My sister Helen has a lemon tree. She bought it about the middle of February at a plant nursery in Dallas and potted it soon afterward. She kept it indoors until the weather warmed up, then put the pot outside. I was with her when she bought the little plant, and I was amazed at how much progress it has made over the past three months.
Her lemon tree is a Meyer lemon tree. The plant is a cross between a lemon and an orange, so the fruit is juicier and sweeter than a typical lemon. The fruit of Meyer lemons also grows a little larger than the lemons that are usually seen. Meyer lemons are sometimes hard to find in the grocery store, so when I come across them I buy a package. They have a distinctive taste. Helen and I have made some wonderful lemon tarts using Meyer lemons. Ann Burrell on the Food Network website has a great Meyer lemon tart recipe.
Meyer lemons give this tart a wonderful taste. It is a very special dessert when paired with fresh blueberries and whipped cream.
This tree has already started producing fruit. There are lemons in various sizes of growth on the tree. I didn’t know that lemon trees would get along so well in east Texas.
I am amazed at the size of the fruit on this young, small tree. Soon Helen will be picking her own lemons out of the back yard.
Isn’t this a beautiful sight? I know I’m going to have to see how a Meyer lemon tree likes the climate in northeastern Arkansas. I think our hot summers would make a lemon tree happy, but Arkansas winters can get extremely cold. Maybe it would like wintering in my warm kitchen.
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