In the Gers, the cold settles in the valleys. One winter in ten, it falls to about −9 °C around Auch and in the Astarac, −10 °C in the Bas-Armagnac, −12 °C in the Ténarèze and −13 °C in the Lomagne and the east of the département.
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.
Our nursery, in Lavernose-Lacasse (Haute-Garonne), is about 1 h 15 min from Auch by car: collection is possible by appointment (Click & Collect).
- −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:
−9 °Cone winter in ten
Auch and the Astarac
Auch, Mirande, Masseube, Seissan, Simorre, Montesquiou
See the citrus trees for this area
The hillsides of the south freeze less than the valleys: −9 °C one winter in ten, −6 °C in an ordinary winter. Peyrusse-Grande (254 m) stops at −7.8 °C, while Auch, in the Gers valley, falls to −10.5 °C. Satsumas, yuzus, kumquats, citranges and the hardiest clementines spend the winter outdoors here; so do orange trees and the other clementines, with a fleece on frosty nights, against a south-facing wall. Lemon trees stay in pots. The soil, often chalky, stays wet in winter: plant on a mound.
Auch
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has silty soils, shallow chalky soils and river alluvium. In practice, the soil is often chalky, winter-wet and silty.
Rootstocks to favour: C35, then Poncirus. 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 −9 °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
-
Orisa 9 Tangor
down to −9 °C · €41.00
-
Yuzu 3
down to −15 °C · €38.00
-
Fukushu Kumquat
down to −10 °C · €32.30
See all 38 available plants that withstand −9 °C
Sold out for now: 31 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Ambersweet, Auline, Bendizao Mandarin, Corsican Mountain Orange, Hana Yuzu, 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 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 −6 °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
-
Fina Clementine
down to −8 °C · €29.75
-
Enzo Grapefruit
down to −8 °C · €35.00
-
Murcott Tangor
down to −8 °C · €35.00
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Citradia
down to −8 °C · €35.00
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Tavares Limequat
down to −7 °C · €29.75
-
Cara Cara Orange
down to −8 °C · €35.00
-
Glauca
down to −8 °C · €38.00
See all 27 available plants that withstand −6 °C
Sold out for now: 15 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Dom Joao Orange, Fragola Orange, Hassaku, Iyo Mikan Tangor, Mandalate Mandarin, Moro Orange, 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 −6 °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.
−10 °Cone winter in ten
Bas-Armagnac
Nogaro, Eauze, Riscle, Aignan, Plaisance, Le Houga
See the citrus trees for this area
In the west, the Bas-Armagnac: −10 °C one winter in ten, −6 °C in an ordinary winter. Le Houga, Maumusson and Lupiac give similar figures, from −10 to −10.7 °C. Satsumas, yuzus, kumquats and citranges spend the winter outdoors here; orange trees and clementines need a fleece at each frost, sheltered by a south-facing wall, and lemon trees stay in pots. The soil often stays wet in winter: plant on a mound.
Maumusson
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has silty soils, foot-of-slope soils and shallow chalky soils. In practice, the soil is often winter-wet, silty and chalky.
Rootstocks to favour: C35, then Poncirus. 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 −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.
−12 °Cone winter in ten
Ténarèze and northern Armagnac
Condom, Montréal, Vic-Fezensac, Valence-sur-Baïse, Cazaubon
See the citrus trees for this area
The north-west is clearly colder: −12 °C one winter in ten, −7 °C in an ordinary winter, from −11.1 °C at Condom to −12.1 °C at Courrensan. Citranges, yuzus and the hardiest satsumas spend the winter outdoors here; the other satsumas, kumquats and the hardiest clementines need a fleece. Orange trees, lemon trees and the other clementines stay in pots. The soil is often clay and chalky, and wet in winter: plant on a mound.
Beaucaire
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has chalky soils, silty soils and foot-of-slope soils. In practice, the soil is often chalky, winter-wet, clayey and silty.
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 −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
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Shekwasha
down to −11 °C · €34.85
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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.
−13 °Cone winter in ten
Lomagne and the east of the Gers
L'Isle-Jourdain, Gimont, Mauvezin, Fleurance, Lectoure, Saint-Clar
See the citrus trees for this area
The valleys of the east are the coldest in the département: −13 °C one winter in ten, −8 °C in an ordinary winter, and −14.5 °C recorded at L'Isle-Jourdain in February 2012. In the north, Mauroux stops at −9.2 °C. Citranges, Yuzu and Yuzu 3 spend the winter outdoors here; the other yuzus, satsumas and kumquats need a fleece at each frost. Orange trees, clementines and lemon trees stay in pots. The soil is often chalky.
L'Isle-Jourdain
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has chalky soils, silty soils and river alluvium. In practice, the soil is often chalky, winter-wet, clayey and silty.
