Lemon Tree Guide: How to Grow & Care For Lemon Trees

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The History of Lemons

Before we share tips on how to plant and grow any type of produce, flower, tree, or shrub, we always like to provide a brief history of the flora we’re discussing. We feel that knowing more about the plant you’re growing helps you gain a better appreciation it.

Though the exact origin of the lemon tree isn’t known, historians believe that the first lemons grew in China, northern Burma, or Assam, a region of northeast India.

According to scientists, the very first citrus fruits began growing around 8 million years ago. Eventually, those trees created the first lemons. The results of a genomic study revealed that the citrus fruit is the cross between citron and sour oranges.

Archeologists estimate that lemons spread into Europe, southern Italy, specifically, in the second century AD; however, they were not widely cultivated, so they were quite rare and considered a valuable commodity. In ancient Rome, for example, the citrus fruit was so ubiquitous that it was considered a luxury that was only available to the elite.

Lemons ripe for harvesting

In about 700 AD, lemon trees spread into Persia, and from there, the travels to Egypt and Iraq. The first literary recording of the citrus fruit dates back to the 10^th century, where it was written about in an Arabic dissertation about farming.

In addition to being used for food, lemon trees were also used in Islamic gardens as a decorative plant. From 1000 and 1150 AD, the plants were widely distributed throughout the Arabian and Mediterranean regions.

It wasn’t until the 15^th century AD that the first notable cultivation of lemon trees took place, where they were widely grown in Genoa for their food and ornamental value. In 1493, Christopher Columbus brought lemon seeds with him during his voyage to Hispaniola.

Thanks to the conquests of the Spanish, lemon seeds were spread throughout the New World. At first, lemons were primarily used for medicinal and decorative purposes. Fast forward to the 1800s, and lemon trees were extremely popular in warm U.S. locations, such as California and Florida.

The name of this citrus fruit is believed to be Middle Eastern, but it is known that the name lemon is derived from the word limon, an Old French word, and then the Italian word limone.

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Tips for Planting and Growing Lemons

Now that we have some background information about lemons, let’s take a look at how you can successfully plant and grow this beloved citrus fruit. In this section, we share some handy tips that you can use to help you yield a healthy lemon crop in your own yard.

Seed Propagation

Like many other fruits, it’s pretty easy to propagate lemons from seed. However, while the process is rather simple, do note that you will need to have a bit of patience, as it does take time.

Also worth noting is that there’s a chance that you would get the exact same lemon as the fruit that you propagated the seed from.