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haname

Kaffir Lime in Phoenix?

Haname
12 years ago

I'm having a hard time finding kaffir lime leaves and would like to just grow my own. I have read that this plant might need some humidity, but does anyone successfully grow the kaffir lime tree in the Phoenix area? If so I would be interested in learning about how you have yours situated re: exposure, surrounding plants, potted or in ground, near a lawn or whatever you can recommend for success. :)

Comments (11)

  • euqruob
    12 years ago

    Saw some yesterday at Tropica Mango in Phoenix, have also seen them at Baker's Nursery. The leaves are great!

  • Haname
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you, called both and one has only standard size and the other has one dwarf left in stock for about $85. I went ahead and ordered one from Larry's Orchids and Tropicals online for $40 including shipping. I hope this will go well for me! :)

    Anyone who has one, please let me know how you keep it.

  • AJBB
    12 years ago

    I have one -- bought it from Baker's 3 years ago on Flying Dragon trifolate rootstock (Four Winds Growers).

    Planted close to the house in massively amended soil and gets afternoon shade. Like most limes here, needs protection if the temps drop below 28 -- I had to poodle mine due to last year's winter cold spells causing massive frost damage.

    The plant is otherwise a vigorous grower here, even on the trifolate root stock. You may want to call Greenfield Citrus in Mesa to get one that's grafted on Seville Sour, the better rootstock for Arizona, if you don't plan to agressively amend.

    The time is running short to plant citrus in the Valley. Next period will be around Thanksgiving. The fact that you're getting a mail order plant with the average highs now hitting 90+ isn't going to help things either.

  • tungstenchef
    12 years ago

    Seconding what AJBB said, Greenfield Citrus is far superior to any other option in my opinion, and their prices are great too. They'll be honest with you, if it's too late to plant kaffir lime they'll tell you.

  • AJBB
    12 years ago

    Here's my kaffir lime today (May 1st) after agressively pruning it back in February.

    Big trunk, small head (lol).

    {{gwi:399935}}

  • AJBB
    12 years ago

    You may also want to check if Larry's actually ships to Arizona. Arizona has fairly strict import laws regarding citrus due to tristeza virus fears... in fact, Arizona is undergoing Federal quarantine due to sweet orange scab disease showing up in both Yuma and Marciopa counties.

  • Haname
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you so much! I received an auto response after placing my order stating that the next shipping day is Monday, and I don't think an actual person has seen the order yet. They should let me know if there is a problem. If this order has to be canceled I'll certainly look into the options recommended here. Is the Seville Sour a dwarfing rootstock?

    My plan was to grow it in a container and move it around according to the weather if it was too delicate for the desert, so I'm glad to hear it grows well here. The website said to plant in a gallon container immediately upon receipt. If it is too late to plant in the ground now, would it also be too late to plant in a container? I could keep it on my covered patio that faces east.

  • AJBB
    12 years ago

    No, it's a standard rootstock. The only dwarf rootstocks are trifolates -- flying dragon, swingle, et al.

    Either way, any citrus can be dwarved with aggressive pruning during the winter to make it grow wide rather than tall.

    Container growing of citrus for Phoenix can be done, especially if you're going after leaves, and not necessarily the fruit.

    Your big problems are:

    1. Cooking the roots on 110+ days in a pot (it's a lot cooler for the plant if it's in the ground).

    2. Watering. You're going to have to water every 3-4 days minimum if you want a vigorous tree. Every other day at the very minimum during the summer.

    Ways to get around that:

    1. Wooden pot, if possible. This may not be an option if your tree is coming in as a 1 gallon seedling. Put it on casters to move it around. You'll bake the tree if you use black plastic or even ceramic if the plant hasn't spent a summer previously in Arizona.

    2. Afternoon shade, starting at 2 to 3 o'clock. This is imperative.

    3. Use of soil supplements like Zeba Quench or Soil Moist that aid in minimizing watering.

    4. Lots of TLC.

    If you do get your plant by mail, be prepared to baby it heavily. If your supplier fails to ship it appropriately, your plant could easily be shocky on arrival, especially if it's sitting on your doorstep after a week of no water and it's 90+ outside.

    If your order doesn't go through, I strongly suggest paying the additional money and buying an Arizona grown plant. It'll likely be bigger, alive when you pick it up, and you can likely keep it in its plastic pot through the summer until the fall.

  • Haname
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    AJBB, I am very grateful for your experienced assistance. Do you approve of the coconut coir fiber for water holding power? I was thinking of using a 50/50 mix of the Miracle Gro Citrus Cactus & Palm mix with the Miracle Gro moisture control in a pot. A wood pot is a great idea to keep the roots cooler and no problem on the afternoon shade. I'm glad my back yard faces east. Since the tree will be small, would it be better to keep in potted and protected for the first year or two, then transplant after it is fully acclimated? And if so, is the better planting time in Fall or Spring?

  • AJBB
    12 years ago

    I think your combination of Miracle Gro Moisture Control and Palm Mix will work well -- just don't use straight Moisture Control or you'll end up rotting out the roots.
    I have some tropicals that are doing well in containers with a similar mix of straight miracle gro potting soil and supersoil palm/cactus.

    You may want to consider getting a moisture meter (irrometer) or use a screwdriver to make sure that the plant dries out between waterings.

    Best of luck on your plant -- I use leaves from mine at least once a month! Just remember -- afternoon shade is critical for container growing in Phoenix.

  • Haname
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Oh my, the irrometer is pricey! A few years ago I bought a moisture meter and it did not work so gave up on that, and went back to getting my fingernails dirty. Looks like the irrometer would actually work but at a high price. I'll try the screwdriver. :)

    Thank you!

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