Many citrus plants, including of course the lemon, have spines. Strictly speaking, they are thorns, because these growths grow from the epidermis of the plant - in contrast to spines, which only sit on the outer skin and are therefore easy to break off. Contrary to some forum advice, you should not remove the thorns.
Why does my lemon tree have spines?
Lemon trees may have spines or thorns that grow from the epidermis of the plant. Not all lemon varieties are thorny; noble varieties in particular are often thorn-free. Thorny lemon trees are normal and their thorns should not be removed.
Not every type of lemon has thorns
However – as is so often the case – not all lemons are the same. There are definitely less prickly and even thorn-free varieties. So it may be that your lemon is not thorny - this is just as normal as thorny plants. The noble varieties in particular are often free of thorny growths, as these have been virtually selected out through breeding. However, many wild forms of lemon are thorny, as are the bitter lemon and bitter oranges.
Lemon tree suddenly gets thorns
If your lemon tree is already a few years old and has not yet been noticed by thorns, but suddenly develops them - then it is most likely a graft in which the rootstock has broken out. Thorny bitter oranges and bitter lemons are often used as grafting bases; their thorns naturally become visible when they break out. This can happen if:
- You have over-pruned your lemon
- the graft has died due to insufficient wintering, cold temperatures or other unfavorable conditions
- You did not immediately remove new shoots from the grafting base
The processing point can usually be identified quite quickly if you look closely. As a rule, it is a small lump, below which the color of the bark differs from the color of the bark above the thickening. If new shoots can be seen there or just above the spot, you should immediately grab scissors (€14.00 on Amazon).
Lemons grown from seeds are often thorny
Although grafts often have no thorns, lemon trees grown from seeds almost always do. By the way, this applies to almost all citrus plants, from lemons to oranges to kumquats. By the way, if your lemon tree has more thorns than leaves, this is usually due to a lack of light and incorrect care. Citrus plants often react to a lack of water and nutrients by dropping their leaves. Therefore: Water and fertilize your lemon tree regularly, repot it every one or two years and place it in a sunny spot and in the fresh air in summer.
Tips & Tricks
The spiky growths on the lemon tree can be a little annoying at times, but they are not poisonous.
