When to Pick Fruit From Lemon Trees

Lemons, ready to pick, are bright yellow and plump.

In their most immature stage, lemons appear green. After three to four months blooming on the branch, the fruits mature into a radiant yellow. Usually ready to pick and harvest in early to mid-summer, bloom times do differ. Note that unpicked lemons over-ripen, aging into a faded banana-yellow.

Varying Bloom Times

Lemon tree varieties produce fruit at different times throughout the year, usually one to four times annually. The Meyer lemon and Mexican lime bear fruit four times per year; the navel orange generally only produces once.

Flowers

The harvest time with the most numerous and largest fruits, golf ball in size, occur in mid to late summer. A few fruits continue to drop through final harvest.

Full Maturity

At full maturity, lemons turn bright yellow on the tree. However, they may be juicy and flavorful enough to pick before they change color, when they still have a mint-green blush.

References

• Citrus Trees Online: FAQ
• Texas Citrus: Professor and Extension Horticulturist: Lemons

Resources

• Sacramento Press (October 2010): "Harvesting the City of Fruit Trees"
• Joy of Baking: Lemon Recipes