In the Ardèche, altitude does almost everything. One winter in ten, the cold falls to about −10 °C around Aubenas and in the lower Ardèche, −11 °C in Privas and the Rhône valley, −12 °C in the Boutières and around Annonay, and −18 °C on the Ardèche mountains.
We went through thirty winters of Météo-France records, from 1996 to 2026, and compared them with the hardiness of each of our plants. Choose your area below. You will find:
- the citrus trees that spend the winter outdoors without protection;
- those that need a fleece on frosty nights;
- those that stay in a pot.
The lists are kept up to date: only the plants available today are shown with a photo.
- −5 °C or milder
- −6 to −7 °C
- −8 to −9 °C
- −10 to −11 °C
- −12 to −13 °C
- −14 to −15 °C
- −16 to −17 °C
- −18 to −19 °C
- −20 °C and colder
Colour: the cold of one winter in ten, on the plain. Click on a neighbouring département to see its page. Map of the whole of France.
Choose your area:
−10 °Cone winter in ten
Aubenas and the lower Ardèche
Aubenas, Vals-les-Bains, Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, Joyeuse, Ruoms, Largentière, Villeneuve-de-Berg
See the citrus trees for this area
The south of the département, with an already Mediterranean climate, stays the mildest: −10 °C one winter in ten, −7 °C in an ordinary winter. The differences between stations are large: Orgnac-l'Aven stops at −8.4 °C, Grospierres falls to −12 °C. Satsumas, yuzus, kumquats and citranges spend the winter outdoors here; orange trees and clementines need a fleece at each frost, against a south-facing wall. Lemon trees stay in pots. The soil is often chalky.
Grospierres
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has chalky soils, silty soils and acid soils. In practice, the soil is often chalky.
Rootstocks to favour: FA5, then C35.
Your plot may be different. Look at the Géoportail soil map (in French) around your home, then refine with our 5-step test.
In open ground, without protection
They withstand −10 °C. In the first years, a fleece on nights below −5 °C is a sensible precaution.
-
Satsuma China S-2
down to −12 °C · €41.00
-
Ermelo Orange
down to −10 °C · €47.00
-
Changsha Mandarin
down to −12 °C · €38.00
-
Changshan Huyou
down to −11 °C · €38.00
-
Sudachi Seneca
down to −12 °C · €42.00
-
Yuzu 3
down to −15 °C · €38.00
-
Fukushu Kumquat
down to −10 °C · €32.30
-
Morton Citrange
down to −15 °C · €35.00
See all 32 available plants that withstand −10 °C
Sold out for now: 27 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Ambersweet, Auline, Bendizao Mandarin, Corsican Mountain Orange, Hana Yuzu, Harumi, Jabara, Juanita Mandarin, Kino Kuni Mikakukishu Mandarin, Meiwa Kumquat, Minneola, Nameiwa Kumquat, Rio Red Grapefruit, Sanbokan, Satsuma China S-3, Satsuma Dobashi Beni, Satsuma Iwasaki, Satsuma Kowano, Satsuma Louisiana, Satsuma Miho, Satsuma Pucheng, Satsuma Saigon, Satsuma Waze, Setubalense Mandarin, Shunkokan, Thornless Yuzu, Yuzu.
In open ground, with a fleece on frosty nights
They withstand −7 °C. A winter fleece put on at each frost and removed as soon as the frost stops, and a sheltered spot against a south-facing wall.
