Citrus
Lisbon Lemon
Citrus x limon 'Lisbon' · Rutaceae
Also called: Lisbon Lemon, True Lemon
Lisbon Lemon (Citrus x limon 'Lisbon') is a moderate-water citrus well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun, with a fast growth rate. Expect white with purple-tinged buds blooms in flushes through the year.
Lisbon Lemon at a glance
- Water use
- Moderate (established)
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours) for heaviest production. Vigorous and dense, so it can also serve as a sun-shielding canopy; protect young trunks from west-afternoon sun.
- Mature size
- Large and vigorous: 15-25 ft tall and wide on standard rootstock; commonly kept 12-15 ft, smaller on dwarf rootstock.
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Bloom
- White with purple-tinged buds, Blooms in flushes through the year (main flush spring); produces fruit nearly year-round with peaks in late fall through winter and again in summer.
- Cold hardiness
- USDA 9a-9b. Frost-tender like all lemons (damaged below about 28-30 F), but more cold- and heat-tolerant than Eureka, which is why it is a preferred true lemon for the low desert. Protect young trees from hard freezes.
- Soil
- Well-drained desert soil, alkaline-tolerant; avoid soggy roots and caliche. Mound-plant in heavy soils.
- Native range
- Cultivar of lemon (C. x limon, a hybrid of citron and sour orange) of Asian origin; the Lisbon selection traces to Portugal/Australia.
- Best used as
- Cooking and juicing (classic tart lemon), Fresh use and preserves, Edible landscape / hedge / screen, Pollinator forage
- Wildlife
- Repeat blooms feed honeybees; thorny dense canopy offers bird cover.
- Toxicity
- Fruit edible and safe for humans. Leaves, peel oils, and seeds toxic to dogs, cats, and horses in quantity; prominent thorns can injure.
How to grow Lisbon Lemon in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Deep, infrequent irrigation to ~3 ft: about every 7-10 days in summer, every 2-3 weeks spring/fall, every 4-6 weeks winter. Keep water even during bloom and set to reduce fruit drop; irrigate at the dripline.
Fertilizer & nutrients
About 1-1.5 lb actual N per year for a mature tree in three splits (Jan-Feb, Mar-Apr, May-Jun); lemons are heavy nitrogen feeders. Add iron/zinc/manganese (chelated) for alkaline-soil chlorosis common in Tucson.
Pruning & care
Tolerates harder pruning than most citrus; thin the dense, thorny, vigorous canopy and remove suckers and deadwood after the main harvest. Wear gloves and watch for sharp thorns. Can be hedged or kept lower.
Notes
The standard heavy-bearing true lemon for the Arizona low desert: smooth-rind, tart, juicy fruit produced abundantly and nearly year-round. More heat- and cold-tolerant and more thorny/vigorous than Eureka. Self-fruitful. Plant fall to early spring in a frost-drained spot; protect bark from sunburn on young trees.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension az1001 'Low Desert Citrus Varieties'; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension 'Citrus Fertilization Chart for Arizona'; AMWUA Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert; SummerWinds Nursery Arizona citrus variety guide