

Tree Friend Practical
Practical 1
TREE FRIEND DATA SHEET – Orange (specifically Navel)
- Average expected life of tree, in years, from sprout to death (approx numbers)
- When well looked after it appears over a century is quite achievable.
- Years until trees first fruit (ie some trees fruit within a few years, others can take decades)
- Most commonly looking at 3-5 years.
- Season of year when productive tree fruits (ie Summer, Autumn, Winter Spring or combo ie Su/Au)
- Late autumn into winter for Navels, spring into summer for Valencia.
- Expected or average number years tree expected to fruit for once it begins. (ie year 8 to 20 = 12 yrs)
- 50-60 years. Some reports of over 100; at least living, possibly not producing fruit though.
- Country/area of origin
- China (mentioned in literature as early as 314BC). Now the most cultivated fruit tree in the world, at 2012 sweet orange accounted for 70% of that total.
- In 2014 Brazil was top producer, followed by China and India.
- Average annual rainfall in area of origin
- 1200-1600mm in coastal regions, decreasing further inland.
- Latin name of tree and family
- Citrus Sinensis (sweet orange) in the Rutaceae family.
- Hybrid between Pomelo (citrus maxima) and Mandarin (citrus reticulata).
- Any other products, benefits, useful or interesting facts about of tree:
- Some wider varieties use the peel primarily as a perfume component or to flavour Earl Grey tea.
- Serve as rootstock for other sweet orange varieties.
- Aromatic and ornamental within the garden.
- Height, width and shape of tree at maturity.
- Some sweet oranges grow to 8-10m tall and wide (foliage spread), most common, Washington Navel, is about half that; typically, 4-5m height and width.
- Typically, rounded form/shape.
- Cross sectional trunk diameter ranged from 65 to 172cm2 in 2006 study by Morgan et al (Size, biomass, and nitrogen relationships with sweet orange tree growth). Calculates to 9-15cm (rounded for decimals) for diameter.
- Challenges or special requirements, such as needing other varieties in order to fruit.
- Need warmth to fruit. Moderate temperature coastal regions may struggle even if in appropriate hardiness zones (9-11 based on US).
- Tend to be disease and pest susceptible.
- Do not like frost at all.
- Fruit doesn’t ripen once harvested.
- Valencia last longer on the branch and juice lasts longer after harvesting compared to Washington Navel. Navel’s tend to be sweeter, but also more susceptible to disease.
- Navels fruit June to October, Seedless variety of Valencia and Smooth Seville variety are mid season, 1-2 months before Valencia which is late season, fruiting anywhere from November until February (depending on region can add a month either side). Navelina even earlier in late April/early May.
- Most fruiting occurs outer 90cm of branches, terminal branching.
- Why choose it? (Added one for my own thoughts).
- Between all varieties you can cover most of the year, but Navels fruit in the late autumn and through winter seasons make it even more helpful for cold/flu season.
- Region of choice was largely citrus/orange orchards prior to suburbs being built in; definitely grows well here.
- Washington Navel can be grown quite small and is therefore accessible as a home fruit tree for a greater number of people.
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