The best citrus plants, compared.
Top pick: Carbeth hessian calamondin Best value: Hollyone 40 cm faux lemon – About £19.99 with 4.1 from 299 reviews, the strongest reviewed décor plant in this set. Updated October 2026.
Citrus plants in this UK comparison are either young living trees in a small pot or artificial lemon trees sold as décor, and those two jobs should be ranked separately. A living lemon or calamondin will not reliably survive a British winter outdoors. The Royal Horticultural Society expects a container, a bright frost-free winter place, and a move outside only in warm months. For a live plant, check the type, the night temperature you can hold, the pot size in centimetres, and a UK plant passport on a distance sale. For a faux tree, quality is a height you have measured, a base that will not blow over, and a canopy that still looks acceptable up close. What to check before you pay is in the [citrus plants buying guide](/hub/trees-and-palms/citrus-plants/sub/citrus-plants-buying-guide). A citrus plant is one of two things. Stars on a living lemon and stars on a faux tree are not one league table. Living citrus is a lemon, a calamondin sold as a mini orange in several titles, or a lemon-plus-orange pair.
Citrus plants in this UK comparison are either young living trees in a small pot or artificial lemon trees sold as décor, and those two jobs should be ranked separately.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What do you want in the pot?
This Carbeth listing is a live calamondin in a 12 cm pot with hessian gift wrap, at about £28.99. The title says mini, and a separate attribute says an expected height of 2 metres, which conflicts with the pot you are actually buying. The amazon.co.uk line is 5.0 from one review, and that single text mentions a transport frame, so one happy arrival is not a sample you can lean on. Small sharp fruit is claimed. Sunlight is given as full sun and partial shade. The page asks about pets and does not answer. You pay about £1 more than the plain calamondin for wrap and a height line you should ignore.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the hessian wrap on a young calamondin and you will ignore the 2 m height line.
Less suitable: You want a proven review sample, a 2 m tree, or a plant for a cool porch.
Specifications
Common questions
What plant is this?
The bullets describe a live calamondin orange in a 12 cm pot with hessian wrap.
How tall will it be?
The pot is 12 cm and the title says mini. A separate attribute says an expected height of 2 metres. Those statements conflict.
Is it stated as safe for pets?
The listing asks the question and does not answer it.
Carbeth’s calamondin is a live mini orange in a 12 cm pot at about £27.99, with a 30 cm height attribute and a full-sun line. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.7 from six reviews. Three short texts mention the plant without a repeated complaint, which is a thin sample and not a reason to treat it as proven. The bullets say it can move outside in summer and indoors in cooler months, while the indoor/outdoor attribute says indoor, and the page does not call it frost-hardy. Small tangy fruit is claimed. A UK winter night below about 13°C is the wrong room for a calamondin if you follow the RHS night line. The listing asks whether it is pet friendly and does not answer.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You can hold a bright room near 13°C at night and you want a small acid fruit rather than a lemon.
Less suitable: Your porch only stays around 5–10°C, or you want a large review sample before you pay.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a real citrus plant?
Yes. It is sold as a live calamondin mini orange in a 12 cm pot.
Can it stay outdoors all year?
The bullet says it can move outside in summer and indoors in cooler months. The indoor/outdoor attribute says indoor. It is not described as frost-hardy.
Is it stated as pet friendly?
The listing asks the question and does not answer it.
Carbeth’s live lemon is a 20–30 cm plant in a 12 cm pot at about £26.99, which is a young pot plant rather than the fruiting tree in a catalogue photograph. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.4 from 629 reviews, and that figure is reduced here because later texts in the file describe other houseplants, so it is not a clean lemon-only sample. Review notes that match citrus mention healthy leaves and also transit damage. The listing says the plant may arrive without fruit out of season, and the sunlight line is full sun, with a greenhouse or a bright indoor spot and frost protection in winter. A warm dry living room is a poor long-term home for this kind of plant. You need a bright frost-free place before about £26.99 is a sensible order.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You have a bright conservatory or porch and you want a living lemon at the lower live price in this set.
Less suitable: Your room is dark, you need fruit on the day it arrives, or you want a star line that is lemon-only.
Specifications
Common questions
What size arrives?
The bullet says a 20–30 cm plant in a 12 cm pot.
Will it have lemons on arrival?
The listing says that out of season the plant may arrive without fruit.
Can it grow in low light?
The sunlight attribute says full sun. The listing does not claim low light. Winter advice in the bullet is a greenhouse or indoors with good natural light, and frost protection.
