The benchmark juicing orange. Thin-skinned fruit heavy with juice that ripens late and holds on the tree for months, and unlike navel juice it does not turn bitter after squeezing.
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Height guide & disclaimer
Height guide disclaimer: Height ranges are approximate only. As living products, plant heights naturally vary between individual plants, batches, and seasons. No guarantee is given that supplied plants will fall within the stated range. If minimum heights are required, you must confirm current batch heights with Evergreen Trees Direct prior to purchase. Variation in height is normal and is not grounds for return, refund, replacement, or compensation.
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Citrus sinensis 'Valencia' is the classic late season juicing orange, an evergreen tree with a dense rounded head of glossy leaves. The fruit is thin skinned and full of juice, with a deep colour and a flavour that carries acid as well as sugar. Blossom is white and fragrant.
It grows to 4 to 6 metres tall and 3 to 4 metres wide at 30 to 60 centimetres a year, wanting full sun and a fertile free draining soil. Young trees need frost protection through their first two winters. Established trees take light to moderate frost without lasting damage.
This is the tree to plant if you juice. Fruit ripens late spring into summer and hangs on the tree for months afterwards, so you pick as you need rather than dealing with a glut. It suits home orchards, rural blocks, avenue rows and large containers on a sunny terrace.
Which orange should you plant? The choice comes down to when you want fruit and what you do with it.
Valencia is the juicing orange. It ripens late, from late spring into summer, and holds on the tree for months, so it fills the gap after the winter oranges are finished. Thin skinned, very high in juice, a few seeds.
Washington Navel and Cara Cara are the winter eating oranges. Seedless, easy to peel, ripening through winter into early spring. Cara Cara is the one with sweet rose-pink flesh and low acid. Navel juice turns bitter within a few hours of squeezing, which is exactly why Valencia exists.
Blood Orange is grown for the deep red flesh and berry note, best in districts with cold nights, which bring the colour on.
Seville is the bitter orange. Not for eating fresh, but the only real choice for marmalade, and the hardiest of the group.
About Valencia Orange
Valencia ripens late, from late spring into summer, where navels are a winter orange. The fruit is thinner skinned, juicier and slightly more acidic, which is why it dominates the juicing trade. It carries a few seeds, and the juice keeps its flavour longer after squeezing than navel juice does.
Navel oranges contain a compound called limonin that develops a bitter taste in the juice within hours of squeezing. Valencia has very little of it, so the juice holds its flavour and can be squeezed ahead. This single difference is why Valencia became the commercial juicing orange worldwide.
Yes. A single tree crops well on its own without another orange planted nearby, so there is no need to buy a pollinator.
It reaches 4 to 6 metres tall and 3 to 4 metres wide left unpruned, larger than most navel oranges. Annual growth is around 30 to 60 centimetres. Pruning after harvest holds it to a comfortable picking height, and trees in large containers stay well under those figures.
From late spring into summer, several months later than winter oranges, which is what gives it its place in the garden. Flowers open in spring and the fruit takes close to a full year to mature, so a tree often carries two crops at different stages at the same time.
Valencia holds exceptionally well, often for several months after it first reaches eating quality, so you can pick over a long window instead of harvesting everything at once. Fruit left through warm weather can regreen slightly in the rind while staying sweet inside, which is harmless.
Yes, in a large free draining container of at least 60 centimetres, using a quality citrus mix. Potted trees stay well below their in ground size, need watering more often and a liquid feed through the growing season, and should never be left standing in a saucer of water.
Full sun, all day if possible, in a spot sheltered from strong wind. Soil should be a free draining loam or sandy loam with a slightly acidic to neutral pH, improved with compost before planting. Avoid heavy clay and anywhere water sits on the surface after rain.
Allow 4 metres between trees for a feature planting so each canopy develops fully, or 3 to 4 metres for a uniform avenue or orchard row. Closer spacing works if you commit to annual pruning, but crowded citrus fruit less well and hold more humidity inside the canopy.
