Prune a Meyer lemon tree lightly: shape it, control its height, and remove dead wood, thorny water sprouts and suckers from below the graft. UF/IFAS says to prune a lemon to remove water sprouts (vigorous, thorny shoots) and dead wood, which is a source of disease, and to shape the tree and control its height and spread. It also notes that mature citrus generally need no canopy pruning except after injury. This page supports our Meyer lemon tree guide, and it is short on purpose, because there is little to cut.
When to prune a Meyer lemon
Do your main pruning in spring, once the risk of a hard frost has passed. A cut can trigger tender new growth, and a late frost damages it. Lemon flowers and young fruit are killed near 29°F, and leaves are damaged at 22–24°F (UF/IFAS). Dead or broken wood can come out at any time.
For a tree in a pot that spends winter indoors, a light trim when you move it back outside is a natural time. Our guide to growing a Meyer lemon tree indoors covers that move.
What to cut and what to leave
| What you see | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dead, dry or broken branches | Cut back to healthy wood | UF/IFAS lists dead wood as a source of disease |
| Vigorous, thorny shoots growing straight up from the branches (water sprouts) | Remove at the base | UF/IFAS lists them for removal |
| Shoots growing from the trunk or roots below the graft union (suckers) | Cut off flush with the trunk | They come from the rootstock, not the Meyer, and will not bear Meyer fruit |
| Branches that cross or rub | Remove the weaker one | Opens the canopy and avoids wounds |
| A leggy shoot that is too tall or wide | Shorten it to just above a leaf | UF/IFAS says pruning controls height and spread |
| Limbs killed by scale | Cut out below the damage | UF/IFAS says scale feeding can split bark and kill limbs |
| Healthy, fruiting branches | Leave them alone | Mature citrus need little canopy pruning (UF/IFAS) |
How to prune step by step
- Use clean, sharp bypass pruners. Wipe the blades with rubbing alcohol before you start and between trees. Use loppers or a small saw for anything thicker than a finger.
- Cut out the dead and damaged wood first. Follow a dead branch back to the first healthy growth. Cut just above a bud or a branch junction.
- Remove suckers and water sprouts. Find where each one starts. Cut at the base, not partway along the shoot.
- Shorten the tallest shoots. To hold the tree at a size you can reach, cut each leggy shoot back to just above a leaf. New growth then comes from just below the cut.
- Step back and look at the shape. UF/IFAS says to prune lightly to a dome shape as the tree matures. Stop when the canopy is open and balanced.
How to tell a sucker from a branch
A grafted Meyer has a graft union near the base of the trunk, usually a slight bulge or a change in bark. Anything that grows from below that point comes from the rootstock. Rootstock shoots often look different from the Meyer: the leaves can be a different shape and size, and the stems are often more thorny and vigorous. If you are unsure, trace the shoot back. If it starts below the graft union, remove it. If it starts above it, it is part of your Meyer.
Take suckers off as soon as you see them, since they compete with the grafted tree for water and nutrients. A pot-grown tree with a buried graft union is harder to read, so keep the graft above the soil line when you plant or repot.
Pruning a young tree
A young tree needs very little. Remove any dead tips and suckers, and let it grow. If one shoot grows much taller than the rest and spoils the shape, shorten it to just above a leaf. UF/IFAS describes pruning to shape a lemon and control its height and spread, and a few light cuts in the first years are enough to do that.
Pruning a Meyer lemon in a pot
In a container, you use pruning mostly to keep the tree at a size you can move. Texas A&M AgriLife says to choose a pot small enough to be moved indoors in freezing weather, and the canopy has to fit through the door too. Shorten the tallest branches a little each spring rather than cutting hard once. Our Meyer lemon tree in a pot guide covers the pot, soil and watering.
Pruning after cold damage
After a freeze, resist the urge to cut. UF/IFAS says mature citrus need canopy pruning mainly after injury, but cold damage takes weeks to show. Wait until new growth starts in spring, then cut back to live wood. Lemon wood is severely damaged near 20°F (UF/IFAS), so a tree that dropped its leaves in a cold snap may still have live wood below the damage.
If your tree has not fruited yet
A young tree that has not fruited needs time more than pruning. UF/IFAS says young lemon trees usually begin fruit production in the third year. Our Meyer lemon tree guide covers feeding, flowering and harvest.
Frequently asked questions
When should I prune a Meyer lemon tree?
Prune in spring once the risk of frost has passed, so a cut does not trigger tender new growth just before cold weather. Dead or broken wood can come out at any time.
How much can I prune off a Meyer lemon tree?
Little. UF/IFAS says to prune lemons lightly to shape the tree and control height and spread, and says mature citrus generally need no canopy pruning except after injury. Take out only what is dead, thorny, crossing or too tall.
What are suckers on a Meyer lemon tree?
On a grafted tree, a sucker is a shoot that grows from the rootstock below the graft union. It will not bear Meyer lemons. Cut it off at its base, flush with the trunk or root.
Can pruning keep a Meyer lemon small in a pot?
Yes. Light heading cuts hold the height and spread, which is what UF/IFAS describes for lemons. Keep the tree at a size you can still move indoors for winter.
Sources
- The Lemon Tree: Lemon Growing in the Florida Home Landscape (HS402), UF/IFAS Extension
- Cultural Tips for Growing Citrus, UC IPM, University of California
- Citrus, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension