Sweet Orange Citrus x sinensis
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- SI-trus sy-NEN-sis
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Sweet orange is an evergreen tree in the Rutaceae family that grows up to 30 feet tall in tropical, sub-tropical climates and its fruit is what you find in grocery stores. It is a hybrid resulting from a cross between a mandarin orange and a pomelo although when this was done is not fully known. However, its name means "from China" and likely refers to where it was originally grown and used. It has glossy green leaves and attractive orange edible fruits. It is not cold hardy so in cooler zones it can be grown in a container that can be overwintered indoors. Its flower is the state flower of Florida.
The sweet orange requires direct sunlight. It is frost tender and does best when planted in a place where it can receive early morning sunlight during the growing season, so new, tender branches don't freeze. It prefers a pH of 5 - 6 but will tolerate a neutral or alkaline range as well. It is drought tolerant but flourishes when kept moist. Do not overwater.
Pruning sweet orange trees is different than other deciduous fruit trees. Flowering and fruiting on sweet orange trees occurs on new wood and you don't want to cut flowers that are your future fruits. It is recommended that all pruning occur after the fruit has ripened.
Plant outside for year-round enjoyment in the proper hardiness zone or put in a planter for movement inside when the weather turns cold. Sweet orange dislikes root disturbance so it should be placed in its permanent location outside when young. If growing them in pots, great care must be taken when moving them to larger containers.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This plant can cause contact dermatitis in some people. There are many insects which could affect sweet orange. They include citrus rust mite, citrus snow scale, purple scale, Florida red scale, mealybugs, whiteflies, aphids, and fruit flies. Diseases include greasy spot, stem-end rot, sweet orange scab, citrus canker, and citrus greening disease.
The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common citrus insect and related pests.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Citrus
- Family:
- Rutaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The juice is used in jellies, to make ice cream, sherbet or sorbet, and its fragrance is found in perfumes and cleaning products. The rind of the fruit is often used as a flavoring in cakes and icing or made into marmalade. Flowers can be cooked as a vegetable or made into a tea. The oil in the seed can be used in soap making. The fruit is rich in Vitamin C which aids the body and recent studies have attributed the fruit with lowering cholesterol and aiding in the digestion of fat. The fruit contains bergapten, which is used in tanning lotions as it promotes pigmentation in the skin.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Grafting
- Leaf Cutting
- Seed
- Distribution:
- All tropical, sub-tropical regions around the world
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Edible fruit
- Fragrance
- Edibility:
- Fruits are edible
- Dimensions:
- Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Houseplant
- Perennial
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
- Appendage:
- Thorns
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Orange
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fragrant
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- The fruits are round to slightly oval in shape and can vary in size from 2-5" in diameter. The color of the fragrant, exterior rind is orange when ripe, as is the pulp. The fruit and juice are sweet.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Winter
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Clusters of up to six fragrant, creamy white flowers bloom on the ends of the branches.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenulate
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The glossy, aromatic leaves are ovate in shape and can reach up to 4" long.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- New year's growth is green in color. Contain thorns.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Lawn
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Edible Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Small Tree
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Heavy Shade
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