Water deeply through flowering and fruit development, then reduce in winter. Mulch the root zone and keep mulch clear of the trunk. Feed with citrus fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer. Prune lightly after harvest and remove any growth from below the graft union.
| Pot / bag size | Width | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| 30cm Pot | 33cm | 30cm |
| 40cm/45L Pot | 44cm | 41.5cm |
| 50cm Pot / 70L Pot | 55cm | 41.8cm |
| 100L Bag | 50.6cm | 52.8cm |
| 150L Bag | 66cm | 55cm |
| 200L Bag | 71.5cm | 60.5cm |
| 300L Bag | 88cm | 63.8cm |
| 400L Bag | 99cm | 66cm |
| 500L Bag | 122cm | 66cm |
| 750L Bag | 134cm | 69cm |
| 1000L Bag | 146.3cm | 71.5cm |
| 2000L Bag | 176cm | 82.5cm |
General planting reference from our existing size guide. Actual containers can vary by supplier and batch; confirm exact dimensions if required.
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Citrus sinensis 'Valencia' is the classic late season juicing orange, an evergreen tree with a dense rounded head of glossy leaves. The fruit is thin skinned and full of juice, with a deep colour and a flavour that carries acid as well as sugar. Blossom is white and fragrant.
It grows to 4 to 6 metres tall and 3 to 4 metres wide at 30 to 60 centimetres a year, wanting full sun and a fertile free draining soil. Young trees need frost protection through their first two winters. Established trees take light to moderate frost without lasting damage.
This is the tree to plant if you juice. Fruit ripens late spring into summer and hangs on the tree for months afterwards, so you pick as you need rather than dealing with a glut. It suits home orchards, rural blocks, avenue rows and large containers on a sunny terrace.
Which orange should you plant? The choice comes down to when you want fruit and what you do with it.
Valencia is the juicing orange. It ripens late, from late spring into summer, and holds on the tree for months, so it fills the gap after the winter oranges are finished. Thin skinned, very high in juice, a few seeds.
Washington Navel and Cara Cara are the winter eating oranges. Seedless, easy to peel, ripening through winter into early spring. Cara Cara is the one with sweet rose-pink flesh and low acid. Navel juice turns bitter within a few hours of squeezing, which is exactly why Valencia exists.
Blood Orange is grown for the deep red flesh and berry note, best in districts with cold nights, which bring the colour on.
Seville is the bitter orange. Not for eating fresh, but the only real choice for marmalade, and the hardiest of the group.
About Valencia Orange
Valencia ripens late, from late spring into summer, where navels are a winter orange. The fruit is thinner skinned, juicier and slightly more acidic, which is why it dominates the juicing trade. It carries a few seeds, and the juice keeps its flavour longer after squeezing than navel juice does.
Navel oranges contain a compound called limonin that develops a bitter taste in the juice within hours of squeezing. Valencia has very little of it, so the juice holds its flavour and can be squeezed ahead. This single difference is why Valencia became the commercial juicing orange worldwide.
Yes. A single tree crops well on its own without another orange planted nearby, so there is no need to buy a pollinator.
It reaches 4 to 6 metres tall and 3 to 4 metres wide left unpruned, larger than most navel oranges. Annual growth is around 30 to 60 centimetres. Pruning after harvest holds it to a comfortable picking height, and trees in large containers stay well under those figures.
From late spring into summer, several months later than winter oranges, which is what gives it its place in the garden. Flowers open in spring and the fruit takes close to a full year to mature, so a tree often carries two crops at different stages at the same time.
Valencia holds exceptionally well, often for several months after it first reaches eating quality, so you can pick over a long window instead of harvesting everything at once. Fruit left through warm weather can regreen slightly in the rind while staying sweet inside, which is harmless.
Yes, in a large free draining container of at least 60 centimetres, using a quality citrus mix. Potted trees stay well below their in ground size, need watering more often and a liquid feed through the growing season, and should never be left standing in a saucer of water.
Full sun, all day if possible, in a spot sheltered from strong wind. Soil should be a free draining loam or sandy loam with a slightly acidic to neutral pH, improved with compost before planting. Avoid heavy clay and anywhere water sits on the surface after rain.
Allow 4 metres between trees for a feature planting so each canopy develops fully, or 3 to 4 metres for a uniform avenue or orchard row. Closer spacing works if you commit to annual pruning, but crowded citrus fruit less well and hold more humidity inside the canopy.
Water deeply through flowering and fruit development, then reduce in winter. Mulch the root zone and keep mulch clear of the trunk. Feed with citrus fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer. Prune lightly after harvest and remove any growth from below the graft union.
