Cape Rough Skin Lemon Tree for Sale

The Cape Rough Skin Lemon is not the smooth, supermarket-style lemon most people know. It is a more old-fashioned rough lemon type, grown for its strong citrus fragrance, thick textured rind and sharp, acidic juice.

The fruit has a rugged yellow rind and a bold lemon flavour. It is useful in the kitchen wherever you want acidity and aroma rather than a neat-looking table lemon: marinades, preserves, drinks, cleaning vinegar, lemon cordial, pickles and cooking. The rind can also be used for zest when you want a stronger citrus note.

Rough lemons are vigorous citrus trees and are valued in many citrus-growing regions, including South Africa, for their strong growth. In the home garden that means you should give this tree space, sun, good drainage and regular feeding. If you want it smaller, prune lightly and consistently rather than letting it become too large and then cutting it back hard.

Cape Rough Skin Lemon is self-fertile, so one tree can produce fruit on its own. It is still frost-sensitive like other citrus, especially when young, so plant it in a warm, sheltered position and protect it through cold snaps.

Our Cape Rough Skin Lemon Trees are supplied in 5L bags and are grafted onto citrus rootstock for stronger establishment and earlier fruiting than seed-grown citrus.