In the Cantal, winters are harsh for citrus trees, and the cold changes a lot from one place to another. One winter in ten, it falls to about −12 °C in the Châtaigneraie, −14 °C around Mauriac, −16 °C in the Aurillac basin and −17 °C on the Planèze, the Margeride and the Monts du Cantal.
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:
−12 °Cone winter in ten
Châtaigneraie
Maurs, Montsalvy, Saint-Mamet-la-Salvetat, Le Rouget-Pers, Marcolès, Sénezergues
See the citrus trees for this area
The south-west of the département, lower and milder, between 260 and 530 m: −12 °C one winter in ten and −8 °C in an ordinary winter. Valley bottoms are clearly colder: Saint-Constant (260 m), near the Lot, falls to −15.0 °C, while Maurs stays at −11.2 °C. Citranges, yuzus and the hardiest satsumas spend the winter outdoors here; the other satsumas, kumquats and the hardiest clementines need a fleece, against a south-facing wall. Orange trees and the other clementines stay in pots. The soil is often acid.
Saint-Constant
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has acid soils, ordinary brown soils and foot-of-slope soils. In practice, the soil is often acid.
Rootstocks to favour: Poncirus, then 4475.
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
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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.
−14 °Cone winter in ten
Mauriac and Saignes area
Mauriac, Ydes, Saignes, Champagnac, Pleaux
See the citrus trees for this area
The north-west, towards the Dordogne valley: −14 °C one winter in ten and −11 °C in an ordinary winter. Mauriac stays at −13.0 °C, Saignes falls to −15.3 °C. Citranges, Yuzu and Yuzu 3 spend the winter outdoors here; the other yuzus and the hardiest satsumas need a fleece at each frost, against a south-facing wall. The other citrus trees stay in pots. The soil is often acid.
Saignes
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has thin acid soils, ordinary brown soils and acid soils. In practice, the soil is often 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 −14 °C. In the first years, a fleece on nights below −5 °C is a sensible precaution.
In open ground, with a fleece on frosty nights
They withstand −11 °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 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
-
Ichang Lemon Shangyuan
down to −12 °C · €38.00
-
US 119
down to −12 °C · €35.00
-
Clemyuz
down to −12 °C · €38.00
-
Eremorange
down to −12 °C · €35.00
See all 14 available plants that withstand −11 °C
Sold out for now: 10 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Ambersweet, Auline, Bendizao Mandarin, Satsuma Dobashi Beni, Satsuma Kowano, Satsuma Louisiana, Satsuma Miho, Satsuma Saigon, Satsuma Waze, Thornless Yuzu.
The others: in a pot, brought in for the winter
Lemons, limes and less hardy citrus (more tender than −11 °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.
−16 °Cone winter in ten
Aurillac and its basin
Aurillac, Arpajon-sur-Cère, Ytrac, Naucelles, Marmanhac, Vic-sur-Cère
See the citrus trees for this area
The Aurillac basin, at the foot of the mountains: −16 °C one winter in ten and −12 °C in an ordinary winter. The town gets less frost than the countryside: one winter in ten, Aurillac (town) falls to −13.5 °C, the airport to −15.7 °C and Marmanhac to −17.5 °C. Citranges, Yuzu and Yuzu 3 spend the winter here with a fleece on very cold nights; keep the other citrus trees in pots. The soil sometimes stays wet in winter: take care of drainage.
Marmanhac
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has ordinary brown soils, soils waterlogged part of the year and thin acid soils. In practice, the soil is often winter-wet, acid and clayey.
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 −16 °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 −13 °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 −13 °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.
−17 °Cone winter in ten
Saint-Flour, Planèze and Margeride
Saint-Flour, Massiac, Neussargues en Pinatelle, Pierrefort, Ruynes-en-Margeride, Chaudes-Aigues, Valuéjols
See the citrus trees for this area
The high plateaus of the Planèze and the Margeride, from 900 to 1,100 m, and the Alagnon valley: −17 °C one winter in ten and −12 °C in an ordinary winter; Coltines falls to −20.9 °C. Only citranges, Yuzu and Yuzu 3 live here in the ground, with a fleece at each frost. Keep the other citrus trees in pots, brought in for the winter. The soil is often acid.
Coltines
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has ordinary brown soils, thin acid soils and river alluvium. 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 −17 °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 −14 °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 −14 °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.
−17 °Cone winter in ten
Monts du Cantal, Cézallier and Artense
Salers, Le Claux, Laveissière, Murat, Riom-ès-Montagnes, Allanche, Marcenat
See the citrus trees for this area
The mountains, from 840 to 1,240 m: −17 °C one winter in ten and −13 °C in an ordinary winter. Riom-ès-Montagnes (837 m) falls to −18.5 °C, lower than Le Lioran (1,236 m): cold air collects in hollows. Only citranges, Yuzu and Yuzu 3 live here in the ground, with a fleece at each frost. Keep the other citrus trees in pots, brought in for the winter.