Evergreen (foliage year round)
Citrus sinensis 'Valencia' – Valencia Orange is expected to grow 30cm to 60cm per year under suitable conditions.
Citrus sinensis 'Valencia' – Valencia Orange works in an:
Citrus sinensis 'Valencia' – Valencia Orange is an Evergreen (foliage year round) Tree
Mature Height: 4m to 6m
Mature Width: 3m to 4m
Citrus sinensis 'Valencia' – Valencia Orange is expected to grow 30cm to 60cm per year under suitable conditions.
Citrus sinensis 'Valencia' – Valencia Orange is expected to grow 30cm to 60cm per year under suitable conditions.
They are considered to have a:
Is Citrus sinensis 'Valencia' – Valencia Orange frost tolerant?
Citrus sinensis 'Valencia' – Valencia Orange is Frost Tolerant – Can handle light to moderate frost once established.
Citrus sinensis 'Valencia' flowers heavily in spring with fragrant white blossom, and the fruit then takes close to a full year to mature, ripening late spring into summer. Mature trees often carry blossom and developing fruit at the same time.
Does Citrus sinensis 'Valencia' – Valencia Orange flower?
Flowering Period:
Flower Type:
Flower Colour:
White
No
Citrus sinensis 'Valencia' – Valencia Orange is Native to A cultivated sweet orange selection of uncertain origin, named for Valencia in Spain and now the most widely planted juicing orange worldwide.
Fragrant white spring blossom attracts bees and other pollinators in numbers, supporting fruit set across the wider garden. The dense evergreen canopy offers shelter and nesting cover for small birds, and unharvested fruit feeds wildlife over summer.
Citrus sinensis 'Valencia' – Valencia Orange will thrive best in:
Citrus sinensis 'Valencia' performs best in deep free-draining loam or sandy loam with a neutral to slightly acidic pH. It tolerates lighter sandy soils when organic matter is added to hold moisture and nutrients. Avoid heavy clay and any position where water sits after rain, as citrus roots will not tolerate waterlogging. Maintain even soil moisture across the long fruit development period.
Is Citrus sinensis 'Valencia' – Valencia Orange Drought tolerant?
Young trees need consistent watering to establish a deep productive root system. Once established, Valencia Orange copes with heat and dry spells better than most citrus, though juice volume and fruit size both depend on steady moisture through the long fruit development period.
Valencia ripens late, from late spring into summer, where navels are a winter orange. The fruit is thinner skinned, juicier and slightly more acidic, which is why it dominates the juicing trade. It carries a few seeds, and the juice keeps its flavour longer after squeezing than navel juice does.
Navel oranges contain a compound called limonin that develops a bitter taste in the juice within hours of squeezing. Valencia has very little of it, so the juice holds its flavour and can be squeezed ahead. This single difference is why Valencia became the commercial juicing orange worldwide.
Yes. A single tree crops well on its own without another orange planted nearby, so there is no need to buy a pollinator.
It reaches 4 to 6 metres tall and 3 to 4 metres wide left unpruned, larger than most navel oranges. Annual growth is around 30 to 60 centimetres. Pruning after harvest holds it to a comfortable picking height, and trees in large containers stay well under those figures.
From late spring into summer, several months later than winter oranges. Flowers open in spring and the fruit takes close to a full year to mature, so a tree often carries two crops at different stages at the same time.
Valencia holds exceptionally well, often for several months after it first reaches eating quality, so you can pick over a long window instead of harvesting everything at once. Fruit left through warm weather can regreen slightly in the rind while staying sweet inside, which is harmless.
Yes, in a large free draining container of at least 60 centimetres, using a quality citrus mix. Potted trees stay well below their in ground size, need watering more often and a liquid feed through the growing season, and should never be left standing in a saucer of water.
Full sun, all day if possible, in a spot sheltered from strong wind. Soil should be a free draining loam or sandy loam with a slightly acidic to neutral pH, improved with compost before planting. Avoid heavy clay and anywhere water sits on the surface after rain.
Allow 4 metres between trees for a feature planting so each canopy develops fully, or 3 to 4 metres for a uniform avenue or orchard row.
Water deeply through flowering and fruit development, then reduce in winter. Mulch the root zone and keep mulch clear of the trunk. Feed with citrus fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer. Prune lightly after harvest and remove any growth from below the graft union.
