Meet the Variegated Pink Eureka Lemon
Meet the lemon that took the gardening world by storm—if you plant only one citrus this year, make it this tree
Thomas J. Story
The buds’ fuchsia color complements a Jardiniere pot from Bauer Pottery Company (bauerpottery.com).
The tree: The variegated pink Eureka lemon is usually sold in a 5-gallon container when it’s 2 to 3 years old.
In the ground, it grows 12 to 15 feet tall. Keep it small enough for a pot by pruning the foliage and roots every four to five years.
The foliage: Apple green leaves have creamy white to pale yellow edges.
Where to grow: Display in a site that gets at least 4 hours of sun a day (8 is better), and is protected from wind and frost.
Which zones: It grows well outdoors in Sunset climate zones 8, 9, 12–24, H1, H2; indoors elsewhere. Find your zone in the Sunset Plant Finder
Bob Wigand
The pale yellow fruit is streaked with green before fully matured.
The fruit: Green streaked with gold when young, it matures to pale yellow. Pink flesh produces clear juice. Expect a few lemons early on; more when the plant is four to five years old.
How to plant: Choose a pot at least 16 inches in diameter. Fill the bottom inch with fast-draining potting mix, set in the rootball, fill around it with more soil, then water.
More tips on how to grow citrus
3 more cool citrus for pots:
University of California, Riverside, citrus variety collection
‘Gold Nugget’ mandarin.
‘Gold Nugget’ mandarin: Seedless and super-sweet, these easy-to-peel mandarins ripen on the tree from early spring through summer.
University of California, Riverside, citrus variety collection
Australian finger lime.
Australian finger lime: Its jalapeño-shaped fruit can reach 5 inches long. Inside, “beads” filled with tart juice burst when you bite into them.
University of California, Riverside, citrus variety collection
Organic Meyer lemon tree.
Organic Meyer lemon: The favored sweet-tart fruit is now available on an organically grown tree. It starts bearing fruit early on and can produce all year.
