Plant guide:ð Lemon Tree
Back to Plant Clinic
â MinorðĐš
Watering
Lemon Tree Flowers Dropping in Low Humidity
Commonly affects: Citrus limon (Lemon Tree)
Flowers open but wither and drop quickly without setting fruit, particularly in dry indoor conditions during winter flowering.
Potential Causes
- 1Low humidity, especially in centrally-heated indoor environments, causing flowers to dry out and abort before pollination can occur
- 2Indoor growing lacking the natural pollinator activity that outdoor trees benefit from
- 3Inconsistent watering during the flowering period adding additional stress
Solution Steps
- 1Increase humidity around the tree during flowering with a humidifier or pebble tray
- 2Hand-pollinate flowers with a small brush to compensate for the lack of natural pollinators indoors
- 3Maintain consistent, even watering through the flowering period
- 4Consider moving the tree to a slightly more humid room or bathroom with good light during its bloom period
Prevention Tip
Indoor winter-flowering lemon trees face a double challenge of low humidity and no natural pollinators â addressing both significantly improves fruit set.