-
Fukumoto Orange
down to −8 °C · €35.00
-
Clemenules Clementine
down to −9 °C · €35.00
-
Marsh Seedless Grapefruit
down to −9 °C · €29.75
-
Kabosu
down to −9 °C · €38.00
-
Orisa 9 Tangor
down to −9 °C · €41.00
-
Yuko
down to −9 °C · €38.00
-
Tavares Limequat
down to −7 °C · €29.75
-
Cara Cara Orange
down to −8 °C · €35.00
See all 33 available plants that withstand −7 °C
Sold out for now: 19 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Dom Joao Orange, Fragola Orange, Haruka, Hassaku, Hyuganatsu, Iyo Mikan Tangor, Mandalate Mandarin, Mapo Tangelo, Moro Orange, Natsudaidai, Ota 38 Tangor, Salustiana Orange, Sciara x Clem Blood Tangor, Seminole, US SuperNa, Ugli, Vaniglia Sanguigno Orange, Wekiwa Tangelolo, Z194 Ichangensis x Sinensis.
The others: in a pot, brought in for the winter
Lemons, limes and less hardy citrus (more tender than −7 °C): in a large pot, outdoors from spring to autumn and brought into a bright, frost-free room for the winter. All our citrus trees.
−11 °Cone winter in ten
Privas and the Rhône valley
Privas, La Voulte-sur-Rhône, Le Pouzin, Chomérac, Tournon-sur-Rhône, Saint-Péray, Andance
See the citrus trees for this area
Along the Rhône and around Privas: −11 °C one winter in ten, −7 °C in an ordinary winter. Saint-Laurent-du-Pape, near the Rhône, falls to −10 °C, Saint-Désirat, further north, to −11.1 °C. Citranges, yuzus and the hardiest satsumas spend the winter outdoors here; the other satsumas, kumquats, orange trees and the hardiest clementines need a fleece, sheltered by a south-facing wall and from the mistral. Lemon trees and the other clementines stay in pots. The soil is often chalky: plant on a mound if it is heavy.
Saint-Désirat
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has river alluvium, acid soils and calcium-rich but barely chalky soils. In practice, the soil is often chalky and acid.
Rootstocks to favour: Poncirus, then FA5. Poncirus only if the active lime stays below about 5% (soil analysis).
Your plot may be different. Look at the Géoportail soil map (in French) around your home, then refine with our 5-step test.
In open ground, without protection
They withstand −11 °C. In the first years, a fleece on nights below −5 °C is a sensible precaution.
-
Satsuma China S-2
down to −12 °C · €41.00
-
Changsha Mandarin
down to −12 °C · €38.00
-
Changshan Huyou
down to −11 °C · €38.00
-
Sudachi Seneca
down to −12 °C · €42.00
-
Yuzu 3
down to −15 °C · €38.00
-
Morton Citrange
down to −15 °C · €35.00
-
Clemyuz
down to −12 °C · €38.00
-
Eremorange
down to −12 °C · €35.00
See all 19 available plants that withstand −11 °C
Sold out for now: 12 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Ambersweet, Auline, Bendizao Mandarin, Hana Yuzu, Satsuma Dobashi Beni, Satsuma Kowano, Satsuma Louisiana, Satsuma Miho, Satsuma Saigon, Satsuma Waze, Thornless Yuzu, Yuzu.
In open ground, with a fleece on frosty nights
They withstand −8 °C. A winter fleece put on at each frost and removed as soon as the frost stops, and a sheltered spot against a south-facing wall.
-
Satsuma Miyagawa
down to −10 °C · €38.00
-
Ermelo Orange
down to −10 °C · €47.00
-
Kishu Kino Kuni Mandarin
down to −10 °C · €42.00
-
Welker Grapefruit
down to −10 °C · €35.00
-
Kinkoji
down to −10 °C · €38.00
-
Orisa 9 Tangor
down to −9 °C · €41.00
-
Yuko
down to −9 °C · €38.00
-
Fukushu Kumquat
down to −10 °C · €32.30
See all 38 available plants that withstand −8 °C
Sold out for now: 31 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Corsican Mountain Orange, Dom Joao Orange, Fragola Orange, Haruka, Harumi, Hassaku, Hyuganatsu, Jabara, Juanita Mandarin, Kino Kuni Mikakukishu Mandarin, Mapo Tangelo, Meiwa Kumquat, Minneola, Moro Orange, Nameiwa Kumquat, Natsudaidai, Ota 38 Tangor, Rio Red Grapefruit, Salustiana Orange, Sanbokan, Satsuma China S-3, Satsuma Iwasaki, Satsuma Pucheng, Sciara x Clem Blood Tangor, Seminole, Setubalense Mandarin, Shunkokan, Ugli, Vaniglia Sanguigno Orange, Wekiwa Tangelolo, Z194 Ichangensis x Sinensis.
