In the Creuse, the winter cold changes a lot from one place to another. One winter in ten, it falls to about −12 °C in the west, towards La Souterraine, −15 °C in Guéret, −16 °C in the central valleys and −17 °C on the Millevaches plateau.
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
West of the Creuse: La Souterraine, Dun-le-Palestel and Bourganeuf
La Souterraine, Dun-le-Palestel, Bénévent-l'Abbaye, Le Grand-Bourg, Fursac, Bourganeuf
See the citrus trees for this area
The least cold part of the département: −12 °C one winter in ten and −8 °C in an ordinary winter. La Souterraine and Bénévent-l'Abbaye stay at around −11 °C; Dun-le-Palestel falls to −12.8 °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 wet in winter: plant on a mound.
Bourganeuf
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 silty soils. In practice, the soil is often winter-wet.
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.
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Satsuma China S-2
down to −12 °C · €41.00
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Changsha Mandarin
down to −12 °C · €38.00
-
Sudachi Seneca
down to −12 °C · €42.00
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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
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Shekwasha
down to −11 °C · €34.85
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Changshan Huyou
down to −11 °C · €38.00
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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.
−15 °Cone winter in ten
Guéret and the north of the département
Guéret, Sainte-Feyre, Bonnat, Genouillac, Boussac, Châtelus-Malvaleix, Jarnages
See the citrus trees for this area
Guéret and the north, towards Boussac, are clearly colder: −15 °C one winter in ten and −10 °C in an ordinary winter. Bonnat stays at −12.3 °C, but Genouillac, lower down (306 m), falls to −15.5 °C. Citranges, Yuzu and Yuzu 3 live in the ground here without protection; the other yuzus and the hardiest satsumas need a fleece at each frost. Keep the other citrus trees in pots. The soil, often wet in winter, calls for planting on a mound.
Genouillac
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has soils waterlogged part of the year, ordinary brown soils and acid soils. In practice, the soil is often winter-wet.
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 −15 °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 −12 °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
-
Sudachi Seneca
down to −12 °C · €42.00
-
Trivoss No. 1
down to −14 °C · €35.00
-
Citrangeremo
down to −14 °C · €29.75
-
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 14 available plants that withstand −12 °C
Sold out for now: 9 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 Saigon, Satsuma Waze, Thornless Yuzu.
The others: in a pot, brought in for the winter
Lemons, limes and less hardy citrus (more tender than −12 °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
Central valleys: Ahun, Pontarion and Aubusson
Aubusson, Ahun, Moutier-d'Ahun, Pontarion, Chénérailles
See the citrus trees for this area
The valleys of the Creuse and the Thaurion hold the cold air: −16 °C one winter in ten and −11 °C in an ordinary winter. Pontarion fell to −21.5 °C in February 2012, Aubusson to −21.0 °C in March 2005. Only citranges, Yuzu and Yuzu 3 can try the ground here, with a fleece at each frost; the other citrus trees stay in pots, brought in for the winter. Plant halfway up a slope rather than at the bottom of the valley.
Pontarion
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has ordinary brown soils and soils waterlogged part of the year. In practice, the soil is often winter-wet.
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
Millevaches plateau and Combraille
Felletin, La Courtine, Crocq, Auzances, Gentioux-Pigerolles, Néoux
See the citrus trees for this area
The Millevaches plateau and the Combraille, the coldest part: −17 °C one winter in ten and −12 °C in an ordinary winter. One winter in ten, Néoux falls to −19.5 °C and Vallières to −20.0 °C, while Felletin (635 m) stays at −14.2 °C. Only citranges, Yuzu and Yuzu 3 can try the ground here, with a fleece at each frost, in a sheltered spot; keep the other citrus trees in pots, brought in for the winter. The soil is often acid.
