We are fortunate in that most citrus grow and produce well in Orange County. We don’t have the tropical heat required to ripen all of the varieties of mandarins, oranges and grapefruit. In some of the local canyons, Mexican limes can suffer cold damage.

 Most citrus fruit ripen in the winter or spring. It is important to note that skin color is often a poor indicator of sweetness. Mature skin color is a result of the warm days and cool nights of Southern California winters, but many citrus varieties will remain tart well into spring. Heat ripens citrus. The same variety of citrus grown across the U.S. will ripen first in southern Florida, then southern Texas, then inland California, followed finally by coastal California.

Citrus should be planted where they will receive sun for at least half of the day. More sun results in stronger flavor. Citrus adapt to nearly any soil, however, they can’t adapt to constantly wet conditions. Drainage can be improved greatly by planting on tall mounds, on hillsides, in raised planters, or in containers. Citrus are native to tropical and semitropical Asia. Do provide newly planted citrus with frequent (daily) irrigation at least through their first summer.

 Please consult our Citrus Planting Guide for details. This guide also has information on pest control.

 We offer full size (standard) and somewhat smaller (dwarf) citrus. Standard citrus are usually trained with a 2 foot straight trunk. Dwarf citrus are usually trained as a bush. Dwarf citrus grow about 2/3 the height of a standard citrus of the same variety. There are micro dwarf citrus which grow about 1/3 the height of a standard citrus. We don’t stock these, but we may be able to order them. Dwarf trees tend to have slightly smaller, slightly stronger flavored fruit with smoother, thinner skin than the standard trees of the same variety. Any citrus can be maintained as low as 4 feet, or be grown as a hedge, and still remain productive.

Citrus are healthier and grow faster when installed as a 5 gallon plant. Healthy citrus trees will grow 2-3 feet per year. The largest citrus plants we sell are less than 2 foot taller than the smallest.

 Although citrus begin bearing fruit at an early age, please note that the fruit quality will improve as the tree matures. Oranges and grapefruit are at their best when the tree is 20-30 years old.

 Citrus are native to southeastern Asia. In Nature, there are no ancestral oranges or grapefruit. Oranges and grapefruit, as well as many of the tangerines, are complex hybrids between mandarins and pummelos (Chinese grapefruit). Tangerines were hybridized in Tangiers, Africa. Grapefruit were developed in the West Indies.

Peeling Oranges

Washington Navel 

THE COMMERCIAL PEELING ORANGE Large, seedless fruit with orange skin and juicy, firm, orange flesh. Excellent, strong, sweet flavor. Harvest mid winter to early summer. Standard grows 15 feet, dwarf grows 8-10 feet. The peel is fairly easy to peel. Please note that the skin is thinner, and more difficult to peel, on dwarf trees and on trees grown closer to the coast. Navel oranges make fine juice, however, the taste turns bitter when stored. OUR MOST POPULAR ORANGE

Cara Cara Pink Navel 

This orange is essentially identical to Washington Navel except that it has a red blushed peel and deep pink flesh. This variety was found on a farm in South America. Summer Navel (Lane Late Navel) Similar to Washington, but ripening about 2 months later. Commercially, this is highly successful (because late crops bring a higher price), but the quality is poor. The flesh is pale orange and lacks the flavor and texture of Washington.

Juice Oranges

Valencia

 THE ORANGE OF ORANGE COUNTY This is the classic summer juice orange. The peel turns bright orange in winter, however, the fruit is extremely tart until mid spring. The flesh is bright orange, slightly soft, and extremely juicy. In summer the flavor is quite mellow. There are usually a few seeds. (Midnight is a seedless cultivar of Valencia) Harvest time is mid spring to late summer. Standard grows 20 feet. Dwarf grows 15 feet. THE MOST POPULAR JUICING ORANGE

Moro Blood

Medium size fruit. The peel and flesh are orange and sweet in December. By January, the peel gets a red blush and the flesh is red streaked. By February the flesh is blood colored and picks up a distinct berry flavor. The juice resembles blood and has a spritely flavor. Standard grows 18 feet. Dwarf grows 12 feet. This variety is slow to start heavy production. OUR BEST BLOOD ORANGE. In hot inland climates this fruit looks and tastes like it’s fermenting when ripening.

Sanguinelli Blood

 Small to medium size, oval fruit, with few seeds. In spring the peel gets a beautiful red blush. The flesh gets red streaked, but remains mostly orange. This blood orange requires high inland temperatures to ripen. Near the coast the fruit remains extremely tart.

Tarocco Blood

 Medium to large, round, nearly seedless fruit. By mid winter the peel and flesh are orange with a very mellow sweet flavor. The flesh develops just a few red streaks and none of the berry flavor. Standard grows 15 feet. Dwarf grows 10 feet. Production starts slowly. In youth this plant creates wicked, 5 inch long, hypodermic needle-like thorns.

Minneola

 Medium to large, round or oval fruit, often with a nipple at the stem end, with bright orange skin and flesh. Rich, juicy, spicy sweet flavor. Seedless if not pollinated by a seedy orange or mandarin. Easier to peel if not pollinated. Harvest mid-winter to mid spring. Standard grows 15 feet. Dwarf grows 10 feet.

Mandarins(Tangerines)

Algerian

(Clementine) Small to medium fruit with orange skin and flesh. Juicy and sweet with great flavor. Easy to peel. Flesh is seedless if not pollinated by a nearby seedy orange or mandarin. Harvest winter-spring. Standard grows 12 feet. Dwarf grows 8 feet. Extremely sensitive to improper watering practices. 

