Buying guide

Buy a Lemon Tree Online: Sizes, What to Check, and Where to Buy

By the Plantshop.com Editorial Team · Updated 21 Oct 2026 · How we research · Report an error

A potted lemon tree gives you fragrant flowers and real fruit, and the Meyer lemon is the variety most often sold for containers. Indoors it needs the brightest spot you have, and most do better outdoors in summer.

Is a lemon tree right for you?

It suits you if you can give it full sun: 6-8+ hours; a south window, outdoors in summer and you are happy to water deeply when the top 2 in is dry. Difficulty: Challenging. Toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA lists lemon, Citrus limonia). Not sure? Try the Plant Finder.

Similar plants to consider: Monstera, Snake Plant, Fiddle Leaf Fig, Calathea.

Sizes and what you will receive

Online shops sell plants by nursery pot diameter: about 4 in (small, shelf), 6 in (desk or table), 8-10 in (small floor plant) and 12 in and up (floor statement). Height varies a lot within one pot size, so read the listed height too. A mature lemon tree can reach 3-6 ft in a pot and growth is moderate, so a smaller plant will take time to fill out; buy closer to the size you want.

What to check when buying: a healthy lemon tree

• Firm, evenly colored leaves with no mushy stems at the soil line.
• Soil that is not sour-smelling or waterlogged when it arrives.
• No webbing, sticky residue or tiny moving insects under the leaves.
• Roots, if you peek, that are pale and firm rather than brown and soft.

Problems to know about before buying:

• Dropping leaves: Too little light or a sudden move indoors.
• Yellow leaves: Usually a nutrient shortage; feed with a citrus fertilizer.
• Flowers but no fruit: No pollinators indoors.

Prices

We do not quote prices until we have checked them. They change with pot size, season and sales. To compare fairly, compare the same pot size and check whether a decorative pot and shipping are included.

Shipping and seasonal risks

Tropical plants like this one suffer below about 50°F (10°C). In winter, order from a shop that adds heat packs or holds shipments in freezing weather, and bring the box inside as soon as it arrives. Summer heat in a delivery truck can also damage plants, so avoid long weekends in transit.

Your first week after delivery

1. Unbox right away and photograph any damage; most guarantees need photos within a set window.
2. Water only if the soil is dry; many plants arrive already moist.
3. Give it full sun: 6-8+ hours, but avoid harsh direct sun for a few days.
4. Keep it away from other plants for one to two weeks in case of pests.
5. Wait two to four weeks before repotting. Full care guide: Lemon Tree care.

Where to buy a lemon tree online, and why

We list a shop only after confirming it currently lists this plant (checked 21 Oct 2026). Stock changes daily. We may earn a commission from some links; it never decides what we list. Disclosure.

Compare shipping and guarantee terms side by side in Online plant shop policies compared.