Can Dwarf Citrus Trees Be Grown Indoors?

Basic Care

• Citrus trees need a lot of sun to produce fruit and should be kept near a south-facing window for maximum light. If they do not receive at least five hours of direct sun each day, you can use grow lights to provide sufficient light. They require humidity in the 30 to 60 percent range, so you will need to mist them daily with filtered water, or stand the pots on a tray of moist pebbles. Water only when the top 2 inches of the soil feels dry. Your pot should be at least 14 inches in diameter and 2 feet tall and filled with potting soil formulated for container gardening. Fertilize once a month from March through August, then feed in November, using citrus-specific fertilizer.

Meyer Lemon (Citrus limon 'Meyer')

• The Meyer lemon is one of the most popular citrus trees to grow indoors. It provides a lot of fruit, flowers year round and doesn't need excessive heat to ripen the lemons. Meyer lemons are slightly sweeter than other varieties. For more fruit, hand pollinate by wiggling a small paintbrush in the center of each flower. The Meyer grows slowly to a height of 3 feet by 2 feet wide. When your tree is still young, remove all but the three thickest stems.

Calamondin Orange (Citrus mitis)

• The Calamondin is actually a hybrid between kumquats and sour mandarin oranges. It produces a great deal of small, very sour fruits, which make excellent marmalade or flavoring for salad dressing or marinades. You will need to hand pollinate by wiggling a small paintbrush in each flower, moving from one to another. The Calamondin will grow to a height of 3 feet, equally as wide. Turn its pot a quarter turn each week so it grows straight.

Trovita Orange (Citrus sinensis 'Trovita')

• The Trovita orange doesn't require as much heat to set fruit as other oranges, making it an agreeable specimen for growing indoors. It developed as a natural variation from a navel orange, which occasionally have seeds. Its fruit ripens in the spring and has few seeds, thin skin and a sweet flavor. It flowers in the spring and can be hand pollinated for a larger crop. It is an excellent orange for juicing.