Conditional — Some Areas
Meyer lemon (zones 9-11) reaches only part of Georgia (7a-9b): zone 9 are in range, so where you are in the state decides it.
Meyer Lemon in Georgia — the short answer
Meyer Lemon in Georgia: hardy in zones 9–11, full sun, against a state median of ~275 frost-free days.
- Plant zones
- 9-11
- Manual horticultural correction (source not retained); NC State Extension and Missouri Botanical Garden, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation
- Georgia zones
- 7a-9b
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Feb 17 - Mar 10 – Nov 24 - Dec 4
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Shortest county season
- 204 days
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — per-field provenance varies and is published with the dataset.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Georgia spans zones 7a-9b, but your yard sits in exactly one — and slope, tree cover, and cold-air pockets nudge it further. Enter your address and we'll score meyer lemon against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Georgia is not one climate
Georgia’s winter-low ladder runs across 159 counties, from zone 7.5 in Fannin County to zone 9 in Worth County. That is 15°F between the two counties’ average coldest night — the difference between meyer lemon overwintering in the ground and coming under cover.
The middle half of 159 counties runs 8–9 zones, with a median of 8.5 zones — a 1.5-zone span end to end.
Measured across 159 Georgia counties. USDA PHZM 2023, per county. Quartiles are order statistics — every figure shown is a value a real county recorded, not an interpolation. Your own site sits somewhere inside this range; a parcel report resolves where.
Where in Georgia Fits Best
Meyer Lemon is rated for zones 9–11 — a cold floor USDA puts at 20 to 30°F. Against Georgia’s 159 counties that band holds in 43 of them, and the line runs at Atkinson County (zone 9a), the coldest county still inside it.
Inside zones 9–11
43 counties
- Bacon County · zone 9a
- Ben Hill County · zone 9a
- Berrien County · zone 9a
3 of 43 shown
Below the zone 9 floor
116 counties
- Fannin County · zone 7b
- Gilmer County · zone 7b
- Rabun County · zone 7b
3 of 116 shown
Winter cold is the limit here — the same plant works in a container that comes under cover.
County hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023, per county. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so the floor above is the band the plant's rating denotes, not a single measured kill point. Slope, shelter and cold-air drainage routinely move a site half a zone either way from its county figure — which is the part only your address resolves.
Even within Georgia's zones 7a-9b, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for meyer lemon (USDA PHZM 2023):
Zone Comparison
Meyer Lemon Needs
- USDA Zones: 9-11
- Frost-Free Days: 140+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 10 ft tall
- Picking window: ~28 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: Medium
Georgia Has
- USDA Zones: 7a-9b
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Feb 17 - Mar 10
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 24 - Dec 4
- Annual Rainfall: 45-55 inches
- Common Soils: Red clay (Piedmont), Sandy loam (Coastal Plain), Alluvial
Plant Zone Range (zones 9-11)
Preferred Soil pH
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources — per-field provenance varies and is published with the dataset. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant Meyer Lemon in Georgia
The frost window
Across Georgia, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Feb 17 and Mar 10, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 24 and Dec 4 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 259-day window you can count on — up to 290 days on a mild site in a kind year. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost, so tender transplants usually wait another 2-3 weeks.
Winter standing
Georgia runs as cold as USDA zone 7, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for meyer lemon, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether meyer lemon is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within Georgia; check its hardiness range against that before treating it as long-lived ground.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Towns County, not the statewide average.
Frost window: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020. Plant timing fields: Growable Ground Plant Database — frost-free days from FAO ECOCROP, days to harvest from university Extension production guides, and growing-degree-day and chill-hour minimums that are compilation estimates rather than published figures. Your site's own frost dates can run earlier or later than the state range — a parcel report pins them down.
Growing Season Fit
The zone check says meyer lemon survives winter in part of Georgia, not across all of it. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Meyer Lemon wants 140+ frost-free days; a typical Georgia site sees ~275 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Growing degree days
Meyer Lemon needs ~3500 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~5616 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Georgia's typical season clears that easily.
Chill hours
Meyer Lemon has no winter-chill requirement — its listed minimum is 0 hours (Growable Ground Plant Database). Georgia typically banks ~1015 chill hours per winter (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so chill is not a constraint on this plant here — and not evidence in its favour either. Winter survival and season length are what decide it.
GDD and chill-hour figures are computed from PRISM 1991-2020 monthly climate normals; frost-free days from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020. Each is the state median across its counties (P25/P75 span the within-state spread). Hardiness-zone range is USDA PHZM 2023.