Marcenat
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has volcanic soils and river alluvium.
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 −17 °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 −14 °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 −14 °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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sénezergues | 530 m | −8 °C | −11.5 °C | −15.5 °C (5 February 2012) | 13 out of 30 |
| Maurs | 480 m | −8.1 °C | −11.2 °C | −13.2 °C (9 February 2012) | 12 out of 30 |
| Aurillac (town) | 707 m | −9.4 °C | −13.5 °C | −16.4 °C (5 February 2012) | 12 out of 21 |
| Saint-Constant | 260 m | −10 °C | −15 °C | −16 °C (12 February 2012) | 16 out of 24 |
| Mauriac | 674 m | −10.1 °C | −13 °C | −15.3 °C (9 February 2012) | 20 out of 30 |
| Massiac | 533 m | −10.5 °C | −16.5 °C | −19 °C (1 March 2005) | 25 out of 30 |
| Saignes | 533 m | −11 °C | −15.3 °C | −16.5 °C (7 February 2012) | 21 out of 26 |
| Aurillac (airport) | 632 m | −11.6 °C | −15.7 °C | −18 °C (12 February 2012) | 24 out of 30 |
| Salers | 945 m | −12 °C | −16 °C | −17 °C (8 February 2012) | 18 out of 22 |
| Deux-Verges | 1080 m | −12 °C | −18.6 °C | −18.8 °C (1 March 2005) | 22 out of 24 |
| Riom-ès-Montagnes | 837 m | −12 °C | −18.5 °C | −19 °C (5 February 2012) | 19 out of 20 |
| Saint-Flour | 909 m | −12.3 °C | −17.3 °C | −20.5 °C (1 March 2005) | 26 out of 30 |
| Le Claux | 1033 m | −12.7 °C | −16.5 °C | −19 °C (1 March 2005) | 27 out of 30 |
| Valuéjols | 1074 m | −13 °C | −17 °C | −17.5 °C (7 February 2012) | 23 out of 24 |
| Marmanhac | 644 m | −13 °C | −17.5 °C | −19 °C (5 February 2012) | 27 out of 30 |
| Le Lioran | 1236 m | −13.4 °C | −17.3 °C | −19.1 °C (1 March 2005) | 28 out of 30 |
| Marcenat | 1075 m | −14 °C | −17.8 °C | −20.5 °C (1 March 2005) | 28 out of 30 |
| Coltines | 979 m | −14.5 °C | −20.9 °C | −21.9 °C (1 March 2005) | 29 out of 30 |
“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, Coltines fell to −21.9 °C, Saint-Flour and Marcenat to −20.5 °C; in February 2012, Aurillac airport recorded −18.0 °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 Cantal
- Choose very hardy citrus. With −14 to −17 °C one winter in ten over most of the département, citranges, Yuzu and Yuzu 3 spend the winter outdoors without protection around Mauriac, and with a fleece around Aurillac, on the Planèze, the Margeride and in the mountains. Around Mauriac, the other yuzus (Yuzu 30, thornless, Tada Nishiki) and the hardiest satsumas cope with a fleece. The other citrus trees are grown in pots, brought in for the winter.
- Avoid hollows. Cold air flows down and collects in low ground. The records show it: one winter in ten, Saint-Constant, near the Lot, falls to −15.0 °C, while Maurs, higher up, stays at −11.2 °C. Plant halfway up a slope or against a south-facing wall, never at the lowest point of the garden.
- Make the most of the warmth of the town. One winter in ten, Aurillac (town) falls to −13.5 °C, two degrees milder than the airport. A town garden, against a wall, can gain one or two degrees.
- Choose the rootstock for your soil. Poncirus is the most cold-resistant: it is the choice for the Cantal. The soil here is often acid; 4475 adapts to acid soils but is more sensitive to cold. 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 Aurillac?
No. Lemon trees withstand about −5 °C, and Aurillac falls to around −9 °C even in an ordinary winter, in town. Keep them in pots, brought in for the winter to a bright room protected from frost. For a sour fruit, see our Lemons and lemon substitutes: in the Châtaigneraie, yuzu spends the winter outdoors without protection.
Which citrus trees withstand the cold best in the Cantal?
Citranges, Yuzu and Yuzu 3, which withstand −15 °C: they spend the winter outdoors without protection in the Châtaigneraie and around Mauriac, and with a fleece around Aurillac and higher up. In the Châtaigneraie, the other yuzus and the hardiest satsumas also cope without protection; around Mauriac, they need 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: that is not enough for almost all of the Cantal. Only the hardiest clementines cope in the Châtaigneraie, with a fleece at each frost, against a south-facing wall. Keep orange trees and the other clementines in pots, brought in for the winter.
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).