Lime Prickly-Ash

Year-round

Wild lime is a spiny, citrus family shrub from south Florida and south Texas. It is not part of the native range for the Atlanta area, and it is only reliably cold hardy to USDA zone 9b, well south of Atlanta's zone 7b to 8a climate. Plan for winter protection or container growing rather than a permanent in ground planting.

• Plant it in full sun to part shade in well drained soil. It tolerates both dry spells and occasional wet soil once established.
• Because Atlanta winters regularly drop well below what this plant can take, growing it in a large pot you can move indoors for winter is the most reliable option here.
• The stems carry hooked thorns. Wear gloves and long sleeves whenever you prune or work close to it.
• It needs very little fertilizer and has few reported pest or disease problems.

HOA-conscious placement keeps this thorny plant back from sidewalks and front walkways.

Fall

First frost in metro Atlanta usually arrives in early to mid November. That is the trigger for the single most important seasonal task with this plant here, getting it out of the cold before a hard freeze hits.

• Bring container plants indoors, or into an unheated garage or sunroom, before the first frost. Do not wait for a hard freeze warning.
• Cut back on watering as the days shorten and growth slows.
• Skip fertilizer from late summer on. Feeding now can push new soft growth that a frost will kill.
• If it is planted in the ground as an experiment, lay down a thick layer of mulch over the root zone before the first cold snap.

Winter

Winter is the hardest season for this plant in metro Atlanta. The Piedmont regularly sees nights in the teens and single digits Fahrenheit, well below the zone 9b to 11 range this species is rated for, so outdoor plants are likely to take serious damage or die.

• Keep container plants in a bright, cool spot like an unheated garage or sunroom. Water only enough to keep the soil from fully drying out, since growth has mostly stopped.
• If it is in the ground, expect dieback after a hard freeze. Wait until spring growth shows before deciding what to prune away.
• Do not fertilize in winter. The plant is not actively growing and cannot use it.
• Watch for the thorny bare stems when moving mulch or doing other winter cleanup nearby.

Spring

In metro Atlanta, spring means watching the calendar for the last frost, commonly mid to late March and sometimes into early April, before this frost tender plant can go back outside or start active growth.

• Wait until night temperatures are reliably above freezing before moving a container plant back outdoors.
• Once new leaves appear, prune away any stems that stayed bare and brittle. That deadwood will not leaf out again.
• A light feeding of a general purpose fertilizer as new growth starts is optional. This plant does not need heavy feeding.
• Watch the forecast for a late cold snap and be ready to cover or move the plant back in if one comes.

Summer

Atlanta summers are hot, humid, and prone to heavy thunderstorms. This plant handles the heat well, but the Piedmont's heavy clay soil holding water after a storm is more likely to cause problems than the heat itself.

• Give it full sun for the best growth and flowering.
• Water deeply during dry stretches, then let the top few inches of soil dry out before watering again. Established plants handle drought well.
• If it is in a container, check that the pot drains freely after heavy rain. Standing water around the roots for days can cause rot.
• New growth is soft and the thorns are sharp, so keep an eye on where the branches are reaching if it is near a path.