The others: in a pot, brought in for the winter
Lemons, limes and less hardy citrus (more tender than −8 °C): in a large pot, outdoors from spring to autumn and brought into a bright, frost-free room for the winter. All our citrus trees.
−12 °Cone winter in ten
Boutières, Coiron and the Cévennes valleys
Le Cheylard, Vernoux-en-Vivarais, Saint-Pierreville, Antraigues-sur-Volane, Montpezat-sous-Bauzon, Thueyts
See the citrus trees for this area
The slopes of the Boutières, the Coiron and the Cévennes, between 400 and 800 m: −12 °C one winter in ten, −8 °C in an ordinary winter. The sheltered valleys in the south are milder, Sablières −9.5 °C and Montpezat-sous-Bauzon −9.6 °C; at Vernoux-en-Vivarais, the lower station (510 m) falls to −14.7 °C. Citranges, yuzus and the hardiest satsumas spend the winter outdoors here; the other satsumas, kumquats and the hardiest clementines, with a fleece. Orange trees, lemon trees and the other clementines stay in pots. The soils are rather acid.
Vernoux-en-Vivarais (2)
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has acid soils, ordinary brown soils and shallow chalky soils. In practice, the soil is often clayey and acid.
Rootstocks to favour: Poncirus, then FA5.
Your plot may be different. Look at the Géoportail soil map (in French) around your home, then refine with our 5-step test.
In open ground, without protection
They withstand −12 °C. In the first years, a fleece on nights below −5 °C is a sensible precaution.
-
Satsuma China S-2
down to −12 °C · €41.00
-
Changsha Mandarin
down to −12 °C · €38.00
-
Sudachi Seneca
down to −12 °C · €42.00
-
Yuzu 3
down to −15 °C · €38.00
-
Morton Citrange
down to −15 °C · €35.00
-
Clemyuz
down to −12 °C · €38.00
-
Eremorange
down to −12 °C · €35.00
-
Satsuma Owari FS
down to −12 °C · €42.00
See all 17 available plants that withstand −12 °C
Sold out for now: 11 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Ambersweet, Auline, Bendizao Mandarin, Hana Yuzu, Satsuma Dobashi Beni, Satsuma Kowano, Satsuma Louisiana, Satsuma Saigon, Satsuma Waze, Thornless Yuzu, Yuzu.
In open ground, with a fleece on frosty nights
They withstand −9 °C. A winter fleece put on at each frost and removed as soon as the frost stops, and a sheltered spot against a south-facing wall.
-
Satsuma Miyagawa
down to −10 °C · €38.00
-
Ermelo Orange
down to −10 °C · €47.00
-
Shekwasha
down to −11 °C · €34.85
-
Changshan Huyou
down to −11 °C · €38.00
-
Kinkoji
down to −10 °C · €38.00
-
Orisa 9 Tangor
down to −9 °C · €41.00
-
Yuko
down to −9 °C · €38.00
-
Fukushu Kumquat
down to −10 °C · €32.30
See all 21 available plants that withstand −9 °C
Sold out for now: 20 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Corsican Mountain Orange, Haruka, Harumi, Hyuganatsu, Jabara, Juanita Mandarin, Kino Kuni Mikakukishu Mandarin, Mapo Tangelo, Meiwa Kumquat, Minneola, Nameiwa Kumquat, Natsudaidai, Rio Red Grapefruit, Sanbokan, Satsuma China S-3, Satsuma Iwasaki, Satsuma Miho, Satsuma Pucheng, Setubalense Mandarin, Shunkokan.
