Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Arizona Sweet Orange
Arizona Sweet is the name Valley growers have long used for a group of sweet oranges that do well in desert heat. The fruit ripens from about November through February and is good for both fresh juice and eating out of hand. White blossoms fill the yard with orange blossom scent in late winter and spring. The tree stays evergreen and grows about 10 to 20 feet tall.
Best for: a backyard fruit tree, fresh juice and winter eating, orange blossom scent in spring, and an evergreen tree in a full sun yard.
Sweet oranges are good for both juicing and eating fresh, and these trees bear heavy crops in desert heat. Fruit is ready from about November through February. Give the tree about 15 to 20 feet from other trees.
It stays evergreen and grows about 10 to 20 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide. Plant it in full sun, but keep it away from hot west walls, where afternoon sun burns fruit and bark.
White, fragrant blossoms open in late winter and spring, and bees visit the flowers. The tree is self-pollinating, so one tree sets fruit without a second orange nearby.
The fruit can be seedy. The tree drops leaves, blossoms and fruit, and dropped blossoms can load a pool filter. Bare trunks sunburn, and the fruit is more tender to frost than the tree.
- Row of trees with canopies meetingAbout 15 ft apart
- Single yard treeAbout 20 ft from other trees
A newly planted orange tree needs water every few days in its first months, more often in summer. Water out past the edge of the canopy, not right at the trunk.
Soak the soil 2 to 3 feet deep about every 7 to 14 days in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in winter. Let the top of the soil dry between waterings, and never water shallow and daily.
Feed with a citrus fertilizer three times a year. Apply one feeding in January or February, one in March or April, and one in May or June.
Prune lightly from late winter into spring, never in summer. Leave the low branches that shade the trunk, and paint any bare, sun-hit bark with white latex paint.
Sweet orange trees are rated to about 24°F, but the fruit is more tender than the tree. Cover young trees with frost cloth to the ground on freezing nights, and water the day before.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
What is an Arizona Sweet orange?
It is a trade name for a group of sweet oranges, not one single variety. The name covers several sweet oranges grown in Arizona, such as Hamlin, Diller, Marrs, Pineapple and Trovita.
When are Arizona Sweet oranges ripe?
They ripen from about November through February, depending on the variety. Fruit only ripens on the tree and keeps getting sweeter while it hangs, so taste one to check instead of going by color.
Are they better for juice or for eating?
They are good for both juicing and eating fresh. The fruit is usually smaller than a navel and can have seeds.
How big does an Arizona Sweet orange tree get?
Most grow about 10 to 20 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide, at a moderate rate. Older full-size trees can pass 20 feet, so leave room around it.
How far apart should I plant orange trees?
Plant about 15 feet apart center to center when you want the canopies to meet. Give a single yard tree about 20 feet from other trees. The Spacing tab can count trees for a row.
Which size should I buy?
The 15 gallon is a good starting size and easy to cover on frosty nights. The 25 gallon gives you more size at planting, and the size guide describes each one.
How often should I water an orange tree?
Water deeply, out past the edge of the canopy, 2 to 3 feet down. Established trees need water about every 7 to 14 days in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in winter. Young trees need water every few days at first.
When should I fertilize it?
Split the year's citrus fertilizer into three feedings. Apply one in January or February, one in March or April, and one in May or June.
How cold can an Arizona Sweet orange take?
Sweet orange trees are rated to about 24°F, but the fruit is more tender than the tree. Cover young trees with frost cloth to the ground on freezing nights, and water the day before.
When should I prune it, and why paint the trunk?
Prune lightly in late winter or spring, not in summer. Keep the low branches, because citrus bark sunburns easily in the Valley. Paint any bare, sun-hit bark with white latex paint or whitewash.
Do I need two orange trees to get fruit?
No. Sweet oranges are self-pollinating, so a single tree sets fruit. Other citrus in the neighborhood also provides pollen if it is ever needed.
Is an orange tree safe for dogs and cats?
No. Orange trees are listed as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Chewing the peel, leaves or stems can cause vomiting, diarrhea and depression, so keep pets from chewing on the tree.
Arizona Sweet Orange for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Arizona Sweet oranges are the classic juice and eating oranges of Valley backyards. They bring evergreen leaves, fragrant spring blossoms and a winter crop of sweet fruit. Below are the questions homeowners ask most, from what the name means to size, spacing, watering, feeding, sunburn and frost.
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What is an Arizona Sweet orange?
Arizona Sweet is a trade name for a group of sweet oranges that ripen in fall and winter. It covers varieties such as Hamlin, Diller, Marrs, Pineapple and Trovita, all good for juice and fresh eating.
When do Arizona Sweet oranges ripen in Phoenix?
Fruit is ready from about November through February. Oranges do not ripen after picking, and they keep sweetening on the tree. Taste one to tell, because color is not a reliable sign.
How big does an Arizona Sweet orange tree get?
Expect about 10 to 20 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide, growing at a moderate rate. It stays evergreen all year.
How far apart do you plant orange trees?
Plant about 15 feet apart center to center when you want the canopies to meet. Give a single tree about 20 feet. The spacing calculator can count trees for a row.
Watering an orange tree in the Valley
Water deeply, wetting the soil 2 to 3 feet down and out past the canopy edge. Established trees need water about every 7 to 14 days in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in winter.
When to fertilize oranges in Arizona
Oranges get three feedings a year. Apply one in January or February, one in March or April, and one in May or June.
Arizona Sweet vs navel orange
Navels are seedless and best eaten fresh, because stored navel juice turns bitter. Arizona Sweets can have seeds, but they are good for both juicing and eating fresh.
Protecting an orange tree from frost
Sweet orange trees are rated to about 24°F, but ripe fruit is more tender. Cover young trees with frost cloth to the ground on freezing nights, and water the day before.
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