sweet orange
Citrus ×sinensis · Rutaceae
sweet orange (Citrus ×sinensis) is a perennial tree in the Rutaceae family. It is introduced to North America rather than native. USDA records it as hardy in zone 8 and warmer, down to about 17°F.
At a glance
| Type | tree Derived |
|---|---|
| Lifecycle | perennial USDA |
| Native status | introduced USDA |
| Mature height | 30 ft USDA |
| Light | part-shade USDA |
| Water need | medium USDA |
| Growth rate | moderate USDA |
| Soil pH | 5–7 USDA |
| Bloom | March–May USDA |
| Flower color | Green USDA |
| Hardiness zones | 8 and warmer USDA |
| Guild layer | understory Derived |
| Nursery availability | Routinely Available USDA |
USDA quoted from the USDA PLANTS database · Derived computed by a fixed rule from those columns. No value on this page is estimated.
Growing conditions
It grows in partial shade. USDA rates it as having moderate water needs. Its drought tolerance is rated medium. It will not tolerate waterlogged soil — USDA rates its anaerobic tolerance as none. It is recorded on soils from pH 5 to 7 — a broad range that spans acidic through mildly alkaline ground. Its cold limit is zone 8.
Size and growth
At maturity it reaches about 30 ft, making it a substantial woody plant. It grows at a moderate rate.
Bloom period
USDA records a bloom period of March through May. Flowers are green.
A flowering date, not a pollinator rating.
Foliage, flower and season
Summer foliage is green, medium in texture. Its flowers are not conspicuous — a plant for form and foliage. Its fruit or seed heads are conspicuous, extending interest past flowering. Its active growth period is year round. USDA rates its lifespan as moderate.
What the site needs to provide
USDA records it across sites receiving 60 to 100 inches of annual precipitation. It needs at least 365 frost-free days to finish its season. It roots to at least 60 inches, too deep for containers or thin soil over bedrock. Fertility requirement: high.
Propagating it
Propagate it from seed, cuttings and container stock. USDA records no cold-stratification requirement, so seed should germinate without a chilling period. Its seed spreads at a moderate rate. It spreads vegetatively at a slow rate.
Resilience and wildlife
Browsing animals rate it barely palatable — the sourced basis for calling it deer-resistant. Its fire tolerance is rated none, and it can resprout after damage. Its growth form is recorded as single stem.
Role in a guild
Understory. In a layered planting this is the layer beneath the canopy, tall enough to hold structure but shaded from above. The layer is derived by a fixed rule from growth habit and mature height.
Tags
Related plants
Others in Citrus
- grapefruit Citrus ×paradisi
Similar role and hardiness
- soursop Annona muricata
- seagrape Coccoloba uvifera
- cassava Manihot esculenta
- scentless bayberry Morella inodora
- elephant grass Pennisetum purpureum
Where this data comes from
Every value on this page comes from the USDA PLANTS database record for symbol CISI3, or is computed from those values by a fixed rule. Nothing here is estimated or model-generated. Where USDA publishes no value, this page omits the claim rather than filling the gap.
- Quoted from USDA PLANTS: active growth period, Bloom, Bloom end, browse palatability, cold stratification, Drought tolerance, fall conspicuous, fertility requirement, fire tolerance, Flower color, flower conspicuous, foliage color, foliage porosity winter, foliage texture, frost free days min, fruit conspicuous, growth form, Growth rate, Hardiness zones, Lifecycle, lifespan, Light, Mature height, Minimum temperature, Native status, Nitrogen fixation, Nursery availability, precipitation max in, precipitation min in, propagation, resprout ability, root depth in, seed spread rate, Soil pH, Soil pH (upper), Tolerance of wet soil, Toxicity, vegetative spread rate, Water need.
- Derived by a fixed rule from those columns: Guild layer, Type.
Read our full data sources and methodology.
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