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Heights are approximate and vary between individual trees.
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Trachelospermum jasminoides 'Balls' is Star Jasmine grown and clipped into a dense evergreen sphere. The small glossy leaves sit tight on a woody framework, holding a clean rounded outline year round. White pinwheel flowers open in spring and carry a strong sweet scent right across a courtyard.
Ball specimens hold at about 1 to 1.5 metres tall and wide with light clipping. Full sun to part shade suits them, in any free draining soil. Growth is slow to moderate at 30 to 50 centimetres a year. They handle coastal exposure, light frost and dry spells once the roots are down.
Repeat them along a driveway, either side of an entry, or in pots on a terrace where a formal shape is wanted straight away. They read as structure in a planting scheme without the height of a hedge, and because the form is already trained, a new garden looks settled from the day it goes in.
About Star Jasmine Balls
They are Trachelospermum jasminoides, the common Star Jasmine, grown and clipped into a dense evergreen sphere on a woody framework. Instead of climbing, the plant is trained into a self supporting rounded shape. The foliage is small, glossy and dark green, and the plant carries scented white flowers through spring.
They hold at roughly 1 to 1.5 metres tall and 1 to 1.5 metres wide. Growth is slow to moderate at 30 to 50 centimetres a year, so a light clip once or twice a year keeps the ball tight at whatever size within that range suits the setting.
Full sun to part shade both work. Full sun gives the densest foliage and the heaviest flowering, while part shade produces slightly softer, more open growth and fewer flowers. Avoid deep shade, where the ball thins out and loses its outline. Morning sun with afternoon protection suits hot inland gardens.
Yes, and pots are one of the main uses. A container 50 to 60 centimetres wide with a quality free draining mix will hold a ball for years. Water more often than you would in the ground, especially in summer, and feed in spring and again in late summer. Refresh the mix every few years.
Yes, the foliage is held year round. The glossy dark green leaves take on a bronze tinge in cold weather and green up again in spring, but the plant never goes bare. That is what makes it useful as permanent structure in a scheme, particularly in winter once perennials have died back.
Flowering runs through spring, roughly September to November, and often carries into early summer in warmer districts. The white pinwheel flowers are small but produced in quantity, and the scent is strong on still evenings. Flowering is heaviest on plants in full sun that were not clipped hard just before bud set.
Clip lightly with hedging shears once after flowering and again in late summer if needed, taking only the new growth to keep the outline crisp. Water deeply in dry weather, mulch the base, and feed in early spring. The sap is milky and can irritate skin, so wear gloves when trimming.
Westringia fruticosa, Coastal Rosemary, is an Australian native evergreen shrub from the headlands and dunes of the east coast. It builds a dense rounded bush of fine grey green leaves held in whorls, with small white to pale lilac flowers. Despite the common name it is not the culinary herb.
Mature plants sit at 1.5 to 2 metres tall and 1.5 to 2 metres wide, growing 30 to 60 centimetres a year, and they clip smaller without complaint. Full sun to part shade and sharp drainage are the requirements. Salt wind, sandy soil, drought and light to moderate frost are all handled.
It is a standard on coastal projects, road verges, council garden beds and exposed banks that need erosion cover. Plant 1 to 1.5 metres apart for an informal screen, or 80 centimetres for a clipped hedge. A single plant fills a 40 to 50 centimetre pot on a courtyard or balcony.
About Coastal Rosemary
Westringia fruticosa is an Australian native evergreen shrub from the headlands and dunes of the east coast. It forms a dense rounded bush of fine grey green leaves held in whorls, with small white to pale lilac flowers. Despite the common name it is not culinary rosemary and is not used in cooking.
Mature plants reach 1.5 to 2 metres tall and 1.5 to 2 metres wide. It clips readily to smaller dimensions and is often maintained at around a metre as a hedge or a low mound. Growth is moderate, roughly 30 to 60 centimetres a year, so it holds a trimmed shape well.
It is one of the best shrubs available for exposed coastal work. It grows naturally on sea cliffs and copes with salt laden wind, sand and reflected heat. It is used constantly on beachfront reserves, dune stabilisation projects and seaside gardens where little else holds a tidy shape.
