Plant guide:ð Lemon Tree
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Leaves
Lemon Tree Dropping Leaves
Commonly affects: Citrus limon (Lemon Tree)
The tree sheds a noticeable number of leaves, sometimes suddenly, even though remaining leaves may look otherwise healthy.
Potential Causes
- 1Sudden environmental change â a move, draft, or significant change in light or temperature causing stress-related drop
- 2Overwatering or underwatering, both of which can trigger defensive leaf drop in citrus
- 3Cold exposure or drafts, since lemon trees are sensitive to sudden temperature swings
- 4Natural response to being moved indoors for winter after a season outdoors
Solution Steps
- 1Keep the plant in a stable location away from drafts and sudden temperature changes where possible
- 2Check soil moisture and correct watering practice, since both extremes can trigger drop
- 3Expect and accept some leaf drop when transitioning a plant between indoor and outdoor conditions seasonally
- 4Be patient, since citrus typically recovers and produces new growth once conditions stabilise
Prevention Tip
Some leaf drop when moving a lemon tree between outdoor summer conditions and indoor winter quarters is normal and expected, not necessarily a sign of a problem.
