How to Grow Calamansi
Calamansi At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Citrus
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Tender
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -3°C
Plant Family
Rutaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Buy a young grafted calamansi in a pot: it fruits within about 2 years, and one tree is enough, since it pollinates itself. Grow it in a large pot with drainage holes, so you can wheel it outdoors about 2 weeks after your last frost and back inside before fall frost.
Calamansi is a small, sour citrus from the Philippines, used like a tart lime, and one of the easiest citrus to keep in a pot. It is damaged below about -3°C, so it spends summer outside and winter in a bright, cool room, and it often flowers and fruits at the same time.
When To Start
Calamansi needs warmth. Wait until your last frost has passed and the soil has warmed before sowing.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Calamansi?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Calamansi Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Calamansi Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Pot up your calamansi and set it outside in the sun
2 weeks after your last frost
Lightly shape your calamansi
30 days after your last frost· every year· optional
Bring your calamansi inside to a bright, cool room
3 weeks before your first frost· every year
Taste a calamansi: pick when juicy, green or orange
240 days after your last frost· every year
Water your new calamansi plants well while they settle in. Deep and slow is best.
About 1 days after you plant it
Checking in on your calamansi! Water when the top few cm of soil feel dry, then let the pot drain.
About 30 days after you plant it
Your calamansi has settled in. Give it your sunniest spot, and bring it indoors before the first frost.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Calamansi's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
300 cm
Plant Spacing
400 cm
Row Spacing
Vertical Growing
No.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Give your calamansi full sun outdoors in summer and your brightest window indoors in winter.
- 2Use a well-drained, slightly acidic potting mix, such as a citrus or cactus mix with some compost.
- 3Water when the top few cm of mix are dry, and empty the saucer so the roots never sit in water.
- 4Feed with worm castings or compost tea every 3 to 4 weeks from spring to late summer.
- 5In winter, keep it in a bright, cool room away from heaters, so it rests.
- 6Indoors, look under the leaves for scale insects (small brown bumps) and spider mites, and wipe them off with a damp cloth or rinse the tree in the shower.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
250 cm
Mature Height
200 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
60 days
When to Pick
Pick green-to-orange and slightly soft; juiced like a tart lime
How to Harvest
- 1Calamansi can be picked green or orange, once the fruit feels juicy and gives a little when squeezed.
- 2Taste one first, since citrus does not ripen after picking.
- 3Snip each fruit off with scissors, leaving a tiny bit of stem, so you do not tear the skin.
- 4The tree carries fruit for months, so pick as you need it.
- 5Squeeze the juice over fish, noodles or rice, or stir it into water with honey for a tart drink.
- 6Keep picked fruit in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
Still have a question?
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