The others: in a pot, brought in for the winter
Lemons, limes and less hardy citrus (more tender than −9 °C): in a large pot, outdoors from spring to autumn and brought into a bright, frost-free room for the winter. All our citrus trees.
−12 °Cone winter in ten
Annonay and the north of the Ardèche
Annonay, Davézieux, Peaugres, Quintenas, Satillieu, Saint-Félicien
See the citrus trees for this area
The northern plateaus, around Annonay, between 300 and 600 m: −12 °C one winter in ten, −9 °C in an ordinary winter. Saint-Marcel-lès-Annonay and Colombier-le-Vieux fall to −13 °C one winter in ten. Citranges, yuzus and the hardiest satsumas spend the winter outdoors here; the other satsumas, kumquats and the hardiest clementines, with a fleece. Orange trees, lemon trees and the other clementines stay in pots. The soil is often acid.
Saint-Marcel-lès-Annonay
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has acid soils, river alluvium and ordinary brown soils. In practice, the soil is often acid and clayey.
Rootstocks to favour: Poncirus, then FA5.
Your plot may be different. Look at the Géoportail soil map (in French) around your home, then refine with our 5-step test.
In open ground, without protection
They withstand −12 °C. In the first years, a fleece on nights below −5 °C is a sensible precaution.
-
Satsuma China S-2
down to −12 °C · €41.00
-
Changsha Mandarin
down to −12 °C · €38.00
-
Sudachi Seneca
down to −12 °C · €42.00
-
Yuzu 3
down to −15 °C · €38.00
-
Morton Citrange
down to −15 °C · €35.00
-
Clemyuz
down to −12 °C · €38.00
-
Eremorange
down to −12 °C · €35.00
-
Satsuma Owari FS
down to −12 °C · €42.00
See all 17 available plants that withstand −12 °C
Sold out for now: 11 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Ambersweet, Auline, Bendizao Mandarin, Hana Yuzu, Satsuma Dobashi Beni, Satsuma Kowano, Satsuma Louisiana, Satsuma Saigon, Satsuma Waze, Thornless Yuzu, Yuzu.
In open ground, with a fleece on frosty nights
They withstand −9 °C. A winter fleece put on at each frost and removed as soon as the frost stops, and a sheltered spot against a south-facing wall.
-
Satsuma Miyagawa
down to −10 °C · €38.00
-
Ermelo Orange
down to −10 °C · €47.00
-
Shekwasha
down to −11 °C · €34.85
-
Changshan Huyou
down to −11 °C · €38.00
-
Kinkoji
down to −10 °C · €38.00
-
Orisa 9 Tangor
down to −9 °C · €41.00
-
Yuko
down to −9 °C · €38.00
-
Fukushu Kumquat
down to −10 °C · €32.30
See all 21 available plants that withstand −9 °C
Sold out for now: 20 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Corsican Mountain Orange, Haruka, Harumi, Hyuganatsu, Jabara, Juanita Mandarin, Kino Kuni Mikakukishu Mandarin, Mapo Tangelo, Meiwa Kumquat, Minneola, Nameiwa Kumquat, Natsudaidai, Rio Red Grapefruit, Sanbokan, Satsuma China S-3, Satsuma Iwasaki, Satsuma Miho, Satsuma Pucheng, Setubalense Mandarin, Shunkokan.
The others: in a pot, brought in for the winter
Lemons, limes and less hardy citrus (more tender than −9 °C): in a large pot, outdoors from spring to autumn and brought into a bright, frost-free room for the winter. All our citrus trees.
