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Home Shop Blood Orange Smith Red Blood Semi-Dwarf Orange Tree
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Smith Red Blood Semi-Dwarf Orange Tree

 
$60.00
+ Gift Wrapping
OVERVIEW
SHIPPING
TREE SIZES

  • The orange and red flesh of a Smith Red Blood Orange is loaded with juice that is both sweet and acidic.
  • First propagated in 1988, this fruit reportedly originated from a sport on a regular Valencia orange tree in Moorpark, CA.
  • Smith Red Oranges mature in late winter or early spring and hold well on the tree.
  • Fruits have few seeds, an attractive red-blushed rind color, and remarkably good flavor.
  • Similar to traditional blood oranges, Smith Red require winter chill to color and sweeten up the fruit.
  • Self-fertile
  • Best for Zones 8-10
  • For Zones 4-7, you can grow this tree in a pot and bring it indoors for the winter
  • Grafted onto semi-dwarf rootstock.
  • Height at maturity: 10'-15' in the ground/ 6'-8' in pots
  • By law, we cannot ship citrus trees to Alabama, Texas, Arizona or Florida

 

Read About Acclimating Your New Citrus Tree
Lee nuestra guía aquí : Guia de cultivo para citricos 

 

Get in the know about HLB(Huanglongbing / Citrus Greening Disease) and help save your community's citrus. Only source citrus trees from reputable growers.

 

SAVE ON SHIPPING:  We can now ship potted fruit trees in MULTIPACK BOXES. Order as a 3-pack or 6-pack to save on the cost of shipping!  This includes ALL PRIMO and ENTRY sized citrus, olive, fig and avocado trees as well as grape and passion vines.  

 

  • SAVE ON SHIPPING:  We can now ship potted fruit trees in MULTIPACK BOXES. Order as a 3-pack or 6-pack to save on the cost of shipping!  This includes ALL PRIMO and ENTRY sized citrus, olive, fig and avocado trees as well as grape and passion vines. 
  • No customer pick-up.
  • Each citrus producing state, including California, prohibits importation of citrus trees from other citrus growing states. Therefore due to agricultural restrictions, we cannot ship citrus trees to Alabama, Texas, Arizona or Florida.   We can ship all other non-citrus-tree items to these states.
  • We do not ship any items to the US Virgin Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico or to API/APO addresses, or to other countries at this time.
  • Click here for Shipping Information

Primo Size Trees: Tree height ranges from 24"-36" tall and the trees are grown in a 5"x5"x12" air pruning tree pot. Primo Size Citrus trees have been grown to maximize root development in order to meet the demand of our growers.  The goal with this product is to provide a top-quality tree that is branched nicely and well rooted in a container size that is economical to ship. Primo Size Citrus trees are pruned with intention to get you a beautifully developed canopy with proper branching starting at or above the 18” mark.

 

 


How to Grow

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Sunlight & Location

After your two-week Acclimation Period, you are ready to plant your citrus tree in its final location. Choose a spot that gets at least 8 hours of sunlight per day.

Almost all the citrus trees on our website are grafted on semi-dwarf rootstocks that are perfect for container growing. If planted in the ground semi-dwarf trees can be expected to reach up to 15 feet in height & width, depending upon variety. In a pot, the semi-dwarf trees will stay much smaller, especially with judicious pruning. Be sure to provide more space in the ground for standard size trees. Generally, a Semi Dwarf tree needs an 8’-10’ diameter space. Citrus trees can be grown much closer together if your goal is to have a citrus hedge or a multi-variety bush.

This space should be a sunny, frost, and wind-free location with southern exposure for best results. If in doubt about the location, leave the tree in its plastic container and place it in the spot you have in mind. Water as needed, and after a week or two, you should be able to tell whether it's happy or not.

Citrus trees are sensitive to temperatures below freezing and will need to be protected to maintain tree health. If you are unable to provide adequate protection outside, consider growing your indoors by a sunny window. Indoor growers will need to be mindful of their heat vents as these can damage your tree roots if they are right next to the vent.

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Planting

In containers, choose a starter pot that is 10-14", or 3-5 gallons in size. It should have excellent drainage. If your pot does not have enough holes, consider drilling more.

Your potting mix should be chunky and also have excellent drainage. We recommend our Primo Potting Mix for potted citrus trees.

In the ground, choose a spot with adequate drainage. It is important to prepare the area with looser soil so that the young roots can move and grow easily. The total area should be at least three times the diameter of the pot and dug as deep as you can.

To plant your tree, dig a hole twice as wide and just as deep as the rootball. Backfill your hole, ensuring that the tree stays straight and secure in the ground. Fill up with soil to the crown of the roots, but be careful not to bury it. Water deeply and thorougly after planting.

For root protection from gophers, use Root Guard Gopher Baskets

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Watering

How often to water will vary on the environment and depends on soil porosity, tree size, and temperature. Allowing the top of the soil to dry out between watering is recommended. A simple moisture meter, available at garden supply stores, can be used to determine moisture down to about a 9” depth. Generally, when the meter indicates a root moisture level of about 50%, (center of the dial) it is time to water. Always store your moisture meter dry between uses to keep it functioning properly.

A wilted tree that perks up within 24 hours after watering indicates the roots got too dry. Adjust the watering schedule accordingly. A tree with yellow or cupped leaves or leaves that don't look perky after watering can indicate excessive watering and soggy roots. In that case, water less frequently.

Citrus trees prefer less frequent, deep watering to frequent, shallow sprinklings. Creating a watering basin around the drip line of the tree can aid in deep watering. As the tree grows, be sure to expand the basin as needed to keep it as wide as the spread of the branches. Deeper watering promotes deeper root growth and strengthens your tree. Generally, once-aweek watering works well for in-ground or container plantings. Be sure to adjust based on weather conditions. In general, it is best to water in the morning, but if plants are dry or wilted it is better to water them immediately, rather than wait until morning.

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Fertilizing

When it comes to fertilizing, feed the tree with a balanced fertilizer monthly during the spring, summer and early fall months. These are considered the growing months. Apply it according to the manufacturer's instructions. We recommend Romeo Fertilizer and G&B Organics Citrus & Fruit Tree Fertilizer

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Pruning

In the early spring, prune the tree to maintain a desirable shape and remove dead or diseased branches.

A semi-dwarf citrus tree can grow 10-15 feet in the ground, but can be kept smaller with judicious pruning.

Know where the graft union is on your tree. It can usually be seen as a diagonal scar between 4 and 8 inches from the soil. Remove all shoot growth below the graft. These so-called "suckers" take vitality from the top of the tree (the fruiting wood). Especially on young trees, they are very vigorous. Remove suckers as soon as they are observed.

Read: How to Prune Your Citrus Tree

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