Is It Okay to Mix Satsuma Orange & Lemon Trees Together?

Pollination

• Lemons produce complete flowers, meaning that both the pollen and seed-producing parts are in each flower on the tree. Because of this they do not need to be pollinated by a compatible tree to set fruit. Satsuma oranges are able to produce fruit without any type of pollination at all. Since cross-pollination is not a concern, Satsuma orange and Lemon trees can be planted together without concerns of harming fruit production.

Space

• Citrus trees like Satsuma oranges and lemons need space to grow. Planting trees too close to each other or to buildings limits the amount of light available to the trees and restricts air movement around their leaves and branches. This can result in lower fruit yield and makes a better environment for pests to attack the trees. Satsuma oranges need an unobstructed area 20 to 30 feet around the tree to grow properly. Lemons need 15 to 20 feet of space, so growing these two trees together does require a large garden.

Water

• Combining a Satsuma orange tree with a lemon tree can result in watering challenges if the trees are planted next to each other. Lemon trees prefer the soil to be evenly moist, whereas Satsuma orange trees need the soil to be allowed to dry completely between waterings. The individual water needs of the two types of trees are better met when the trees are planted in separate sections of the garden. Water needs should be taken into consideration before planting the two types of trees in the same garden.

Temperature

• Having a thriving Satsuma orange tree in the garden does not ensure that a lemon tree will grow as well. Unlike most citruses, Satsuma oranges have some tolerance to freezing temperatures. Mature trees can survive temperatures as low as 18 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures below the mid-20s for five to ten hours will freeze and ruin the fruit, however. Lemon trees cannot survive freezing temperatures and should not be planted in areas that get occasional frost.