−18 °Cone winter in ten
The Ardèche mountains
Saint-Agrève, Lalouvesc, Coucouron, Lanarce, Mazan-l'Abbaye, Saint-Étienne-de-Lugdarès
See the citrus trees for this area
The mountains, above 1,000 m: −18 °C one winter in ten, −13 °C in an ordinary winter, and −25.2 °C recorded at Saint-Étienne-de-Lugdarès in March 2005. The Haut-Vivarais, at Lalouvesc and Saint-Agrève, gets a little less frost (−16 °C one winter in ten) than the plateau of Mazan-l'Abbaye and Issanlas (−18 to −19.5 °C). Citranges, Yuzu and Yuzu 3 live here in the ground with a fleece at each frost, against a south-facing wall; the other citrus trees stay in pots, brought in for the winter.
Saint-Étienne-de-Lugdarès
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has acid soils and very acid sands. In practice, the soil is often acid.
Rootstock to favour: Poncirus.
Your plot may be different. Look at the Géoportail soil map (in French) around your home, then refine with our 5-step test.
In open ground, without protection
They withstand −18 °C. In the first years, a fleece on nights below −5 °C is a sensible precaution.
None of our available plants withstands this cold without protection: choose pot culture.
In open ground, with a fleece on frosty nights
They withstand −15 °C. A winter fleece put on at each frost and removed as soon as the frost stops, and a sheltered spot against a south-facing wall.
The others: in a pot, brought in for the winter
Lemons, limes and less hardy citrus (more tender than −15 °C): in a large pot, outdoors from spring to autumn and brought into a bright, frost-free room for the winter. All our citrus trees.
Readings from the Météo-France stations (winters 1996-1997 to 2025-2026)
| Station | Altitude | Ordinary winter | One winter in ten | Record | Winters at −9 °C or below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orgnac-l'Aven | 230 m | −4.5 °C | −8.4 °C | −9 °C (6 February 2012) | 1 out of 30 |
| Vals-les-Bains | 283 m | −5 °C | −8.6 °C | −9.5 °C (1 March 2005) | 2 out of 30 |
| Sablières | 540 m | −5.5 °C | −9.5 °C | −9.9 °C (4 February 2012) | 3 out of 29 |
| Montpezat-sous-Bauzon | 602 m | −5.7 °C | −9.6 °C | −11.5 °C (4 February 2012) | 5 out of 30 |
| Antraigues-sur-Volane | 600 m | −6 °C | −11.1 °C | −12 °C (4 February 2012) | 3 out of 25 |
| Lablachère | 295 m | −6.1 °C | −10.5 °C | −11.2 °C (5 February 2012) | 4 out of 30 |
| Mirabel | 275 m | −6.1 °C | −9.7 °C | −11.2 °C (2 March 2005) | 5 out of 30 |
| Barnas | 480 m | −6.1 °C | −10.3 °C | −11.6 °C (1 March 2005) | 6 out of 30 |
| Berzème | 665 m | −6.4 °C | −12 °C | −13 °C (5 February 2012) | 4 out of 22 |
| Alba-la-Romaine | 223 m | −6.5 °C | −9 °C | −11 °C (2 March 2005) | 3 out of 30 |
| Lanas | 265 m | −6.7 °C | −9.6 °C | −10.6 °C (5 February 2012) | 4 out of 30 |
| Saint-Laurent-du-Pape | 112 m | −6.8 °C | −10 °C | −10.8 °C (30 December 2005) | 7 out of 30 |
| Chomérac | 216 m | −6.9 °C | −10.9 °C | −11.3 °C (2 March 2005) | 5 out of 30 |