The main flush is spring and summer, roughly September through February, with scattered flowering at other times of the year in mild districts. The flowers are small, white to pale lilac and sit among the foliage rather than above it. Clipped hedges flower less than plants left to grow informally.
Space plants 80 centimetres apart for a tight formal hedge, or 1 to 1.5 metres apart for a dense informal screen. On banks and batters used for erosion cover, 1 metre in a staggered grid gives full ground coverage within about two growing seasons.
Yes. A pot 40 to 50 centimetres wide suits a single plant for a courtyard, entry or balcony. Use a free draining mix, because the roots will not tolerate sitting wet. Container plants need watering more often than those in the ground, plus a light trim to hold their shape.
Trim lightly two or three times a year, taking the soft new growth and avoiding cuts into bare old wood, which reshoots poorly. Water through the first summer, then only in extended dry spells. On most soils it needs no feeding at all, and it resents heavy watering and poor drainage.
Westringia 'Wynyabbie Blue' is a hardy Australian native shrub grown for its lilac blue flowers, which are larger and more freely carried than those of the common white forms. Narrow grey green leaves sit in neat whorls on a dense rounded frame that holds its shape through the year.
Expect 1.5 to 2 metres in height and width at maturity, at 30 to 60 centimetres a year. Full sun brings the heaviest flowering, though part shade is accepted. Drainage matters above everything else, after which it takes salt wind, sandy or gravelly ground, drought and light to moderate frost.
Mass plantings on batters, median strips and coastal frontages are where it earns its keep, and it clips into a low hedge of about a metre without losing its flowering. Plant 1 to 1.5 metres apart for an informal screen. One plant fills a 40 to 50 centimetre pot neatly.
About Wynyabbie Blue Coastal Rosemary
Westringia 'Wynyabbie Blue' is a hardy Australian native shrub grown for its lilac blue flowers, which are larger and more freely carried than those of the common white forms. Narrow grey green leaves sit in neat whorls on a dense rounded frame. It is evergreen and holds its structure all year.
It reaches 1.5 to 2 metres tall and 1.5 to 2 metres wide at maturity, growing 30 to 60 centimetres a year. It clips comfortably to around a metre if you want a lower hedge, and it will hold that height indefinitely given two or three light trims a year.
From spring right through autumn, roughly September to May, with sporadic flowers in winter in mild districts. The lilac blue flowers open in flushes rather than all at once, so there is usually some colour on the plant. Flowering is heaviest in full sun on lean, well drained soil.
Yes. Once the roots are established it needs very little water and copes with extended dry periods, which is why it is used on unirrigated median strips and road verges. Drainage matters more than watering, since the plant will die in soggy ground long before it dies of thirst.
It is. Salt laden wind, sandy soils and reflected heat are all handled, and it is planted routinely on foreshore reserves and beachside gardens. In very exposed frontal positions the plant stays lower and denser than it would inland, which generally suits the situation anyway.
Use 80 centimetres between plants for a clipped formal hedge, or 1 to 1.5 metres for a dense informal screen. For mass planting on banks and median strips, 1 metre in a staggered pattern gives full coverage within about two growing seasons and shades out most weeds.
Trim lightly after each flowering flush, taking soft growth only. Cutting back into bare old wood leaves gaps that will not fill in, so stay on top of it rather than letting it get away. Water through the first summer, then rarely. Avoid rich soils and heavy fertiliser.
Citrus sinensis 'Washington Navel' is the standard seedless eating orange, an evergreen tree with a dense rounded to slightly upright canopy of glossy green leaves. The fruit is large, easy to peel and richly sweet. Fragrant white flowers open in spring, and the tree carries foliage and structure through every season.
Plant it in full sun in well drained soil and water consistently while the tree establishes and while fruit is sizing. It grows roughly 30 to 60 centimetres a year and suits warm temperate, Mediterranean and subtropical districts as well as sheltered coastal gardens. Established trees take light to moderate frost and moderate dry spells.
This is the orange for a backyard orchard, an edible garden bed or a courtyard where one productive tree has to do a lot of work. It also holds a clipped outline well enough for a formal kitchen garden. Reliable cropping and a manageable size are why it remains the most planted navel in the country.
About Washington Navel Orange
'Washington Navel' is the most widely planted navel orange in Australia, named for the small secondary fruit at the base that resembles a navel. It produces large seedless oranges with thick skin that peels by hand and sweet, low acid flesh. The tree is evergreen with a dense canopy and fragrant white spring blossom.