Gardens4you’s combo is a live lemon and a live orange at about £34.99, with a stated delivery height of 20–30 cm including the pot. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.1 from 354 reviews, which is a large file for a mail-order citrus pair. Review notes in this set say the lemon is more often the weaker of the two plants, and fruit is often knocked off in transit. Some reviews mention frames around the pots. The listing limits delivery to 1 January until 31 May, so a summer order is outside the window the page states. The sunlight attribute is full sun and the origin attribute says United Kingdom. The bullets do not say which compost to use, and whether a pot is included is not stated. Two young trees are a fair buy only if you can take that delivery limit and a bright winter place for both.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want one lemon and one orange, and you can order between January and May.
Less suitable: You need a summer delivery, a single plant, or a lemon that reviewers describe as the stronger of the pair.
Specifications
Common questions
What is in the bundle?
Two live trees, a lemon and an orange. Stated delivery height including pot is 20–30 cm.
When can it be delivered?
The listing says delivery from 1 January until 31 May.
Does the listing say which compost to use?
A question on the page asks about soil. The bullets do not answer it.
Hollyone’s 40 cm artificial lemon is the strongest reviewed décor plant in this set, at about £19.99 with 4.1 from 299 amazon.co.uk reviews. At that height it sits on a desk, a kitchen counter, or a bathroom shelf rather than the floor, and the pot is about 11.0 by 10.5 cm. A bullet claims indoor and outdoor use, while reviews say the plant is light and can blow over in wind, so a patio is a poor match unless you weight the pot. The title says lemon and the tree-type attribute says orange, and reviews mention both looks, so you should not treat it as a named citrus cultivar. The material attribute is a woven basket. It needs no water, and it will not flower.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a reviewed faux lemon for a shelf or table and you will keep it out of the wind.
Less suitable: You want fruit, a heavy outdoor pot, or a listing whose lemon and orange lines agree.
Specifications
Common questions
How big is this faux lemon?
The listing says the plant is 40 cm tall and the pot is about 11.0 x 10.5 cm.
Can it be used outdoors?
A bullet claims indoor and outdoor use. Reviews say it is light and can blow over in wind.
Is the tree type a lemon?
The title says lemon. The tree-type attribute says orange. Reviews mention both lemon and orange looks.
Gresorth’s artificial lemon is listed at about 52 cm, with eight faux lemons, at about £26.99. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.1 from 70 reviews, and the brand points it at an indoor table or counter because of the size. The recommended-use attribute says indoor. Reviews say it arrives compressed, the wire stems need shaping, and the lemons can droop, which is the job you should expect after you open the box. The brand says there is no assembly, and the stated weight is 454 g. Plastic with wire stems will not fruit. At 52 cm it is taller than the 40 cm Hollyone, though you pay more for a plant that still needs a reshape.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a slightly taller indoor table lemon and you will bend the wire stems back into shape.
Less suitable: You want a floor tree, outdoor use, or a plant that looks finished the moment you unpack it.
Specifications
Common questions
How tall is the Gresorth tree?
The listing says about 52 cm, also given as 20 inches, with 8 faux lemons.
Is it meant for outdoor use?
The recommended-use attribute says indoor. The brand points it at a table or counter because of the size.
Does it need assembly?
The brand says no assembly. Reviews say it arrives compressed and the wire stems need shaping, and that the lemons can droop.
Oairse’s larger artificial lemon is listed at 152 cm with 24 faux fruits, at about £69.99. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.0 from 57 reviews. The tree is packed in two parts and the top half slots onto the lower trunk, and one review says glue is needed. A cement bed is claimed, yet reviews say the pot is small, the tree blows over, and a smashed cement pot turns up, so you should plan a heavier outer pot if you stand it where people walk past. The dimension line says 100 by 19 by 19 cm, which does not match 152 cm, and the stated weight is 4.75 kg. Leaves are described as silk, fruit as foam, and the stem as polyurethane. Indoor and outdoor use is claimed. At the highest price in this set it is a décor tree with a real assembly step and a base that has failed in reviews.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You have ceiling height for a tall indoor faux lemon and you will add a heavier outer pot.
Less suitable: You want a one-piece tree, a wind-proof outdoor pot, or a listing whose height lines agree.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the trunk need assembling?
Yes. The listing says the tree is packed in two parts and the top half slots onto the lower trunk. One review says glue is needed.
Will the supplied pot stay upright outside?
A cement bed is claimed. Reviews say the pot is small and the tree blows over, and that a heavier outer pot is needed.
Is it a real lemon tree?
No. Leaves are described as silk, fruit as foam, and the stem as polyurethane.
