A citrus evergreen tree with a fruitful life span of 50 to 60 years, an orange tree (Citrus x sinensis) is a part of the Rutaceae family. Although grown around the globe for their flowers, fruits and other benefits, Brazil, India, the United States, and China are its leading producers. Oranges are also a great source of Vitamin-C, one of the essential nutrients required by our bodies. Their deep green foliage is also astounding.
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Orange trees: Key facts
| Botanical name | Citrus sinensis |
| Common name | Sweet Oranges, Blood Oranges, Navel Oranges |
| Family | Rutaceae Family (Rue Family) |
| Native area | Tropical regions of Asia (Malay Archipelago/Myanmar, Northeast India/China) |
| Plant type | Fruit tree |
| Mature size | 16 to 50 feet |
| Sun exposure | Full sunlight |
| Soil type | Well-drained and loamy |
| Bloom time | Spring |
| Flower size | 2-3 cm in size |
| Flower colour | White |
| Toxic | No (but semi-toxic for pets) |
Orange trees: Physical description
Having its origins in North-east India, southern China and Myanmar, Citrus x sinensis is famous for its beneficial fruits, leaves, flowers and timber. An orange tree grows as high as 24-46 inches (around 60 to 120 centimetres) from the ground—their main bough sprouts from the trunk.
Although evergreen, orange trees tend to regenerate their foliage continuously. During their early years, they generate newer leaves in more numbers than those which fall off. When sprouting, fresh, younger leaves are light green and later turn into a deeper green with time. White round buds that shoot out from the branches are called orange blossoms that eventually open into a star-shaped flower with five petals around yellow/orange stamens. They measure around two to three cm. These blossoms are edible, have a pleasant fragrance and have multiple uses. These flowers, when left to develop more, turn into fruits.
Famous for being rich in Vitamin C, the fruit berry has orange skin and red to light orange flesh on the inside that has a succulent taste. Both the surfaces of fruit and leaves are full of oily glands, which give orange its distinct fragrance. Orange trees fully bloom in spring.
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Orange trees: Varieties
Valencia orange tree:
- Responsible for the world’s orange juice production.
- It has an elongated, spherical shape and is more prominent in size.
- It needs more heat to produce and matures in February.
- They are primarily grown in Florida, California, South Africa, and Australia.
Navel orange Tree:
- Consumed chiefly as fresh fruits, they are used as an additive to juices.
- Juices made from navel oranges get bitter when preserved and are not preferred.
- Fruits are seedless.
- Fruits mature in the fall and stay hanging until four months.
Orange trees: How to grow them?
One can grow a healthy orange tree from seeds and cuttings. You can plant them either outside your house or inside.
Growing orange trees from seeds
Before one thinks about growing an orange tree directly from its seed, remember that it will not produce fruits for the first 12 years. However, if one wishes to carry on, follow the steps below.
Preparing the seed
- Use a healthy orange, cut it carefully and collect its seeds.
- Collect and wash the seeds clean.
- Unpeel the seed and get rid of unwanted membranes that delay germination.
- One has to sow seeds from different oranges, as only some will become seedlings.
- Spring is the best season to plant seeds, a temperature of fifteen degrees Celsius is apt for the seeds.
Sowing the seeds in pots
Sow the seeds three inches apart in a big pot in a line. The distance between each seed should be one inch. A good soil mix should have seed potting soil mix and sand. Carefully lay the seeds in the soil mix and gently press them. Then cover the seeds with a good layer of fresh river sand to a depth of around three inches. Covering the pots with a dark plastic bag can also create a greenhouse effect.
Leave the pots untouched in a warm, dark place for at least 12 days. Make sure to keep the soil moist to make seedlings appear. Transfer the seedlings to a large pot once they reach a height of around eleven inches. Fill the bigger individual pots with good-quality manure and fertilisers. Let the young seedlings receive enough sunlight but bring them indoors during harsh winters.
Planting the young trees in a field
Choose an excellent field to plough with a depth of around fifteen inches. The tillage will destroy not only perennial weeds but also fluff the soil, making for better development of the root system. Consult an agronomist about adding manure to the soil per hectare. Dig a hole up to seventeen inches deep and twenty inches in diameter to transplant the young trees.
