In the Oise, the differences in cold are modest, but they are enough to change the choice of citrus. One winter in ten, it falls to about −12 °C in the Oise valley, around Compiègne and Creil, −13 °C in the Valois and around Beauvais, and −14 °C on the Picardy 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
Oise valley, Compiègne and Creil
Compiègne, Margny-lès-Compiègne, Creil, Nogent-sur-Oise, Pont-Sainte-Maxence, Noyon
See the citrus trees for this area
The mildest corner of the département: −12 °C one winter in ten, −8 °C in an ordinary winter. Compiègne freezes much less than Creil: one winter in ten, Margny-lès-Compiègne falls to −10.8 °C, Creil to −13.4 °C. Citranges, yuzus and the hardiest satsumas spend the winter outdoors here; the other satsumas, kumquats and the hardiest clementines need a fleece at each frost, against a south-facing wall. Lemon trees, orange trees and the other clementines stay in pots.
Creil
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has silty soils. In practice, the soil is often silty.
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.
−13 °Cone winter in ten
Senlis, Chantilly and the Valois
Senlis, Chantilly, Crépy-en-Valois, Nanteuil-le-Haudouin, Le Plessis-Belleville
See the citrus trees for this area
The southern plateaus, between the forests of Chantilly and Retz, with silty soils: −13 °C one winter in ten, but only −7 °C in an ordinary winter. 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.
Trumilly
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has silty soils and soils waterlogged part of the year. In practice, the soil is often silty 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 −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.
−13 °Cone winter in ten
Beauvais, Pays de Bray and Vexin
Beauvais, Chaumont-en-Vexin, Méru, Auneuil, Songeons, Formerie, Grandvilliers
See the citrus trees for this area
Around Beauvais, in the Pays de Bray and the Vexin, on mainly silty soils: −13 °C one winter in ten, −8 °C in an ordinary winter, and −15.2 °C recorded at Beauvais-Tillé in January 2009. Citranges, Yuzu and Yuzu 3 spend the winter outdoors here; the other yuzus, satsumas and kumquats need a fleece at each frost, against a south-facing wall. Orange trees, clementines and lemon trees stay in pots.
Beauvais-Tillé
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has ordinary brown soils, silty soils and soils waterlogged part of the year. In practice, the soil is often clayey and silty.
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 −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.
−14 °Cone winter in ten
Picardy plateau
Clermont, Saint-Just-en-Chaussée, Breteuil, Crèvecœur-le-Grand, Maignelay-Montigny, Froissy
See the citrus trees for this area
The open plateau in the north of the département, exposed to the wind: −14 °C one winter in ten, −9 °C in an ordinary winter, and −18.6 °C recorded at Rouvroy-les-Merles in January 2009. Citranges, Yuzu and Yuzu 3 spend the winter here without protection; the other yuzus and the hardiest satsumas with a fleece at each frost; keep the other citrus trees in pots. Plant in the shelter of a hedge or a south-facing wall.
Rouvroy-les-Merles
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has ordinary brown soils, silty soils and shallow chalky soils. In practice, the soil is often silty.
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Le Plessis-Belleville | 116 m | −6.7 °C | −12.3 °C | −14.1 °C (7 January 2009) | 4 out of 22 |
| Margny-lès-Compiègne | 92 m | −7.2 °C | −10.8 °C | −15 °C (7 January 2009) | 7 out of 30 |
| Jaméricourt | 113 m | −7.3 °C | −13.4 °C | −14.8 °C (9 January 2009) | 11 out of 30 |
| Saint-Arnoult | 206 m | −7.6 °C | −12.6 °C | −13 °C (18 January 2013) | 9 out of 25 |
| Trumilly | 111 m | −8 °C | −13.5 °C | −14.2 °C (7 January 2009) | 6 out of 20 |
| Godenvillers | 92 m | −8 °C | −13.7 °C | −17.8 °C (9 January 2009) | 13 out of 30 |
| Beauvais-Tillé | 89 m | −8.6 °C | −13.5 °C | −15.2 °C (7 January 2009) | 13 out of 30 |
| Creil | 88 m | −9.1 °C | −13.4 °C | −15.2 °C (9 January 2009) | 14 out of 25 |
| Rouvroy-les-Merles | 94 m | −9.3 °C | −14.3 °C | −18.6 °C (7 January 2009) | 16 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 7 January 2009, Rouvroy-les-Merles fell to −18.6 °C, Beauvais-Tillé to −15.2 °C and Margny-lès-Compiègne to −15.0 °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 Oise
- Avoid hollows. Cold air flows down and collects at the bottom of valleys and in basins. Plant halfway up a slope or against a south-facing wall, never at the lowest point of the garden.
- Shelter from the wind. On the open Picardy plateau, the winter wind dries out the leaves. A hedge or a wall to the north protects the tree.
- Take care of drainage. The silty soils, sometimes clay, compact and hold water in winter. In heavy or chalky soil, plant on a mound.
- Choose the rootstock for your soil. Here, cold comes first: Poncirus is the most resistant. 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 Beauvais?
No. Lemon trees withstand about −5 °C, and Beauvais falls to around −8 °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 Oise?
The hardiest hybrids, such as citranges, withstand −15 °C: they spend the winter outdoors without protection throughout the département. So do Yuzu and Yuzu 3 (−15 °C). The other yuzus (Yuzu 30, thornless, Tada Nishiki) withstand −12 °C: without protection in the Oise valley, with a fleece in the Valois, around Beauvais and on the Picardy plateau. Satsumas and kumquats can be grown with a fleece, except on the Picardy plateau, where only the hardiest satsumas cope. 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 Oise valley, the hardiest clementines can be tried with a fleece at each frost, against a south-facing wall. Elsewhere, and for orange trees, grow them in pots and bring them in for the winter.
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. Take off one or two degrees if you are in a hollow or at the bottom of a valley.
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).