Soil + Drainage Fit
Meyer Lemon likes near-neutral soil (pH 5.5-8.3). That's the common-ground band across Georgia's red clay (piedmont) and sandy loam (coastal plain) — a soil test confirms it for your site. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 6 and 7 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Georgia soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Georgia site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
SSURGO maps about 20.4% of Georgia as poorly or somewhat-poorly drained, and the class flips parcel to parcel. Meyer Lemon sits mid-range for drought tolerance, so either extreme can cost you — your soil map unit, not the state average, is the real answer.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
Plant pH requirements: FAO ECOCROP and USDA PLANTS, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation. Drainage: FAO ECOCROP, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation. Georgia soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Before you plant meyer lemon for food
Anything you grow to eat takes up what is in the ground it grows in, so what is on record near you is worth knowing before meyer lemon goes in. What follows is Georgia’s documented federal record at state scale — a screening signal, not a soil test, and not a statement about any one lot.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Georgia — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Georgia — 37,000 documented sites across 8 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 521 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
Georgia carries one of the heavier federal records we track — and that's not a verdict on your yard. Proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis: nothing here says any particular parcel is affected. It does earn one concrete step — before food beds go in the ground, a professional soil test tells you exactly what you're working with, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well almost anywhere in the meantime.
Severity Distribution
across Georgia
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Georgia, two things run higher than the national average across Georgia — Superfund (521 sites) and Underground Storage Tanks (24,572 sites). That's not a problem with your land — it's information about it.
Superfund: Superfund sites represent the most severe contamination in the federal system.
Underground Storage Tanks: Underground storage tanks are the single most common source of soil contamination near homes and gardens.
Commission professional soil testing before any food production (test for heavy metals, VOCs, and SVOCs).
Use raised beds with imported soil — this eliminates the primary soil-contact pathway.
Sources: EPA, USGS — 1.8M documented sites tracked nationwide across 9 federal source types.
What Else to Consider for Meyer Lemon in Georgia
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Georgia growers also need to think about:
Heavy red Piedmont clay is difficult to work and drains poorly
High humidity drives fungal diseases in summer
Fire ants are a persistent pest in gardens across the state
Summer heat (90-100F) can stress cool-season crops by May
Growing meyer lemon here specifically
Meyer Lemon roots run deep and prefer pH 5.5–8.3, but drainage comes first here: SSURGO maps about 20.4% of Georgia as poorly or somewhat-poorly drained, and wet ground rots its crown before pH ever matters.
Plant meyer lemon on a raised, gravel-amended berm so water drains fast and the crown stays dry. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Georgia grower, not just meyer lemon — is covered on the Georgia growing guide.
Timing shifts within Georgia
Georgia isn't one climate. In Towns County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Apr 7 — roughly 39 days later than the recorded state median — so plant meyer lemon to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Meyer Lemon needs about 140 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Towns County — Georgia’s shortest season at 204 frost-free days — clears that by 64 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Georgia. What varies is your own parcel.
Across Georgia’s 159 counties the frost-free season runs from 204 days in Towns County to 305 days in Colquitt County — a spread of 101 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median Georgia county sees 275 frost-free days, leaving meyer lemon about 135 days of slack on a typical parcel — room for a second sowing where the season runs long.
County last-freeze dates and frost-free day counts: NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS (1991-2020), county 28°F freeze (earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost"). Meyer Lemon's 140-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Meyer Lemon draws honeybees (high value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, meyer lemon can only work that bloom inside Georgia's frost window — roughly 275 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Feb 17 - Mar 10) and closing at the first (Nov 24 - Dec 4), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Good to Know Before You Plant Meyer Lemon
Meyer Lemon is listed as toxic to dogs, cats (leaves, stems, peel) at a mild level (ASPCA). Most listed plants only cause brief upset — a raised bed or a fenced corner usually keeps curious pets clear.
Georgia Cooperative Extension
For Georgia-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for meyer lemon, the canonical source is UGA Cooperative Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Meyer Lemon native to Georgia?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Meyer Lemon as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Georgia's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Georgia natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Georgia growing guide lists USDA-documented natives for the state.
Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.
Common Questions About Growing Meyer Lemon in Georgia
When can I plant Meyer Lemon in Georgia?
Georgia's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Feb 17 and Mar 10, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 24 and Dec 4 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for Meyer Lemon, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in Georgia and publishes no fall establishment date for it — check its hardiness range against your own zone before treating it as a permanent planting.
What hardiness zone is Meyer Lemon grown in across Georgia?
Georgia spans USDA hardiness zones 7a-9b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Meyer Lemon carries a range of zones 9-11, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Georgia site have?
A typical Georgia site sees ~275 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Meyer Lemon needs 140+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date. In cooler counties like Towns, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Meyer Lemon native to Georgia?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Meyer Lemon as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Georgia's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Georgia natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Meyer Lemon in Georgia?
Meyer Lemon prefers pH 5.5-8.3 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That sits in the common-ground band across Georgia soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will Meyer Lemon actually grow on my specific land in Georgia?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores meyer lemon against your address's exact soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.
Check your specific parcel in Georgia
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores meyer lemon against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Georgia meyer lemon averages can't show:
We read public map data around Georgia — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Georgia meyer lemon average
Explore More
Growing guides for meyer lemon
Analysis by the Growable Ground research team, grounded in USDA PLANTS, USDA NRCS SSURGO, NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020), and named Cooperative Extension sources. How we know →
Cite this dataset
Kirchick, M. (2026). Growable Ground Plant Database [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21435643
Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. DOI 10.5281/zenodo.21435643
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