Infuse Your Garden with Zest: How to Choose the Ideal Citrus Plant

It’s hard to imagine life without citrus fruits. They are the best source of the immunity-boosting vitamin C, they make for refreshing summer drinks, when combined with hot water they are the secret to weight loss, and not to mention how cocktails and tequila shots just wouldn’t be the same without a slice of citrus fruit in them. As a bonus, citrus plants can be a great way to bring some zest into your garden.

Citrus trees are one of the most popular sightings in Australian gardens, and for very good reasons. They overflow with shiny green leaves and fragrant flowers that make them a great decorative touch, and on top of that, they also produce edible fruits that can bring wonderful flavours to your kitchen. But in order to reap the delicious fruits of success, you need to choose a suitable citrus plant. Here are some important factors to consider when making your choice.

The Size of Your Garden

Consider how much space you have on disposal for growing one or multiple citrus plants. Most oranges and grapefruit trees can reach a height of 4m and require just as much space in width. As such, these types can be the ideal shade providers if you have additional space to spare in your garden. Otherwise, you might want to stick to the smaller dwarf varieties such as Meyer lemons, limes, and finger limes. The great thing about dwarf citrus plants is that they can also be grown in containers for your balcony or front porch. While the dwarf trees might be small (usually under 2m), the fruit is still full-sized and fully delicious.

Weather Conditions

To ensure you’re growing a citrus plant that can thrive in your particular weather zone, look no further than your local nurseries as it won’t be possible for them to stock anything that won’t survive in your weather conditions. Generally, most citrus plants love Australia’s moderate climate, but if you live near the coast, it’s best to avoid variants like naval oranges as they aren’t very keen on humid air.

How Green Is Your Thumb?

Let’s face it, some of us are just bad at growing any plant that’s particularly needy. If you lack the experience or time needed to grow a high-maintenance plant, avoid oranges and stick to lemons. But not all lemons, especially not the Meyer’s lemon which has sweet fruits but is very difficult to please. Instead, go for the reliable Four Seasons and Spanish Verna variants which flower up to three times a year. You can try limes too, such as the no-fuzz Tahiti lime which gives a great amount of fruit. Among grapefruit, the Australian-native variant Wheeny is one of the most popular ones due to being undemanding.