Several varieties of citrus trees, including the key lime (Citrus aurantiifolia) and kaffir lime, make ideal choices for indoor growing. When grown outdoors, the wind and insects such as bees handle the pollination of lime trees. If you grow your lime tree in a container indoors, however, you don't have the benefit of natural pollination. Lime trees make lovely houseplants even when not pollinated, but if you're hoping for your tree to grow some fruit, you'll need to take over the task yourself.
Watch for small white flowers to appear on your lime tree. The tree's flowering time depends on its species and the conditions inside the building.
Find the female and male parts of a flower. The female part, called the stigma, is a thick sticky structure in the middle of the flower. Each flower has several male parts, called anthers, that stick out of the flower's center. The anthers have balls of pollen on the tips.
Rub the pollen off the anthers, using a cotton swab or small paintbrush. If you don't have either tool, use your fingertip to collect the pollen.
Coat the stigma with as much pollen as possible to increase the chance of pollination. Repeat this process with the other flowers on the tree.
Watch for signs of pollination. When pollinated, flowers will begin to produce tiny fruits. It may take several days or longer for fruits to appear. Fruits are usually ready to pick within six to nine months after pollination.
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Things You Will Need
- Small paintbrush or cotton swab
- It can take up to three years for a young lime tree to start producing flowers and fruit.
- Your tree will need plenty of full sun or adequate artificial lighting to produce fruit. Lime trees also need between 30 and 60 percent humidity for the best growth. Use a humidifier to boost your home's humidity in the dry winter months.
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