In the ground it commonly reaches about 3 to 4 metres tall with a spread near 3 metres, forming a dense rounded to slightly upright head. Pruning after harvest holds it lower without affecting cropping much. Trees grown in large containers usually stay under 2 metres, which suits courtyards and paved terraces.
Around 30 to 60 centimetres a year once established, with the strongest growth in the first few seasons while the framework builds. Growth slows as the tree starts carrying heavy crops. Warmth, regular deep watering and two feeds a year make the difference, while cold, dry or compacted soil will slow it considerably.
Washington Navel is an early to mid season variety. Flowers open in spring and fruit ripens through winter, generally from about June into September depending on district. Fruit holds on the tree for weeks after colouring, so pick as you need it. Left well past ripeness the flesh dries out and loses flavour.
No. Washington Navel sets fruit without pollination, which is exactly why the oranges are seedless. A single tree crops reliably on its own, so there is no need to plant a partner. Poor fruit set is nearly always down to water stress, lack of nutrition, frost at flowering or too much shade.
It grows well in coastal districts provided it is sheltered from direct salt laden wind by a fence, wall or hedge. Sandy coastal soils drain freely, which citrus likes, but they need generous compost and mulch to hold moisture and nutrition. Front line beachfront exposure is too harsh for citrus of any kind.
Water deeply once or twice a week through the warm months and less over winter, mulching the root zone but not the trunk. Feed with a complete citrus fertiliser in early spring and late summer. Prune lightly after harvest to open the canopy, remove suckers below the graft, and watch for scale, aphids and citrus leaf miner.
Citrus sinensis 'Cara Cara' is a navel orange with rose-pink flesh, an evergreen tree carrying glossy leaves on a dense rounded head. The fruit is low in acid and unusually sweet, seedless, with a colour closer to pink grapefruit than to an ordinary orange. Fragrant white blossom opens in spring.
It wants full sun and a fertile free draining soil, and reaches 3 to 5 metres tall by 2 to 4 metres wide at 30 to 60 centimetres a year. Young trees are frost sensitive and need cover for their first two winters. Established trees take light to moderate frost.
Plant it in a home orchard, an edible garden bed or a courtyard where the pink flesh is worth showing off. It is self-fertile, so one tree is enough. Fruit ripens through winter into early spring, filling a gap when little else in the garden is ready to pick.
About Cara Cara Navel Orange
The colour comes from lycopene, the same pigment that reddens tomatoes and watermelon, rather than the anthocyanins that colour a blood orange. It develops as the fruit matures on the tree, giving rose-pink to salmon flesh behind a rind that looks like any other navel orange from the outside.
It reaches 3 to 5 metres tall and 2 to 4 metres wide, forming a dense rounded canopy. Growth runs at 30 to 60 centimetres a year. Pruning after harvest keeps the picking height sensible, and container-grown trees stay considerably smaller than trees planted into open ground.
Ripening runs through winter into early spring in most Australian districts. The flesh colours and sweetens the longer fruit stays on the tree, so pick progressively rather than all at once. Rind colour is a poor guide with this variety, so taste a sample before clearing the tree.
Yes. Like other navels it is seedless, which is a large part of why it works so well for eating fresh and for juicing. The flesh is also low in acid, so the juice tastes sweeter and rounder than a standard orange even at the same sugar level.
It does well through subtropical and warm temperate districts, from south east Queensland and coastal New South Wales down to Adelaide and the Riverland. Warm days with reasonable winter chill give the best flesh colour. In cool districts choose a north-facing wall or another sheltered warm position.
Yes, noticeably so. New growth and young wood can burn through the first two winters, so use frost cloth or plant against a warm wall until the trunk thickens. Once established the tree handles light to moderate frost, though a hard frost during flowering will cost you fruit.
Water deeply and regularly through flowering and fruit fill, easing back in winter. Mulch the root zone, keeping mulch off the trunk. Apply citrus fertiliser in early spring and late summer. Prune lightly after harvest to open the centre, and watch for scale, aphids and citrus leaf miner.
Citrus sinensis 'Blood Orange' is an evergreen orange tree grown for fruit with red to deep burgundy flesh and a flavour that carries berry notes alongside the usual orange sweetness. The canopy is rounded and dense with glossy green leaves, and heavily scented white blossom appears through spring.