| Vallon-Pont-d'Arc | 120 m | −6.9 °C | −10.1 °C | −12.5 °C (2 March 2005) | 5 out of 30 |
| Saint-Sauveur-de-Cruzières | 149 m | −7.1 °C | −9.9 °C | −11.4 °C (2 March 2005) | 6 out of 21 |
| Saint-Désirat | 275 m | −7.2 °C | −11.1 °C | −12.1 °C (30 December 2005) | 8 out of 25 |
| Aubenas | 176 m | −7.3 °C | −10.4 °C | −12.6 °C (2 March 2005) | 5 out of 30 |
| Peaugres | 480 m | −7.3 °C | −11 °C | −12.7 °C (5 February 2012) | 4 out of 23 |
| Joyeuse | 212 m | −7.3 °C | −11.1 °C | −12.3 °C (5 February 2012) | 8 out of 22 |
| Colombier-le-Jeune | 566 m | −7.5 °C | −11.1 °C | −13.8 °C (5 February 2012) | 9 out of 30 |
| Grospierres | 127 m | −7.5 °C | −12 °C | −13 °C (2 March 2005) | 12 out of 30 |
| Le Cheylard | 418 m | −7.7 °C | −12 °C | −13.2 °C (5 February 2012) | 9 out of 30 |
| Col de l'Escrinet | 737 m | −7.7 °C | −11.5 °C | −13.3 °C (4 February 2012) | 8 out of 20 |
| Gluiras | 760 m | −7.8 °C | −13.2 °C | −13.7 °C (4 February 2012) | 5 out of 22 |
| Vernoux-en-Vivarais | 561 m | −7.9 °C | −11 °C | −12 °C (1 March 2005) | 14 out of 30 |
| Saint-Pierreville | 560 m | −7.9 °C | −12.3 °C | −14.1 °C (5 February 2012) | 5 out of 21 |
| Annonay | 336 m | −8.4 °C | −12 °C | −13.5 °C (5 February 2012) | 13 out of 30 |
| Préaux | 525 m | −8.6 °C | −11.9 °C | −13.9 °C (5 February 2012) | 10 out of 25 |
| Saint-Marcel-lès-Annonay | 494 m | −8.9 °C | −13 °C | −15 °C (1 March 2005) | 15 out of 30 |
| Colombier-le-Vieux | 408 m | −9.1 °C | −13 °C | −13.1 °C (15 December 2001) | 13 out of 22 |
| Vernoux-en-Vivarais (2) | 510 m | −10.4 °C | −14.7 °C | −15.5 °C (6 February 2012) | 18 out of 24 |
| Saint-Agrève (2) | 1014 m | −10.9 °C | −16 °C | −17.1 °C (4 February 2012) | 15 out of 21 |
| Loubaresse | 1200 m | −10.9 °C | −15.4 °C | −17.4 °C (4 February 2012) | 23 out of 30 |
| Lalouvesc | 1090 m | −11.1 °C | −16 °C | −16.7 °C (4 February 2012) | 24 out of 29 |
| Mazan-l'Abbaye | 1240 m | −12 °C | −18.2 °C | −18.7 °C (5 February 2012) | 21 out of 22 |
| Issanlas (2) | 1264 m | −12.5 °C | −18 °C | −20.8 °C (5 February 2012) | 20 out of 21 |
| Saint-Agrève | 1072 m | −12.9 °C | −16 °C | −17 °C (1 March 2005) | 19 out of 20 |
| Issanlas | 1215 m | −13.5 °C | −19.5 °C | −24 °C (1 March 2005) | 29 out of 30 |
| Cros-de-Géorand | 1021 m | −14 °C | −19.5 °C | −24.5 °C (1 March 2005) | 29 out of 30 |
| Saint-Étienne-de-Lugdarès | 1022 m | −14.7 °C | −20.2 °C | −25.2 °C (1 March 2005) | 22 out of 23 |
“Ordinary winter”: half of the winters go colder, the other half less cold. “One winter in ten”: this cold is reached or exceeded in about one winter in ten. Calculations by the Greffeur d'agrumes nursery.
How to read these figures
The hardiness given on our product pages is the cold that an adult, healthy and hardened citrus tree withstands during a short frost. We compare it with the cold that comes back about one winter in ten: a plant listed “without protection” withstands at least that cold. In harsher winters, about three in thirty, keep a winter fleece ready for the coldest nights.
