Lemon Tree

One of the garden’s most frequently used trees, providing lemons for everyday cooking, preserving, drinks and sharing.

A tree we return to all year

The lemon tree is one of those plants we return to again and again. There is usually a reason to pick a lemon—something being cooked, a drink being made, fruit to preserve or a few extras to share.

It quietly works for the garden too. Evergreen leaves give the orchard structure through winter, fragrant flowers bring visiting insects and the fruit can wait on the tree until it is needed. Peels and unusable fruit can complete the cycle through the compost system.

Its role in the garden

• Provides lemons for everyday cooking, drinks, preserving and sharing.

• Adds evergreen shelter and structure to the productive garden.

• Offers fragrant flowers for bees and other visiting insects.

• Holds fruit on the tree, extending the practical harvest period.

• Connects orchard harvests with the Sharing Stall and compost system.

At a glance

Location: Urban orchard, 38 The Parade, Island Bay
Plant type: Evergreen fruit tree
Harvest: Through much of the year, with a stronger winter crop
Botanical name: Citrus × limon
Family: Rutaceae
Pollination: Self-fertile; flowers are also visited by bees and other insects
Cultivar: Add if known

For us, the lemon tree is a good example of a plant becoming part of the daily rhythm of a home as well as the wider garden system.