Not Lemons, Not Limes: The Exotic Fruit Tree That Can Thrive Outdoors In Cold Climates

If you like to garden but live in a colder climate, it's no surprise that you may research fruit trees that thrive in the fall and winter seasons. You may already know about the popular cold-weather options like apples and sour cherries. These fruits produce generous harvests year after year, even in USDA Hardiness Zone 4, where lows can reach -30 degrees Fahrenheit. If your winters aren't quite that cold but are still too cool to grow citrus trees like lemons and limes, listen up: It might be time to try a yuzu (Citrus junos) tree. Not so much an eating-out-of-hand kind of fruit, you can use yuzu juice and rind to flavor your culinary creations.

Up until now, you may have thought about growing a citrus tree indoors if your winters are too cold for most citrus varieties. For gardeners in zones 7 and 8, there's finally a citrus option that you won't have to bring indoors when the weather cools. Yuzu, the citrus fruit you may have only heard about on the "Great British Baking Show," is more accessible than you might have imagined. Lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit trees can only be grown outdoors in zones 9 to 11, and can't survive when temperatures drop below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Yuzu withstands cold climates, with temperatures as low as 10 degrees Fahrenheit with protection, making it accessible to zone 8 and even zone 7.

If you've never seen or tasted it, yuzu fruits are yellow or orangish, round like most citrus, and taste like a mix of mandarin and grapefruit. But to grow these delicious relatives of lemons and limes, first you'll need to know where to set up your citrus tree for success. Yuzu will need some extra protection when temperatures are below 20 degrees. To do so, mulch around the tree and situate it in a warm microclimate within your yard. Many times, planting it near a warm exterior wall that faces full south will do the trick. If you live in a colder climate than zone 7, you can still grow yuzu, but plant it in a pot and plan to move it indoors during the winter.

In addition to the right temperature range in winter, there are a few other growing requirements you should know if you want to cultivate a yuzu citrus tree. These exotic trees need full sun and well-draining, acidic soil. You may also need to add compost, worm castings, and/or aged manure since these trees prefer rich soil. And make sure your spot will allow the tree to reach its mature size of 10 feet wide by 15 feet tall.  Once you have verified whether yuzu will thrive in your location or not, you can add it to your list of exotic fruit trees that can grow in cold climates; next, you can check out loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), the fast-growing fruit tree you probably haven't heard of.