It wants full sun and a fertile, free draining soil with steady moisture while establishing. Warm temperate and Mediterranean climates suit it best, and cool nights during ripening are what bring out the red pigment. Light to moderate frost is tolerated once established, and mature trees develop moderate drought tolerance.
Use it in home orchards, edible garden beds, courtyards and large containers where a productive tree also has to look presentable. The blossom scents a small garden in spring and the fruit is worth waiting for if you juice or cook. It gives a garden something that a supermarket run does not match easily.
About Blood Orange
'Blood Orange' is an evergreen sweet orange whose flesh develops red to burgundy pigment as the fruit matures. Skin colour ranges from standard orange to a blushed rind. The flavour is sweet with a raspberry edge, which makes it popular for juicing, salads and cooking. The tree is a neat rounded evergreen with fragrant spring blossom.
In garden soil a blood orange generally reaches about 3 to 4 metres tall and around 3 metres wide, forming a dense rounded head. Annual growth sits near 30 to 60 centimetres. Pruning after harvest keeps it to a height you can pick without a ladder, and trees grown in containers stay noticeably smaller.
The colour comes from anthocyanin pigments, the same group that colours berries and red cabbage. Those pigments only develop properly where nights are cold during ripening, so fruit from Mediterranean and cooler temperate districts colours far more strongly than fruit from warm humid areas. A mild winter can give lightly blushed rather than deep red flesh.
White flowers open in spring, then the fruit hangs and matures slowly, with picking usually running from late winter into spring depending on district and season. Colour and flavour both improve the longer fruit is left on the tree, so taste test rather than picking on appearance. Ripe fruit holds well for several weeks.
Established trees handle light to moderate frost, and cold nights actually help the flesh colour up. Young trees are far more susceptible, so protect them for the first two winters with frost cloth or a sheltered planting position. Severe or repeated hard frost will damage new growth and can knock out the following season's flowers.
They do best in warm temperate and Mediterranean climates with hot dry summers and cool winter nights, which describes the Riverland, the Riverina, Perth and much of inland Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. Coastal gardens grow good trees, though the colouring is often lighter. Humid subtropical areas produce fruit with less red pigment.
Water deeply through flowering and fruit development and ease off in winter, mulching the root area while keeping mulch away from the trunk. Feed with a citrus fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer. Prune lightly after harvest, remove any growth below the graft, and check regularly for scale, aphids and citrus leaf miner.
Citrus aurantium, the Seville or bitter orange, is an evergreen tree with a dense rounded canopy, thorny branches and dark aromatic leaves. The fruit is thick skinned, sour and intensely fragrant, which is exactly why it makes the best marmalade. Spring blossom is the most powerfully scented of any citrus.
It is hardier than a sweet orange and tolerates light to moderate frost once established, along with a wider range of soils. Full sun and reliable drainage still matter. Mature size is 4 to 6 metres tall and 3 to 4 metres wide, at 30 to 60 centimetres a year.
Use it as a fragrant feature near a path or a seating area, in a productive orchard row, or clipped as a formal standard in a courtyard. It has long served as citrus rootstock, so the tree itself is tough. Worth planting for the blossom alone, with the marmalade fruit a bonus.
About Seville Orange
Citrus aurantium is the bitter or sour orange, a distinct species from the sweet orange. The fruit is thick skinned, high in pectin and far too sour to eat fresh, but it is the traditional and best fruit for marmalade. The species has also long been used as citrus rootstock.
Marmalade above all, since the high pectin and acid set a preserve without additives. The rind goes into candied peel, bitters, liqueurs and cooking, the juice into marinades and sauces, and the blossom into orange flower water. Very little of the fruit needs to go to waste.
It reaches 4 to 6 metres tall and 3 to 4 metres wide unpruned, which makes it larger than most sweet oranges. Growth is around 30 to 60 centimetres a year. It responds well to shaping and can be held considerably lower, or trained as a clipped standard in a courtyard.
Yes. The branches carry stiff thorns, more so on young vigorous wood, so wear gloves when pruning or picking. Those thorns are one reason the tree makes a useful barrier or boundary planting, but keep it away from narrow paths and areas where children play.