Very harsh winters are still possible. On 1 March 2005, Saint-Étienne-de-Lugdarès fell to −25.2 °C; the next day, Aubenas recorded −12.6 °C. Such cold can burn the leaves or a few shoots of a citrus tree that is only just hardy enough. Wait for spring to see what grows back before pruning.
To understand what helps a tree get through frost, read Understanding citrus hardiness.
Our advice for the Ardèche
- Take altitude into account. One winter in ten, Aubenas (176 m) falls to −10.4 °C, Lalouvesc (1,090 m) to −16 °C. Above 1,000 m, only citranges, Yuzu and Yuzu 3 live outdoors, with a fleece; the other citrus trees stay in pots.
- Avoid hollows. Cold air flows down and collects at the bottom of valleys. The records show it: at Vernoux-en-Vivarais, the lower station (510 m) falls to −14.7 °C one winter in ten, the other one (561 m) to −11 °C. Plant halfway up a slope or against a south-facing wall, never at the lowest point of the garden.
- Shelter them from the mistral. In the Rhône valley, a wall or a hedge breaks the cold wind that dries out the leaves on frosty days.
- Choose the rootstock for your soil. In the lower Ardèche and along the Rhône, the soil is often chalky; on the slopes and in the mountains, it is rather acid. In heavy soil, plant on a mound. Our 5-step test helps you choose: Which rootstock should you choose?
- Plant in spring, once the frosts are over. The tree then has a whole season to take root before its first winter.
- Protect young plants on nights below −5 °C during the first years. Put the winter fleece on at each frost and take it off as soon as the frost stops.
- Mulch in summer only, against drought, without the straw touching the trunk. Pull it away from the foot of the tree at the end of autumn: moisture at the collar encourages phytophthora.
Frequently asked questions
Can I plant a lemon tree in the ground in Annonay or Aubenas?
No. Lemon trees withstand about −5 °C, and one winter in ten, Aubenas falls to −10 °C and Annonay to −12 °C. Keep them in pots, brought in for the winter. For a sour fruit in the ground, choose a yuzu instead, without protection everywhere except in the mountains, or a hardy lemon substitute. You will find them in Lemons and lemon substitutes.
Which citrus trees withstand the cold best in the Ardèche?
In the lower Ardèche, satsumas, yuzus, kumquats and citranges spend the winter without protection. In the Rhône valley, on the slopes and around Annonay, citranges, yuzus and the hardiest satsumas manage without protection; the other satsumas and kumquats need a fleece there. In the mountains, only citranges, Yuzu and Yuzu 3, which withstand −15 °C, live outdoors, with a fleece. They are brought together in Hardy citrus.
What about orange trees and clementines?
They withstand −7 to −9 °C depending on the variety. In the lower Ardèche, orange trees and clementines can be grown in the ground with a fleece at each frost, sheltered by a south-facing wall. In the Rhône valley, orange trees and the hardiest clementines also need a fleece. On the slopes and around Annonay, only the hardiest clementines live outdoors, under a fleece. Elsewhere, keep them in pots.
My town is not listed: which area should I choose?
Take the nearest area at the same altitude, then compare with the nearest station in the table of readings. Take off about one degree for every 150 m of extra altitude, and one or two degrees if you are in a hollow.
These figures are guidelines. Your garden may be milder or colder than the nearest station. A question about your plot? Write to us.
Sources: Météo-France, daily basic climatological data (data.gouv.fr, Licence Ouverte 2.0); near the eastern border, also the Deutscher Wetterdienst (Datenlizenz Deutschland 2.0); towns, altitudes and boundaries: INSEE, IGN (Admin Express, RGE ALTI) and geo.api.gouv.fr (Licence Ouverte); soils: dominant soil map INRAE / Gis Sol (Licence Ouverte). Topsoil lime: LUCAS, European Commission, JRC (ESDAC, Ballabio et al. 2019).