Encore 

Medium size fruit with some seeds. Easy to peel. Very juicy, mild, sweet flavor. Upright growth. Harvest May-August. THE LATEST RIPENING MANDARIN

Golden Nugget

 Medium size lumpy fruit with golden skin. Excellent flavor. This variety ripens winter-spring, is seedless and fairly easy to peel. It is not particularly attractive. NEW!

Honey

 Medium to large fruit with thin dark orange skin and flesh with many seeds. Rich, sweet, and very juicy. Difficult to peel. Harvest spring-summer. Standard grows 16 feet. Dwarf grows 12 feet. Best when grown away from coast.

Kishu Mini

Small fruit with orange skin and flesh. Sweet and mild, seedless flesh. Very easy to peel. Harvest mid fall to mid winter. Standard grows 12 feet. Dwarf grows 8 feet. This is a very ancient variety introduced from China to Japan. EARLIEST RIPENING MANDARIN

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Small to medium size fruit with deep orange skin and flesh. The flavor is rich and sweet. Seedless if not pollinated by a seedy orange or mandarin. Fairly easy to peel. Harvest late winter to late spring. Standard grows 15 feet. Dwarf grows 10 feet.

Continue Mandarins list

Pixie

Small fruit with light orange skin and flesh. The flesh is very firm, seedless, richly flavored, but with little juice. Easy to peel. Harvest in spring. Standard grows 15 feet. Dwarf grows 12 feet.

Satsuma

(Owari) Medium to large fruit with orange skin and flesh. The seedless flesh is sweet and mellow. Harvest late November (still a bit green) to mid winter. Fruit gets puffy and dry when overmature. Extremely easy to peel. Easier than cracking an egg. Standard grows 12 feet. Dwarf grows 7 feet. Relatively easy to grow. OUR MOST POPULAR MANDARIN.

Grapefruit

Rio Red

Large to very large fruit with red blushed, peach-colored, thin skin and deep red flesh. Few or no seeds. Good sweet tart flavor when ripe in mid-spring, more mellow by summer. Standard grows 16 feet. Dwarf grows 12 feet. OUR BEST RED GRAPEFRUIT (We don’t recommend Star Ruby grapefruit due to its inherent weaknesses and strange mottled foliage.)

Oroblanco

 Very large to huge fruit with pale yellow skin and seedless flesh. Extremely sweet, low acid, mellow flesh. Has a slightly bitter after taste. Harvest mid-fall to early spring. Young trees make fruit with unusually thick rind. Mature trees make better fruit. WONDERFUL!

Pummelo

Chandler

 Huge to monstrous round fruit with pale yellow skin and light red flesh. The flesh is very firm, juicy, with a very mild, sweet grapefruit flavor. Average fruit is 5 inches in diameter. A few exceed 7 inches. Very thick peel. Harvest winter-spring. Ask us (Gary) how to properly serve this fruit.

Lemons

Eureka

THE COMMERCIAL LEMON Large yellow fruit with few seeds. Good acid lemon flavor. Heaviest production in winter, less in summer, with a few fruit ready any time of the year. Very productive but rarely lives beyond 15 years. Upright growth. Standard grows 15 feet. Dwarf grows 12 feet. Easy to grow.

Meyer

Medium to large dark yellow fruit with few seeds. Mildly acidic to slightly sweet lemon flavor. Harvest nearly year round, heaviest in winter. Arching, spreading growth. Standard grows 12 feet. Dwarf grows 8 feet. VERY POPULAR

Pink Lemonade

 Similar to Eureka, but with beautiful variegated foliage, green striped fruit, and blush pink flesh. Normal acidic flavor.

Pomona Sweet

 Similar to Eureka, but the flesh is nearly acidless. Originated in Pomona, California.

Ponderosa 

Giant, nearly round lemon relative with yellow skin and flesh. Good acidic lemon flavor and juice. Harvest nearly year round. Standard grows 10 feet. Dwarf grows 8 feet

Limes

The skin of all limes become yellowish when fully ripe. Commercial limes are picked early.

Bearss

(Persian, Tahitian) THE COMMERCIAL LIME Medium size fruit with few seeds. Good acidic lime flavor. Harvest nearly year round, heaviest in winter. Standard grows 15 feet. Dwarf grows 10 feet.

Mexican

 (Key) Small fruit with a few seeds. Excellent aromatic acid lime flavor. Harvest nearly year round, heaviest in winter. Standard grows 12 feet. Dwarf grows 8 feet. Tender to frost. Best when grown under the eaves of the house for winter protection. THE BARTENDER’S LIME

Sweet Lime

Palestine Lime Medium size fruit with greenish yellow skin and seedy straw colored flesh. Extra juicy with sweet, mild lime flavor. Harvest winter-spring. Standard grows 15 feet. Dwarf grows 10 feet. Very popular in the Carribean, Central America, Middle East, and India.

Miscellaneous Citrus

Calamondin(Calamondi)Small sour mandarin with orange skin. Harvest nearly all year. Standard grows 12 feet. Dwarf grows 8 feet. The juice is used as a flavoring in Asian cooking.

Citrus hytrix

(Kaffir Lime) The unusual double leaves of this plant are used to flavor certain Asian dishes. The fruit is incredibly tart.

Fingered Citron

 Buddha’s Hand Large grotesque fruit that looks like a lemon crossed with an octopus, or like a fat yellow hand with long slender fingers. The fruit is solid rind. No flesh, but highly fragrant. Grows 5-10 feet tall.

Nagami Kumquat

Small, oval fruit with orange skin and flesh. The edible skin is tender and sweet. The flesh is quite tart. Harvest in spring. Standard grows 10 feet. Dwarf grows 6 feet. Easy to grow, and usually used as an ornamental specimen.