Strongly. Seville orange blossom is the most heavily scented of the citrus and carries a long way on a warm spring evening, which is why it is distilled for neroli oil and orange flower water. Plant it where you walk past regularly or sit outside during spring.
It has been used as citrus rootstock for centuries, valued for vigour, tolerance of heavier soils and resistance to some root diseases. Susceptibility to citrus tristeza virus has reduced commercial use, but the same underlying toughness makes the tree itself dependable and long lived in a garden.
Prune after harvest in late winter, thinning the centre for light and cutting back any water shoots. Wear gloves for the thorns. Water deeply while establishing, mulch clear of the trunk, and feed with citrus fertiliser in early spring and late summer. Remove suckers below the graft.
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Citrus sinensis 'Valencia' is the classic late season juicing orange, an evergreen tree with a dense rounded head of glossy leaves. The fruit is thin skinned and full of juice, with a deep colour and a flavour that carries acid as well as sugar. Blossom is white and fragrant.
It grows to 4 to 6 metres tall and 3 to 4 metres wide at 30 to 60 centimetres a year, wanting full sun and a fertile free draining soil. Young trees need frost protection through their first two winters. Established trees take light to moderate frost without lasting damage.
This is the tree to plant if you juice. Fruit ripens late spring into summer and hangs on the tree for months afterwards, so you pick as you need rather than dealing with a glut. It suits home orchards, rural blocks, avenue rows and large containers on a sunny terrace.
Which orange should you plant? The choice comes down to when you want fruit and what you do with it.
Valencia is the juicing orange. It ripens late, from late spring into summer, and holds on the tree for months, so it fills the gap after the winter oranges are finished. Thin skinned, very high in juice, a few seeds.
Washington Navel and Cara Cara are the winter eating oranges. Seedless, easy to peel, ripening through winter into early spring. Cara Cara is the one with sweet rose-pink flesh and low acid. Navel juice turns bitter within a few hours of squeezing, which is exactly why Valencia exists.
Blood Orange is grown for the deep red flesh and berry note, best in districts with cold nights, which bring the colour on.
Seville is the bitter orange. Not for eating fresh, but the only real choice for marmalade, and the hardiest of the group.
About Valencia Orange
Valencia ripens late, from late spring into summer, where navels are a winter orange. The fruit is thinner skinned, juicier and slightly more acidic, which is why it dominates the juicing trade. It carries a few seeds, and the juice keeps its flavour longer after squeezing than navel juice does.
Navel oranges contain a compound called limonin that develops a bitter taste in the juice within hours of squeezing. Valencia has very little of it, so the juice holds its flavour and can be squeezed ahead. This single difference is why Valencia became the commercial juicing orange worldwide.
Yes. A single tree crops well on its own without another orange planted nearby, so there is no need to buy a pollinator.
It reaches 4 to 6 metres tall and 3 to 4 metres wide left unpruned, larger than most navel oranges. Annual growth is around 30 to 60 centimetres. Pruning after harvest holds it to a comfortable picking height, and trees in large containers stay well under those figures.
From late spring into summer, several months later than winter oranges, which is what gives it its place in the garden. Flowers open in spring and the fruit takes close to a full year to mature, so a tree often carries two crops at different stages at the same time.
Valencia holds exceptionally well, often for several months after it first reaches eating quality, so you can pick over a long window instead of harvesting everything at once. Fruit left through warm weather can regreen slightly in the rind while staying sweet inside, which is harmless.
Yes, in a large free draining container of at least 60 centimetres, using a quality citrus mix. Potted trees stay well below their in ground size, need watering more often and a liquid feed through the growing season, and should never be left standing in a saucer of water.
Full sun, all day if possible, in a spot sheltered from strong wind. Soil should be a free draining loam or sandy loam with a slightly acidic to neutral pH, improved with compost before planting. Avoid heavy clay and anywhere water sits on the surface after rain.
Allow 4 metres between trees for a feature planting so each canopy develops fully, or 3 to 4 metres for a uniform avenue or orchard row. Closer spacing works if you commit to annual pruning, but crowded citrus fruit less well and hold more humidity inside the canopy.
Water deeply through flowering and fruit development, then reduce in winter. Mulch the root zone and keep mulch clear of the trunk. Feed with citrus fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer. Prune lightly after harvest and remove any growth from below the graft union.