Néoux
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has ordinary brown soils, thin acid soils and soils waterlogged part of the year. 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Souterraine | 370 m | −7.8 °C | −11.2 °C | −15.8 °C (6 February 2012) | 11 out of 30 |
| Bénévent-l'Abbaye | 460 m | −7.8 °C | −10.8 °C | −13.7 °C (7 February 2012) | 13 out of 30 |
| Bonnat | 382 m | −8.6 °C | −12.3 °C | −14.9 °C (12 February 2012) | 13 out of 26 |
| Bourganeuf | 513 m | −8.8 °C | −11.9 °C | −16.2 °C (6 February 2012) | 13 out of 30 |
| Genouillac | 306 m | −9.1 °C | −15.5 °C | −18.8 °C (7 February 2012) | 12 out of 23 |
| Felletin | 635 m | −9.8 °C | −14.2 °C | −16.9 °C (1 March 2005) | 19 out of 30 |
| Dun-le-Palestel | 365 m | −10 °C | −12.8 °C | −14.8 °C (6 February 2012) | 11 out of 21 |
| Boussac | 380 m | −10 °C | −14.8 °C | −16.1 °C (9 February 2012) | 22 out of 30 |
| Guéret | 402 m | −10.2 °C | −14.7 °C | −17 °C (6 February 2012) | 14 out of 21 |
| Ahun | 460 m | −10.2 °C | −16.3 °C | −16.5 °C (1 March 2005) | 16 out of 22 |
| Pontarion | 455 m | −11.3 °C | −16.9 °C | −21.5 °C (6 February 2012) | 22 out of 29 |
| Auzances | 564 m | −11.6 °C | −13.9 °C | −18.3 °C (1 March 2005) | 22 out of 30 |
| La Courtine | 772 m | −12.3 °C | −16.6 °C | −20.1 °C (1 March 2005) | 28 out of 30 |
| Aubusson | 486 m | −12.5 °C | −16.1 °C | −21 °C (1 March 2005) | 27 out of 30 |
| Néoux | 585 m | −13 °C | −19.5 °C | −21 °C (1 March 2005) | 22 out of 24 |
| Vallières | 560 m | −13.9 °C | −20 °C | −21 °C (1 March 2005) | 20 out of 21 |
“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. In February 2012, Pontarion fell to −21.5 °C, Genouillac to −18.8 °C and Guéret to −17.0 °C. In March 2005, Aubusson, Néoux and Vallières recorded −21.0 °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 Creuse
- Avoid the bottom of valleys. Cold air flows down and collects in valleys and basins. The records show it: one winter in ten, Aubusson, on the banks of the Creuse at 486 m, falls to −16.1 °C, while Felletin, higher up at 635 m, stays at −14.2 °C. Plant halfway up a slope or against a south-facing wall, never at the lowest point of the garden.
- Take the plateau into account. On the Millevaches plateau and in the Combraille, the cold of one winter in ten ranges from −13.9 °C at Auzances to −20.0 °C at Vallières. Only citranges live in the ground there, with a fleece at each frost, preferably in a sheltered spot such as Felletin or Auzances. Keep the other citrus trees in pots.
- Take care of drainage. In the west and around Guéret, the soil often stays wet in winter. Plant on a mound, so that water does not lie at the foot of the tree.
- Choose the rootstock for your soil. Poncirus is the most cold-resistant: it is the safest choice in the Creuse. In acid soil, common on the plateau, 4475 adapts well, in a large hole with improved soil, with more water in summer. 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 Guéret?
No. Lemon trees withstand about −5 °C, and Guéret falls to around −10 °C in an ordinary winter. Keep them in pots, brought in for the winter. For a sour fruit in the ground, choose a yuzu or a hardy lemon substitute instead. You will find them in Lemons and lemon substitutes.
Which citrus trees withstand the cold best in the Creuse?
Citranges, Yuzu and Yuzu 3, which withstand −15 °C. They spend the winter without protection in the west and around Guéret; in the central valleys and on the Millevaches plateau, they need a fleece at each frost. The other yuzus (Yuzu 30, thornless, Tada Nishiki) and the hardiest satsumas also spend the winter without protection in the west, towards La Souterraine, and with a fleece around Guéret. 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 west, towards La Souterraine, the hardiest clementines can be grown in the ground with a fleece at each frost, against a south-facing wall. Elsewhere, and for orange trees everywhere, keep them in pots, brought in for the winter to a bright room protected from frost.
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).