Why Lemon Tree Not Flowering?

Failure to bloom often indicates health problems in the tree. We explain what to do if your lemon tree not flowering. Anyone who has a lemon tree ( Citrus x Limon ) naturally also wants to harvest their own lemons. In order for the sour fruits to ripen, the tree must of course first bloom abundantly. But not every lemon tree shares the opinion of its owner that it should have flowers. With a little background knowledge, you can understand your tree better and, with a little luck, convince you of the blossom.

Fertilization of the lemon tree

Once the lemon tree has started to bloom, many of the numerous flowers will eventually mature into juicy, sour lemons. However, this only happens when the flowers have been fertilized. Fortunately, lemon trees are self-pollinators. So the plants don’t need a second tree to bear fruit. Nevertheless, the pollen has to get to the stigma somehow. Otherwise, lemon trees will not be able to bloom. If the tree is outside, wind and insects do the work. Couch otters that do not move outside the house all year round should, however, help a little. A small jerk on the trunk now and then is usually enough. If the flowers have been fertilized, you can tell this soon after they have faded, when the small lemons are forming.

Lemon tree blossom time

Stimulated by the rising temperatures after leaving the winter quarters, the first buds soon appear, which quickly open as pure white flowers. From this point on, more and more flowers can appear over the entire summer, so that the lemon tree is adorned by ripening lemons, pale pink buds, and white flowers at the same time. Only in autumn and winter, when the tree goes into hibernation, the flowering time is over for the time being. However – especially with the popular ‘Vier Jahreszeiten’ lemon – the small white flowers adorn the plant even in many winters.

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The lemon tree does not bloom: possible causes

But many a lemon tree does not bloom in spring, although it should actually be showing the first flowers. As is so often the case, there are various reasons for this.

• The winter quarters: Lemon trees that have been overwintered cooler and darker bloom significantly later than those that have come light and a little warmer over the winter. If the winter quarters were too dark or too cold, flowering may fail entirely.
• Leaf fall: If the lemon tree has lost too many leaves in the past year or even in winter, this indicates a care error. The tree now needs all of its energy in spring to develop new leaves. As a result, it could be this year that the lemon tree will no longer bloom.
  The right location is crucial here, but watering and fertilizing also play an important role. Tips on fertilizing lemon trees can be found here.
• Age of the plant: If your tree has never flowered, the age of the plant could be the problem. In our Central European regions, the lemon is a real late bloomer. The plant becomes sexually mature and begins to bear flowers at the earliest from the age of seven to eight years.
• Barren seeds: The idea of growing your own sapling from the seeds of a bought lemon is tempting. In itself, this is a wonderful idea, but unfortunately, not all of the pupils are able to bear flowers or even fruit. Infertile hybrids are often used to grow lemons, as these hybrids produce better yields than non-seed varieties. The hybrid crosses bear fruit, but the offspring from the kernels of the lemon trees often do not bloom.

What to do if my lemon tree doesn’t bloom?

Depending on the cause of the lack of flowering, one or the other can be done to help the lemon bloom beautifully in the future.

• More suitable winter quarters: Treat your lemon tree to a little more light and warmth in winter. In our special article, you can find out how the perfect winter quarters for the wintering of your lemon tree should look like.
• Better care: The lemon tree does not like wet soil and air that is too dry in winter attracts pests that weaken the tree. The cause of leaf fall and yellow leaves on the lemon tree is incorrect care. Proper care is therefore crucial for the tree to regain its strength and thus to bloom.
• More light: Choosing a suitable location is essential. As long as temperatures allow, your lemon tree should be outside in the sun. The plant will only flower if it receives enough light. In the house or behind glass panes, the incidence of light is drastically reduced. Even in winter quarters, as much light as possible should get to the plant.
• Refining: If your little tree is still too young, there is not much that can be done. The only thing that helps is to wait. In the future, it is advisable to buy a grafted lemon tree. Here, the noble rice of an already blooming lemon plant is grafted onto the base grown from seed. The plant is thus robbed of its youth and immediately begins to flower. Grafting also helps against sterile offspring. Unfortunately, you first need the branch of a strong and fruity lemon tree as noble rice.

• Use fertile seeds: Use a selected lemon kernel to grow a lemon tree. Perhaps you will find the fruit of a real lemon variety in a market, i.e. not a hybrid lemon. Otherwise, it helps to ask friends if someone doesn’t have a fruiting lemon tree at home and could bring a seed with them.

If the lemon tree is dissatisfied, it tends to develop yellow leaves. You can find out possible causes and what you can do about them in our special article on the subject of yellow leaves on the lemon tree.