Orange
Citrus × sinensis
Sweetest where nights stay warm in fall.
Hardiness: zones 9 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 20 ft tall, 15 ft wide
Harvest: November to March
From: S. China
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: food, pollinators.
Hardy in zones 9 to 11.
The story
Sweet oranges came out of southern China and reached Europe through Portuguese traders in the 1500s; Spain planted them in Florida by 1565 and the missions carried them to California. Valencia and navel oranges turned both states into orchards.
Planting
Full sun, drained soil, and shelter from cold wind; plant on a mound in heavy ground. One tree is enough, on dwarf rootstock for a yard.
Growing
Feed with citrus fertilizer three times a year and keep the soil evenly moist, never soggy. Pull suckers from below the graft. Mulch, but keep it off the trunk.
Harvest and use
Navels ripen in winter, Valencias in late spring into summer; the colour is not the test, taste is. Fruit holds on the tree for weeks.
What to watch for
Citrus greening where it occurs, scale and aphids, and frost below about 28°F; cover young trees on cold nights.
See if Orange fits your yard
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More tropical and subtropical food plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home