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Blood Orange Tree (Citrus sinensis)

14 years ago

I have been researching the Blood Orange Tree and it seems many people grow this tree (and many others) in a pot indoors. I actually have not found one example of this tree planted outdoors in the ground yet. I am curious, is this tree suitable for an outdoor planting? I do have a large Sun Room with large skylights and a wall of windows that I can winter the tree in, but I was hoping just to plant it outdoors.

The guy at the nursery did not know much about the tree, he was only able to give me information I could find on the tag myself. But he said it should grow to about 8 feet tall which seems ideal to me for an outdoor citrus tree. I bought this tree because I have never seen it for sale locally before. I was only aware of the tree from a a former coworker that would bring me fresh fruit, chicken eggs, assorted veggies etc. and his blood oranges where my favorite fruit he would give me.

Any suggestions on how to care for/get production from my new tree would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Nick

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Comments (6)

Andrew Scott
14 years ago
Hello Nick,
I don't know if it eould be suitable or not for outdoor planting. I would think you would be okay if your temps didn't go below freezing or if they do if they only fall below slightly and for a short period of time you should be good to go. I know the redness of the fruit is dependent on cool temperatures while ripening. I am not sure if it is nightime coolness or not. I have a dwarf moro in a pot, and I know it is extremly sensitive to poor drainage and out of all the citrus I have right now, it is a light hog. It wants as much light possible and if it doesn't get it, it will start dying back.
Andrew
tolumnia
14 years ago
I have a Moro, a Sanguinelli, and two blood oranges of unknown variety. All are planted outdoors and do quite well in Gainesville, Florida. The largest is about 12 feet tall.
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kcinnick
Original Author
14 years ago
I am glad to hear blood oranges do well outdoors in Gainseville. We do have a few freezes a year, but they are typically lite freezes of a short duration.
ashleysf
14 years ago
You can treat blood oranges similar to any other type of oranges for the purpose of planting outdoors - their care is also the same as for any other in-ground orange. I planted my Sanguinelli outdoors last fall (survived nicely through a few freezes) and am growing Moro in a pot outdoors. If you do not have summer heat, stick to Moro. If your area gets lots of heat in the summer, Sanguinelli would do well there too.
tantanman
14 years ago
Moro and Ruby got hit very hard in nw Houstin, this Jan.
Protect them till they get 3 to 4 inches in dia. in zone 9b.

Larry
woodrok
14 years ago
I have one planted in lower Alabama. The tree is 5 years old and approx 12-14 feet tall. My only problem is the tree has never flowered. I don't know if this is common or if the tree is needing something. We get several freezes per year and the tree has done fine as far as that goes.

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