Description
There are several varieties of Orange Trees. Among them are Navel Orange, Cara Cara Orange, Moro Blood Orange, Valencia Orange, Trovita Orange and Arizona Sweet Orange.
Navel Oranges have a small growth at the bottom, resembling a navel, and are one of the best to juice. Their low acid content creates a smooth, sweet flavor and they are seedless.
Cara Cara Oranges, first found at Cara Cara in Venezuela, have pink flesh, are extremely sweet, and have a lower acidity than Navels. They have a hint of cranberry or blackberry flavor and contain 20 percent more vitamin C when compared to Navels.
The Blood Orange has a distinct crimson red flesh. It is smaller than other oranges, easy to peel, and has a orange – raspberry flavor. They have many uses like marmalade, salads, fruit cakes, and salad dressings. The mixture of sweet and tart makes eating a blood orange unique.
Valencia Oranges, named after Valencia, Spain, are juicier than other oranges. The juice is brightly colored and has a sweet-tart flavor.
Trovita Oranges produce heavy crops of fruit in the desert heat. They are great for juicing. It ripens from winter into spring.
The Arizona Sweet Orange produces medium sized oranges with bright orange flesh. They are slightly harder to peel than a Navel Orange and that is what causes this orange to be considered more of a juice orange. They are very juicy, have a nice sweet flavor, and have few if any seeds.
It is a medium sized tree that does well in our climate.
Mature citrus trees should be fertilized in February, May and September.