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 −13 °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 −10 °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
-
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
-
Ichang Lemon Shangyuan
down to −12 °C · €38.00
-
Fukushu Kumquat
down to −10 °C · €32.30
-
US 119
down to −12 °C · €35.00
See all 27 available plants that withstand −10 °C
Sold out for now: 25 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Ambersweet, Auline, Bendizao Mandarin, Corsican Mountain Orange, 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.
The others: in a pot, brought in for the winter
Lemons, limes and less hardy citrus (more tender than −10 °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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peyrusse-Grande | 254 m | −5.1 °C | −7.8 °C | −10.1 °C (8 February 2012) | 1 out of 29 |
| Le Houga | 141 m | −5.1 °C | −10 °C | −12.4 °C (27 January 2007) | 2 out of 20 |
| Mauroux | 201 m | −5.4 °C | −9.2 °C | −12 °C (8 February 2012) | 3 out of 30 |
| Lahas | 251 m | −5.5 °C | −8.4 °C | −11.3 °C (8 February 2012) | 1 out of 23 |
| Condom | 173 m | −5.7 °C | −11.1 °C | −11.5 °C (27 January 2007) | 2 out of 22 |
| Maumusson | 164 m | −5.7 °C | −10.1 °C | −13.2 °C (27 January 2007) | 4 out of 30 |
| Sadeillan | 263 m | −6 °C | −9 °C | −10 °C (8 February 2012) | 3 out of 22 |
| Lupiac | 245 m | −6 °C | −10.7 °C | −10.8 °C (8 February 2012) | 3 out of 24 |
| Mirande | 184 m | −6.3 °C | −10.2 °C | −11 °C (25 December 2001) | 4 out of 30 |
| Caussens | 184 m | −6.7 °C | −11 °C | −12.9 °C (9 February 2012) | 3 out of 21 |
| Beaucaire | 120 m | −7 °C | −12 °C | −13.5 °C (9 February 2012) | 5 out of 30 |
| Montréal | 156 m | −7 °C | −12 °C | −12.4 °C (27 January 2007) | 4 out of 20 |
| Auch | 122 m | −7.4 °C | −10.5 °C | −13.6 °C (9 February 2012) | 7 out of 30 |
| L'Isle-Jourdain | 152 m | −7.5 °C | −13 °C | −14.5 °C (9 February 2012) | 7 out of 25 |
| Courrensan | 153 m | −7.7 °C | −12.1 °C | −13 °C (27 January 2007) | 4 out of 21 |
| Sainte-Anne | 132 m | −8.3 °C | −12.5 °C | −14 °C (9 February 2012) | 8 out of 24 |
“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 9 February 2012, Auch fell to −13.6 °C and L'Isle-Jourdain to −14.5 °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 Gers
- Plant on the hillsides, not at the bottom of valleys. Cold air flows down and collects in valleys. The records show it: one winter in ten, Peyrusse-Grande (254 m) stops at −7.8 °C, while Sainte-Anne (132 m) falls to −12.5 °C. Plant halfway up a slope or against a south-facing wall, never at the lowest point of the garden.
- Take care of drainage. The soils of the Gers, often chalky and sometimes clay, stay wet in winter. In heavy soil, plant on a mound.
- Choose the rootstock for your soil. Poncirus is the most cold-resistant. In chalky, dry soil, FA5 does better. 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 Auch?
No. Lemon trees withstand about −5 °C, and Auch falls to −10.5 °C one winter in ten. 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 Gers?
Citranges, Yuzu and Yuzu 3, which withstand −15 °C, spend the winter without protection throughout the département. In the Astarac and the Bas-Armagnac, so do satsumas, the other yuzus (Yuzu 30, thornless, Tada Nishiki) and kumquats. In the Ténarèze, the other yuzus and the hardiest satsumas manage without it; the other satsumas and kumquats need a fleece. In the Lomagne and the east of the département, the other yuzus, satsumas and kumquats need a fleece at each frost. They are brought together in Hardy citrus.
What about orange trees and clementines?
They withstand −7 to −9 °C depending on the variety. Around Auch and in the Astarac, the hardiest clementines spend the winter in the ground without protection; orange trees and the other clementines need a fleece at each frost, sheltered by a south-facing wall. In the Bas-Armagnac, orange trees and clementines live outdoors with a fleece. In the Ténarèze, only the hardiest clementines can try it, with a fleece. In the Lomagne and the east of the département, keep them in pots.
My town is not listed: which area should I choose?
Take the nearest area, then compare with the nearest station in the table of readings. In the Gers, position matters more than distance: take off one or two degrees if you are at the bottom of a valley, and add one or two on an open hillside.
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).