A compact, rounded citrus with glossy evergreen leaves, fragrant white flowers and small orange fruit eaten whole, peel and all. It is among the most cold-hardy citrus for the Valley and fits easily in a courtyard, side yard or large pot.
Living with it in the Phoenix Valley
Watering
Follow the tree schedule in our Landscape Care guide. Like all citrus, it does best with deep, thorough soaks rather than frequent light watering, and steady moisture through bloom and fruit set. Keep water out toward the canopy edge rather than against the trunk.
Pruning
Very little is needed. Remove suckers from below the graft and any dead wood. Leave the lower branches in place; the leafy skirt shades the trunk and protects it from sunburn.
Feeding
Citrus are heavy feeders. A citrus fertilizer split into three applications a year, traditionally around Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day, keeps leaves green and fruit coming.
Harvest
Pick when fruit is fully orange with no green; it does not ripen further off the tree. Meiwa is the round, sweeter type most often eaten fresh.
How our designers use it
Courtyards and patios
Its small size and tidy shape suit tight spaces near seating, where the fragrance and fruit can be enjoyed up close.
Containers
It adapts well to a large pot, which also makes it easy to place in a protected spot out of the harshest afternoon sun.
Edible gardens
We pair it with herbs and other citrus to make a kitchen garden that still looks ornamental year-round.
Good to know
Around the pool
Litter is light, but dropped fruit gets messy on paving if left. Keep it a few feet back from the deck and pick fruit regularly.
