Epic Gardening
Key Lime Bush
Key Lime Bush
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Product Details
Product Details
These bushes are the same species as our key lime tree, but a younger form.
Famous for being the main ingredient in Key Lime Pie, the Key Lime Bush is a semi-tropical evergreen with green leaves, small white flowers, and juicy green fruit that will be available all year round.
For citrus trees that are petite and compact, Citrus x aurantiifolia is a good choice. It grows well in USDA Zones 8-11 in the garden and makes an excellent container plant for colder regions where it can be moved indoors in winter.
The key lime is drought-resistant once established, disease-resistant with few pests, and provides year-round green leaves. If life gives you limes, how lucky are you!
This tree cannot be shipped to AL, AZ, CA, FL, GA, LA, OR, TX.
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Why You'll Love It
Why You'll Love It
- Pest Resistant: Naturally resistant to several pests, this lime will be no bother in the garden.
- Fruit: The key lime's tartness makes it useful for many savory and sweet dishes in the kitchen, especially the iconic pie.
- Long-lasting: Once you have one, two, or more key limes in your garden, you will have a lifetime of limes at your disposal.
- Health Benefits: Packed with nutrients, the fruit is a vitamin C bomb and has a host of other health benefits.
Key Lime Bush
View More Planting Info
Choose a position in the garden that gets at least 6-8 hours of sunlight daily. The soil should be well-draining. If not, amend it with compost before planting. Dig a hole twice the width and as deep as the bush in the nursery bag. Carefully remove the bag and tease the roots so they grow outwards into the surrounding soil. Place the bush in the hole, ensuring the plant is positioned at the same height as in the bag. Backfill with soil and press down as you go. Make a basin around the bush to direct as much water as possible to the root zone. Press down well to remove any air pockets, and add a layer of mulch to conserve water and keep the weeds down. Ensure that the mulch is away from the trunk. Water in well.
Harvesting:
Remove green fruits with pruning shears throughout the year. Fruits won’t ripen after harvesting.
Pruning:
Prune to maintain shape and size. Remove diseased, dead, or crossing branches.
Growth:
Key lime bushes grow 6-12 feet tall but remain more compact with pruning. Space 8 feet from other plants.
- Product Info
- Care and Maintenance
- Planting Care
- Growing Zone
Product Info
Mature Height: 6-12 ft.
Mature Width: 4-8 ft.
Sunlight: Full-Part Sun
Growth Rate: Moderate
Does Not Ship To: AL, AZ, CA, FL, GA, LA, OR, TX
Care and Maintenance
Watering: Water a newly planted key lime every two to three days to ensure it gets well settled in the ground. Keep this up until you see new growth. Then, water once a week. Reduce watering in the winter months.
Fertilizing: Fertilize key limes in spring and summer with a fertilizer formulated for citrus trees. This will include other nutrients they require, like iron, zinc, and manganese. Add a thick layer of compost as mulch every year to increase the nutrients in the soil.
Pruning: Prune in late winter to remove diseased, broken, or dying branches and to shape the bush.
Pests and Diseases: Key limes are generally disease-free. However, there are some sucking insects to look out for, including red spider mites, scale insects, and whiteflies. Treat with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Overwatering can cause root rot, but this is rare if planted in well-draining soil.
Pollination: Key Lime Bush is self-pollinating. You will, however, get a better harvest if two or more plants are grown together. The main pollinators are bees. Indoor trees can be hand-pollinated with a paintbrush to move pollen from one flower to another.
Harvesting: Harvest key limes all year, with the main harvesting season being spring. Cut the fruit off with sharp pruning shears to avoid damaging the plant.
Recovery Time: Transitioning from our nursery to your home can be a bit of a shock to your plant. A short acclimation period helps it recover and reduces stress.
Climate Adjustment: Every environment is unique. Giving your plant time to adjust to the local climate, humidity, and light conditions in a shady spot will set it up for better growth and health.
How to Acclimate Your Plant: Keep the plant in its container and place it in a shady, sheltered area away from high winds. Ensure it's watered adequately – the soil should be moist but not waterlogged. Monitor the plant for any signs of distress and allow it to adjust for a few days before planting. After a few days of acclimation, your plant will be better prepared to thrive in its new home for years to come.
Planting Care
Sunlight: Plant in full sun with at least 6-8 hours of sunlight a day.
Soil: The soil should have plenty of nutrients. Add compost if needed at planting and provide fertilizer and compost every year.
Mature size: This lime will grow 6-12 feet tall with a spread of 4-8 feet. However, it can be pruned to keep it more compact.
Climate: Key limes grow best in the warmer climates.
Thinning: Thin out branches that touch or cross each other in winter. This will allow plenty of airflow through the tree.
Location: Limes in containers need plenty of bright light to flower and set fruit. Those in the garden need a sunny spot with well-draining soil.
Watering: If there is no rain, keep key limes hydrated with average water, but don’t overwater. Mature plants will need watering when the top two inches of soil are dry. Water directly around the trunk, not on the leaves, as prolonged moisture on leaves may invite diseases.
Pruning: Prune only to maintain the tree's shape and size, removing any diseased or dead branches or branches crossing each other.
Spacing: Plant at least 8 feet away from any other trees or nearby structures.
Harvesting: Harvest throughout the year by cutting the green fruits off with pruning shears. The fruits will not ripen further after harvesting.
Pollination: Key limes are self-pollinating and do not require any help to pollinate, apart from the important role bees and other insects play. Indoor plants can be helped by hand pollinating them with a paintbrush.
Hardiness Zone: The Key Lime Bush is suitable for growing outdoors in USDA Zones 8-11.
Fertilizer: Every few months in the growing season in spring and summer, feed with a fertilizer specifically formulated for citrus trees. Read the instructions and apply as recommended. Overfeeding can result in leafy growth and no flowers or fruit.
Growing Zone
Grows Well In Zones: 4-11 patio / 8-11 outdoors
