Light: Full sun, ideally 6–8 hours daily. In Phoenix, protect young trees from intense western afternoon sun and reflected heat.
Water: Deep, regular irrigation; not a low-water desert tree. Allow the upper few inches of soil to dry between waterings. Water more frequently during extreme summer heat and less in winter, wetting the root zone beneath and beyond the canopy rather than just near the trunk.
Soil: Well-drained soil; sandy loam preferred. Tolerates Phoenix’s alkaline soils with appropriate nutrition, but avoid saline soil and poor drainage. Keep the graft union above soil level.
Mature size: Typically 15–25 feet tall and 12–20 feet wide on vigorous rootstock; smaller on dwarfing rootstock or with regular pruning.
Bloom: Fragrant flowers appear primarily in spring, generally March–April in Phoenix. Fruit usually ripens in late winter to early spring; taste-test before harvesting.
Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen.
Growth rate: Moderate to fast with adequate irrigation and nutrition.