A failure to flower often indicates he alth problems in the tree. We explain what you can do if your lemon tree isn't blooming.

Each additional white blossom on the lemon tree gives hope for a good harvest

Anyone who has a lemon tree (Citrus x limon) naturally wants to harvest their own lemons. In order for the sour fruits to ripen, the tree must of course first bloom profusely. But not every lemon tree shares the opinion of its owner that it has flowers to bear. With a little background knowledge, you can understand your tree better and, with a bit of luck, convince it to flower.

Fertilization of the lemon tree

Once the lemon tree has started to bloom, many of the numerous blossoms will eventually ripen into juicy sour lemons. However, this only happens when the flowers have been fertilized. Fortunately, lemon trees are self-pollinating. The plants therefore do not need a second tree to bear fruit. Nevertheless, the pollen has to get to the stigma somehow. Otherwise lemon trees cannot blossom. If the tree is outside, wind and insects do the work. However, you should give a little help to couch potatoes who don’t leave the house all year round. A little jerking on the trunk from time to time is usually enough. If the flowers have been fertilized, you can see this soon after they have faded when the little lemons form.

You can find an overview of the different types of pollination here.

Lemon Tree Flowering Period

Stimulated by the rising temperatures after leaving winter quarters, the first buds soon appear, which quickly open as pure white flowers. From this point on, more and more flowers can appear throughout the summer, so that the lemon tree is adorned with ripening lemons, soft pink buds and white flowers at the same time. The flowering period is only over for the time being in autumn and winter, when the tree goes into hibernation. However - especially with the popular 'Four Seasons' lemon - the small white flowers adorn the plant even in some winters.

Frequently there are flowers and ripening fruitsat the same time on the tree

Lemon tree not blooming: Possible causes

But some lemon trees don't bloom in spring, although they should actually show the first flowers. As is so often the case, there are various reasons for this.

  • The winter quarters: Lemon trees that have been wintered in a cooler and darker place flower much later than those that have come through the winter light and a little warmer. If the winter quarters were too dark or cold, there may be no flowering at all.
  • Leaf fall: If the lemon tree lost too many leaves in the past year or even in winter quarters, this indicates a care mistake. The tree now needs all of its energy in the spring to form new leaves. As a result, the lemon tree could no longer bloom this year.
    The right location is crucial here, but watering and fertilizing also play an important role. For tips on fertilizing lemon trees, click here.
  • Age of Plant: If your tree has never flowered, the age of the plant could be the problem. In our Central European regions, the lemon is a real late bloomer. The plant becomes sexually mature and starts to bear flowers at the earliest from the age of seven to eight years.
  • Barren Seed: It is tempting to think of growing your own little tree from the seed of a purchased lemon. In itself this is a wonderful idea, but unfortunately not every one of the pupils is capable of bearing flowers or even fruit. Infertile hybrids are often used to grow lemons, as these hybrids produce better yields than open-pollinated varieties. Although the hybrid crosses bear fruit, the offspring from the seeds of the lemon trees often do not flower.
Lemon trees do not become sexually mature before they are 7 years old - sometimes this can even be as late as 15 years old

What to do if my lemon tree doesn't bloom?

Depending on the reason for the lack of flowering, one or the other can be done to help the lemon to flower beautifully in the future.

  • More suitable winter quarters: Give your lemon tree a little more light and warmth in winter. You can find out what the perfect winter quarters for your lemon tree should be like in our special article.
  • Better care: The lemon tree does not like wet soil and air that is too dry in winter attracts pests that weaken the tree. The cause of leaf fall and yellow leaveswith the lemon tree lies in the wrong care. Proper care is therefore crucial for the tree to regain its strength and thus flower.
  • More light: Choosing a suitable location is essential. Your lemon tree should be outside in the sun as long as temperatures allow. Only if the plant receives enough light will it flower. In the house or behind panes of glass, the incidence of light is drastically reduced. Even in the winter quarters, as much light as possible should reach the plant.
  • Refining: If your little tree is still too young, there is not much that can be done. Only waiting helps. In the future, it is recommended to buy a grafted lemon tree. Here, the scion of an already flowering lemon plant is grafted onto the rootstock grown from a seed. The plant is thus robbed of its youth and soon begins to flower. Refinement also helps against infertile offspring. Unfortunately, you first need the branch of a strong and fruiting lemon tree as scion.
The reason why so many seemingly young trees do bear fruit is that specially purchased lemon trees are usually grafted
  • Use Fertile Seeds: Use a selected lemon seed to grow a lemon tree. You might find the fruit of a real lemon variety at a market, not a hybrid lemon. Otherwise, it helps to ask friends if someone has a fruiting lemon tree at home and could bring a seed.

If the lemon tree is unhappy, it tends to develop yellow leaves. You can find out possible causes and what you can do about them in our special article on yellow leaves on lemon trees.

Category:

Fruit