TOARTi’s artificial lemon is an indoor table piece at about £19.88, about 36.5 cm tall in a ceramic-look pot. The amazon.co.uk line is 3.9 from 26 reviews, which is enough to see a pattern and too small to treat as a settled product. Reviewers describe floppy leaves, and some texts in the file are about a different plant, so those lines are not counted as praise or blame for this pot. The listing claims no assembly, a weight of 220 g, and fabric leaves. Outdoor use is asked on the page and not confirmed. At a normal viewing distance it can read as a small lemon, though a 220 g pot will not stay put if a sleeve catches it.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a small indoor faux lemon for a kitchen or bathroom shelf and you can reshape soft leaves.
Less suitable: You need outdoor proof, a floor-standing tree, or a large review sample.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a living plant?
No. It is an artificial lemon with fabric leaves in a ceramic-look pot.
How tall is it?
The dimension line says 36.5 cm high, 19.5 cm deep and 13 cm wide. A bullet also says 17.7 inches tall.
Can it be used outdoors?
The indoor/outdoor attribute says indoor. Outdoor use is asked on the page and not confirmed.
Carbeth’s gift-wrapped lemon is a live plant in a 12 cm pot at about £29.99, with a 30 cm height attribute. The amazon.co.uk line is 3.7 from 99 reviews, and the repeated complaint is fewer lemons than the photograph, including plants that arrived with none and fruit that fell off in the box. Some reviewers did receive lemons, so the pot is not always bare, but the photo is a poor promise. The title says the plant is gift wrapped, and the listing names an indoor spot, a patio, and a conservatory. Sunlight is full sun and partial shade, with moderate watering. The pet-friendly question is asked and not answered. You pay about £3 more than the plain Carbeth lemon for wrap and a weaker fruit record.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a wrapped lemon as a present and you will treat fruit on arrival as a bonus.
Less suitable: You are buying the photograph’s crop, or you want the lower-priced plain lemon.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the lemon arrive with fruit?
Some reviewers received lemons. Others received fewer than the photo, or none, and several say fruit fell off in the box.
Is it gift wrapped?
Yes. The title and bullets say the 12 cm plant is gift wrapped.
Is it stated as pet friendly?
The listing asks the question and does not answer it.
Oairse lists this artificial lemon as a 4 ft floor tree at about £49.99, with 16 faux lemons claimed. The amazon.co.uk line is 3.7 from eight reviews, and the two written texts in the file are not from the UK, so you do not have a British unpacking account. The title says 121 cm and a white ceramic pot, while the dimension line says 80 by 17 by 17 cm and a bullet says a black matte pot with a cement bed. Those conflicts mean you cannot know the height or the pot colour from the page alone. The stated weight is 4.18 kg, in silk, plastic, polystyrene, and polyurethane. A yard is named as well as indoor décor. At this price you are paying for a floor tree whose listing does not agree with itself.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a tall faux lemon and you will measure the space after it arrives, not from one line on the page.
Less suitable: You need an agreed height, an agreed pot colour, or UK review texts.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a living lemon tree?
No. The listing describes an artificial tree with silk and plastic foliage, polystyrene fruit, and a polyurethane stem.
How tall is it?
The title says 4 ft, and a bullet says 121 cm. The dimension line says 80 x 17 x 17 cm. Those figures conflict in the listing.
What pot does it come with?
The title says a white ceramic pot. A bullet says a black matte pot with a cement bed. The listing does not settle which one you receive.
The Quancru listing is a 54 cm artificial lemon in a black pot at about £18.99, with six faux fruits claimed. The amazon.co.uk listing has no customer-review line and no review text, so you cannot see whether the canopy looks sparse or whether the fruit stays on after unpacking. The title’s 21 inches matches the 54 cm height line, and the footprint is given as 25 by 25 cm at 580 g. Indoor and outdoor use is only a listing claim, and a pot this light can tip in a draught. The material attribute is plastic. You are buying an unreviewed table decoration, not a plant that will flower or fruit.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a small black-pot faux lemon for a desk or shelf and you can accept a listing with no reviews.
Less suitable: You want UK review evidence, a floor tree, or a living plant that can flower.
Specifications
Common questions
How tall is the Quancru tree?
The title says 21 inches. The dimension line says 54 cm high, with a 25 x 25 cm footprint.
Does it include a pot?
Yes. The listing says a black pot is included.
Are there customer ratings?
The listing has no customer-review line and no review text.
This comparison scores the 11 amazon.co.uk listings in this set, live pots and faux trees, using the review notes already stored for those listings. It is not a lab test. A seller line such as hardy, air purifying, or indoor and outdoor is the listing claim, not an RHS verdict. Live plants and artificial trees are scored on the job the listing actually states. The weights sum to 100.
