Citrus × limon 'Variegata' (F/v)

RHS Plant Profile

lemon 'Variegata'

RHS 2002

Synonyms

Citrus × limon 'Variegated Lemon'

Conservatory Greenhouse Fruit Edible Shrubs

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A spiny evergreen shrub with yellow-variegated, ovate leaves and fragrant white flowers, followed by ovoid fruits, striped with green when young, later almost entirely yellow

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

2.5-4 metres

Max Spread

1.5-2.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 10–20 years
Max Spread: 1.5-2.5 metres
Max Height: 2.5-4 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H2

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Rutaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Potentially harmful: Fruit harmful to skin with sunlight/skin allergen (lemon and lime-bearing Citrus only). Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Genus: Citrus are typically evergreen shrubs or trees, frequently spiny, with simple, leathery, aromatic leaves, usually with winged stalks, and often fragrant white or pink-tinged flowers, followed by large, juicy fruits
Name Status: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow as a conservatory or greenhouse plant, in a container of peat-free, loam-based potting compost with added grit, in full light, with shade from hot sun. In growth during spring and summer, water freely, and mist daily. Apply fertilisers formulated for citrus, throughout the year, following the manufacturer’s instructions; water sparingly in winter. See citrus cultivation for further information

Propagation

Propagate by grafting

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Patio and container plants
Architectural
City and courtyard gardens

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

May be susceptible to citrus red spider mite and glasshouse red spider mite, soft scale and fluted scale, aphids, caterpillars and mealybugs under glass

Diseases

Generally disease-free