale.
- Prevention is key—inspect plants often to catch problems early. Spray monthly with horticultural oil or clean leaves with an alcohol solution. Look for sticky honeydew as an indicator of insects.
- If pests are present, use insecticidal soap, horticultural oil, neem oil, or Spinosad for treatment (ask one of our experts for a product suggestion). For more on plant pest control, check out our blog to understand common houseplant pests and problems.
- Fungal diseases are a symptom of overwatering—water should be reduced to diminish issues.
Download our GROWING CITRUS CARE SHEET as a quick and easy reference to help ensure your success when growing these fantastic plants.
Why You Should Grow Citrus in the Pacific Northwest
Citrus plants are a fun, impressive addition to any container garden! Multiple varieties mean that seasoned gardeners can curate a collection of favorites, while those new to container gardening can try their hand with a favorite like Meyer Lemons.
Citrus leaves are a pleasing, even green color all year round and can be used culinarily as they often smell like the variety of fruit the plant produces when they are crushed.
The flowers of citrus plants put forth an intense, sweet aroma! Blooms are white, simple, and attractive, with fleshy petals. Often the blooms occur during the coldest, greyest months of the year, with a second flush in Summer.
The real star of the show, however, are the stunning, delicious fruits that are produced on even the smallest citrus plants. Rich in vitamin C, sweet and acidic, truly nothing beats the flavor of fresh, homegrown citrus!
Come pick up your own citrus plant at one of our local garden centers! Pair your new fruit tree with a stylish container from our broad selection of planters for any aesthetic.