Amazon evidence
25%The star line on amazon.co.uk, then a cap when the written sample is tiny, and a deduction when the listing mixes in another product. No review line scores 0. One review is capped. The Carbeth lemon’s 4.4 from 629 is reduced because later texts on that listing describe other houseplants.
Listing fit
35%A named living citrus in a stated pot, with a height that matches the pot, scores above a décor tree whose dimensions contradict each other. Points come off for a 2 m attribute on a 12 cm pot, a lemon title with an orange tree-type line, a white pot and a black pot in the same listing, and a delivery window that closes for half the year.
Review outcome
25%Texts that match this product score up when they describe a healthy arrival or a pot that looks right at a normal distance. Transit damage, fruit knocked off, a light base, a sparse canopy, and a smashed cement pot score down. Off-topic reviews are not counted as praise or blame.
Value
15%Shelf price in GBP against what the listing actually states. A 40 cm faux tree at about £19.99 with 299 reviews is the value case. A floor tree at about £69.99 with a conflicting height is not. The lemon at about £26.99 is the strongest living plant in the set, so it takes the top score and does not also take the value badge.
Eleven citrus plants from amazon.co.uk sit on this page, and live pots and faux trees are scored as different jobs. The top pick is the Carbeth live lemon at about £26.99 if you have a bright frost-free place. The best value is the Hollyone 40 cm faux lemon at about £19.99, the strongest reviewed décor plant in the set. A 12 cm pot is a young plant. A fruit-covered photo is not a delivery promise.
A citrus plant in this comparison is one of two things. It is a young living tree in a small pot, or it is an artificial lemon sold as décor. Those two jobs should be ranked separately. Stars on a living lemon and stars on a faux tree are not one league table. Whether you want flowers and fruit, or only the look, is the first split. Living citrus in this set is a lemon, a calamondin sold as a mini orange in several Carbeth titles, or a lemon-plus-orange pair.
Living citrus in this set wants sun and a frost-free winter place. A warm dark flat is the wrong room. The listing word hardy, or air purifying, is a seller line, not an RHS verdict. If you cannot hold the night temperature, buy a faux tree.
Live plants here are mostly 12 cm pots and about 20–30 cm on arrival. Fruit may be missing out of season and can take many months to ripen. Gift-lemon reviews often report fewer fruits than the photo. One listing’s 2 metre height attribute conflicts with a 12 cm pot.
Faux complaints in this set repeat a light pot, a sparse canopy, and broken parts. A patio claim on a light plant is not a wind test. Over-potting a live plant on day one is a separate mistake: the arrival pot is a young plant, not a finished container.
The first buying decision is live or artificial, because stars are not comparable across the two groups. A living lemon, calamondin, or lemon-and-orange pair can flower and, later, fruit if you can hold the right night temperature. An artificial tree is décor: no water, no plant passport, and no fruit. This set’s faux plants are table pieces around 36–54 cm, plus floor trees sold as 121 cm and 152 cm.
For a live plant, the winter place comes before the photograph. Living citrus will not reliably survive a British winter outdoors. The RHS expects a container, a bright frost-free winter place, and a move outside only in the warm months. Some lemons are described as coping near 5°C. Kumquats often need 7°C or more. Limes and grapefruits should stay above 10°C. Calamondin oranges need at least 13°C.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You can hold a night temperature in the band for the variety, and you want flowers and, later, fruit. The Carbeth mini lemon is the living plant at about £26.99, stated as 20–30 cm in a 12 cm pot, with a frost-protection note. A 12 cm pot is the arrival pot, not a finished tree.
You want a wrapped live plant for someone with a bright windowsill. The gift-wrapped Carbeth lemon is about £29.99 in a 12 cm pot. Reviews often report fewer lemons than the photograph. Treat fruit on the day it arrives as a bonus.
You want the look without light, water, or a plant passport. The Hollyone 40 cm faux lemon is about £19.99, with 4.1 from 299 reviews. Keep it out of the wind. It will not flower or fruit.
The top pick is the Carbeth mini lemon at about £26.99: a living 20–30 cm plant in a 12 cm pot. amazon.co.uk shows 4.4 from 629 reviews, reduced here because later texts describe other houseplants. Review notes that match citrus mention healthy leaves and transit damage. The best value is the Hollyone 40 cm faux lemon at about £19.99, with 4.1 from 299 reviews, for a shelf rather than a garden. It is light outdoors, and the tree-type line says orange. A faux tree is not scored as a fruiting citrus.
Hollyone 40 cm faux lemon
About £19.99 with 4.1 from 299 reviews, the strongest reviewed décor plant in this set.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources used for this comparison, last checked in October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through one of these links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Scores use the listings and review notes in this comparison. They are not a lab test.