The distance between the plants depends on several factors. Although planting young trees very close may result in high production during the early years, they become crowded later as the years roll by, and output may significantly reduce. On the other hand, planting the trees apart may not bear fruit during the early years, but this system will produce good crops after fifteen years.
After considering the above pointers, determine the distance between the trees by the equation “a tree’s height must be equal to the planting distance divided by two plus one”. An average distance of twenty x twenty feet between orange trees is appropriate.
Growing orange trees from cuttings
It is the easiest and cheap way to have an orange tree in your garden. Work in spring which is a perfect season for growing trees.
- First, choose a tree that is growing healthy and sturdy. Orange trees already growing in one’s backyard are preferable since the chosen tree has already been raised well in that area.
- Your main goal should be to pick branches 1 to 2 years old from a young and sturdy-looking tree.
- Cut 5 to 6 branches from alternate regions of the tree around 10 inches long.
- Remove all leaves from the bottom part of the branches, around two-thirds.
- In the bottom 1/3 part of the branches, put root hormone powder.
- Dip the end of branches in a root growth hormone solution.
- Next, plant the branches in pots filled with turf soil, sand and unique soil mixes.
- Keep the soil moist and place it under the sun.
In fourteen weeks, properly developed roots will appear in the branches. Transfer the developed branches to bigger pots with manure and soil mix. Regions with mild winters are perfect for this process.
How to prune an orange tree?
Pruning is essential if you want to grow fruits on your trees. Choose the months of February or march for pruning. Cut down in-growing branches that block light from entering the inside parts of the tree. Also, remove the branches that cross over each other. Prune lightly, which will maintain the structure of the entire tree.
How to harvest oranges?
In 12-14 months after flowering, oranges are ready to be harvested before they are over-ripe. However, harvesting time also depends on the variety and the region of its planting. The traditional method of harvesting oranges requires pulling and twisting the wrist by hand. Harvesting fruits with a thin crust need clippers to cut the stem.
In recent times, mechanical harvesting has been the preferred option, especially in the U.S. Huge shakers attached to the tractors minimise cost and save labour effort. In less than 20 minutes, these big shakers can make oranges from a hundred trees fall. It catches these fruits and drops them safely into a storage car. However, these shakers only work well with big, widely spaced younger trees. It may damage the stems of older trees.
How to harvest orange blossoms?
Before the buds turn to ripe fruits, one can harvest the orange blossoms with numerous uses. Since orange trees are ever-green, a tree may sprout flowers and fruit simultaneously throughout the year—orange tree blossoms during late winter. Orange blossoms are gathered and used in mixology, perfume, and essential oils. High in Vitamin C, it strengthens our immunity, and potassium helps maintain the fluid balance in our body. Blossoms taste bitter when consumed raw; one must distil them carefully before using them in culinary dishes or cosmetics.
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Orange trees: Maintenance
- They prosper in warm environments. Keep the potted plants outside during the day and hide them inside when night falls.
- The soil needs to be moist during most of the year. Water once or twice a week.
- They require constant feeding. High potassium feed must be fed to the soil every second of watering.
- Use citrus peels to keep away ants, bugs and spiders. Cyhalothrin spray can help with other leaf diseases.
Orange trees: Are they toxic?
The orange peel contains the majority of the poisonous material and presents a choking risk for pets due to its thickness and difficulty in digestion. They can irritate your cat’s nerves and muscles because they include essential aromas and citric acid in variable concentrations.
Orange trees: How much does an orange tree yield per hectare?
A healthy adult orange tree can yield up to 200-300 oranges. However, framers with skills and enough experience can make a tree yield up to 600 oranges. One hectare of land containing around 500 orange trees can produce up to 2700 kgs of oranges.
Orange trees: Uses
Although an orange tree is mainly known for its nutritious fruits, its flowers treat several ailments, such as insomnia and anxiety. Tea made from these flowers helps with digestion and mildly upset stomachs.
Its timber is also helpful in making woodwork, mosaics, and handles. An orange tree’s wood is finely grained, has average dimensional stability, and has high shrinkage and density. Despite its limited availability, this wood can efficiently be a renewable raw material.
FAQs
How many oranges can one tree produce?
An orange tree can produce an average of 250-350 oranges.
Why are the trunks of an orange tree painted white?
Farmers coat the tree trunk with white paint to protect it from sunburn.
What does an orange tree symbolise?
An orange tree is known to symbolise happiness and prosperity.