Is Lime Fruit And Lime Blossoms Falling Off Tree Normal?

Two Whole Limes
fresh limes
(Image credit: Denira777)

Lime tree blossoms are lovely and fragrant. A happy lime tree can produce an abundance of flowers, all of which can potentially produce fruit, but lime blossoms falling off trees or lime tree dropping fruit can be alarming. Let's look at the possible causes.

Reasons for Lime Blossoms Falling Off Trees or Lime Tree Dropping Fruit

There are a few reasons for lime blossoms falling off tree or lime tree dropping fruit. Listed below are some of the most common: Natural thinning - Lime tree fruit drop or blossom drop can be completely normal. Many times, a tree may produce more blossoms and fruit than it can support. The lime tree will abort some of the blossoms or fruit so that it is left with only the amount that it can support and be a healthy tree. Uneven watering - While lime tree fruit drop is normal most of the time, there are a few problems that may cause lime tree blossoms or fruit to fall. One of these is uneven watering. If your lime tree has had a prolonged period of dryness followed by a sudden drenching, the tree may be stressed and will drop some or all of its fruit an blossoms. Keeping the lime blossoms on the tree means that you should make sure that your tree gets an even amount of water. If rainfall has been light, supplement by watering the tree from a hose. pH imbalance - Lime tree blossoms can also fall from the tree due to the soil being too alkaline or acidic. These conditions prevent the lime tree from properly taking in nutrients. Without the proper nutrients, the tree is unable to survive and grow fruit, so lime tree fruit drop occurs so that the tree can survive.

How to Fix Lime Tree Blossom and Fruit Drop

Chances are, a lime tree dropping fruit or lime blossoms falling off the tree is perfectly normal. You should not worry about it unless your lime tree shows other signs of distress, such as leaf drop or discolored leaves or if your lime tree drops all of its fruit or blossoms. Keeping the lime blossoms on the tree as best you can is really just a matter of keeping your lime tree as healthy as possible.

Heather Rhoades
Founder of Gardening Know How

Heather Rhoades founded Gardening Know How in 2007. She holds degrees from Cleveland State University and Northern Kentucky University. She is an avid gardener with a passion for community, and is a recipient of the Master Gardeners of Ohio Lifetime Achievement Award.