Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Palm or Cycad
Origin
Asia
United States, Southeastern United States
Types
Avalon Lemon, Bears Lemon, Buddha's Hand, Bush Lemon, Citron
Rhapidophyllum hystrix
Number of Varieties
5015
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mixed deciduous forest, Tropical regions
Cold Regions, Subtropical climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-126-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-6
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
120.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Light Yellow, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Lemon yellow
Dark Red, Brown, Sienna
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Needle like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, occasional watering once established
Needs small amount of water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Generally pruned to waist height, pruning needed for strong structure, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Doesn't require fertilization when grown in rich soil
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Grasshoppers, Leafminers, Red blotch, Rust, Snails
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Drought and Salt
Cold climate, Frost
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Rabbits, Small mammals
Allergy
Diarrhea, Hyperacidity, Sore Throat, Whooping Cough
drowsiness, Scratches
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden
bank hedging, Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
Glowing Skin, Maintains teeth healthy, Making cosmetics, Nourishes scalp, Perfumes, Skin inflammation
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Fixes Nitrogen, Insect Repellent, soil stabilisation
Air purification, Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Antibacterial, Antirheumatic, Appetizer, Bone strength, Digestion problems, Hangover, Healthy teeth, Nutrients, Obesity, Oral health, Skin irritation
Aging, Frostbite
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Air freshner, Biomass for fuel, Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves are used as mosquito repellent, Making Perfumes, Preferably used as black tea, Used as a nutritious food item
Application in Handicrafts, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CITRUS limon
RHAPIDOPHYLLUM hystrix
Common Name
Lemon
Needle Palm, Porcupine plant
In Hindi
नींबू
सुई ताड़
In German
Citrone or Limone or Zitrone
Nadel -Palme
In French
Citron or Citronnier
palmier aiguille
In Spanish
Limón or Limonero
palmera aguja
In Greek
Λεμόνι [Lemóni]
βελόνα φοίνικα
In Portuguese
Limão
palmeira agulha
In Polish
Cytrynowy
Igła palma
In Latin
Limon
acus palma
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Arecales
Family
Rutaceae
Arecaceae
Genus
Citrus
Rhapidophyllum
Clade
Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Corypheae
Subfamily
-
Coryphoideae
Number of Species
5010
1
27800
👆🏻