Orange: description, planting, growing at home, propagation and care (Photo & Video) + Reviews

Why grow?

At home, the orange plant performs several functions:

• decorates the interior
• improves the air quality in the home
• gives children (if any) the opportunity to learn hands-on how to care for citrus fruits
• you have the opportunity to taste a real orange, freshly picked from the branch

But, meanwhile, even experienced lovers of house plants do not dare to start this plant because of its possible complexity and relative decorativeness. In addition, you need to wait several years for fruiting.

young tree

Although one can argue about the beauty of the orange tree: its foliage is very bright, glossy, and with the help of shaping you can achieve a beautiful crown. So, even without fruits, it will look very worthy among flowering and decorative foliage houseplants.

Start growing an orange not by buying a ready-made tree hung with beautiful fruits, but by planting an ordinary seed from an ordinary orange. If you lack experience, you may not be able to cope with a store-bought “miracle”.

Citrus trees imported from abroad or grown in Russian greenhouses are kept on stimulants for many years and grown at constant temperature and humidity. Therefore, once in our apartments, such plants begin to rapidly fade away. Only experienced hands can save them.

How to care for an orange tree?

Caring for an adult orange is not very difficult. This mainly involves pruning and periodic watering. The soil should not be dry, and if waterlogging occurs, the root system will rot. In order to grow a strong, powerful, healthy tree, it is necessary to create the following conditions:

1. The temperature in winter should be between +12 and +15, reduce watering, and lengthen daylight hours.
2. The temperature in spring increases to +18.
3. In summer, the pot with the tree is taken out into the fresh air, but direct rays of the sun should not fall on the plant, watering daily.
4. All year round, except in winter, fertilizing is needed. It must be comprehensive. You can buy it at the store, or you can cook it yourself. To do this, take nitrogen fertilizer - 20 g, phosphorus fertilizer - 25 g, potassium salts (potassium chloride will not work) - 15 g, this mixture is dissolved in 10 liters of water. Once every three months the mixture is supplemented with iron sulfate, once a month with potassium permanganate.
5. The growth of a tree is affected by its position relative to sunlight. The pot is turned 10 degrees every 10 days.

The first feeding is done 6 months after planting the seedling.

Orange trees grow best if they are pruned every year. To begin with, the crown of a two-year-old seedling is cut off. Leave about 20 cm. As soon as shoots appear after pruning, they are also removed. This is how skeletal branches are formed. After fruiting, these branches are pruned.

We also recommend reading about the plant - Kalanchoe Degremona.

How did you get to Russia?

Oranges were brought to Russia from Holland in the 17th century

It was from this time that it began to be grown at home. First - in the greenhouses of noble nobles, and then in houses, in large tubs. By the way, the word “greenhouse” comes from the French “orange”, that is, orange.

Ancient greenhouses from the 18th and 19th centuries have been preserved, in which not only oranges were grown, but also many other exotic plants. By the way, we achieved flowering and fruiting of citrus fruits. Now, on the basis of greenhouses, farms are being created that, as before, are engaged in the propagation and grafting of oranges and other citrus fruits.

Many leading countries are now growing oranges: America, Brazil, Mediterranean countries, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, India and traditionally, for 3-4 thousand years, China. Orange production is not falling, but vice versa. Over the last 30-40 years alone, their production has doubled.

Orange: pests and diseases

When growing oranges, you may encounter diseases and pests. Citrus plants may suffer from the following diseases:

• Cancer. It appears as small spots on the leaves, then spreads to other parts of the plant. The affected areas of the crop first darken and then die.
• Anthracnose. Affects all parts of the indoor plant. Appears as brown spots. The formations prevent the plant from feeding and form cracks.
• Scab (wartiness of citrus fruits). Translucent warts form on the plant, which grow progressively, sucking nutrients from the plant, causing the death of certain parts of the crop. Fruits affected by scab lose their taste.
• Melsecco. The disease is characterized by chlorotic leaves, drying of branches and the entire tree. Appears due to improper watering, excessive fertilizing, freezing of individual parts of the plant and incorrect agrotechnical measures.
• Gommoz. The disease affects large roots and bark. A sign of the disease is the release of gum from the trunk, branches and leaves. Severely affected plants begin to shed their leaves.
• Late blight. Characterized by the appearance of dark spots with plaque or mold. The affected parts die off, which is why, over time, the entire plant dies and the fruits lose their presentation and taste characteristics. Late blight can spread from one plant to another.
• Melanosis. Small brown spots appear on the fruits and foliage, the fruits do not grow to the desired size, and their shape is distorted. Old trees are susceptible to melanosis. Damaged parts of the plant are destroyed.
• Mycospherellosis. The fungal disease causes blistering spots to form on the underside of the leaf. As the disease progresses, the leaves fall off and the skin of the fruit is damaged. It is necessary to regularly remove fallen leaves, thereby reducing the source of development of new spores.
• Root rot. The cause of root rot is excessive soil moisture or fungal penetration. The presence of infection can be detected by dark spots on the trunk from which liquid is released. Over time, the bark in damaged areas collapses and peels off.
• Tristeza. Distributes to all parts of the plant. The primary symptom is partial or complete cessation of growth and change in leaf color. Gradually, the leaves and branches begin to die, and the shoots emanating from the trunk lose their strength. In some cases, tristeza damage to the roots is observed.

Pests

But not only diseases can affect oranges, but also pests. The main pests of this crop include:

• scale insect;
• spider mite;
• greenhouse thrips;
• whitefly;
• mealybug;
• aphid;
• garden slug;
• earthworms;
• citrus nematode.

Plants affected by pests are washed with soapy water and, in case of severe damage, treated with appropriate chemicals.

Other troubles

Orange leaves may curl. This trouble occurs due to illness or as a result of improper care.

Orange leaves may develop spots. Occurs mainly due to waterlogging of the soil. If spots appear even after regular watering, the plant should be treated with insecticidal preparations.

In order to promptly detect the development of diseases or pest damage, you should constantly monitor the condition of the plants. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to spray the trunk and leaves with a solution of Bordeaux mixture with a concentration of 1%. It is also important to apply mineral fertilizers and biofungicidal preparations, which are added to the water for irrigation.

Description of the species

Orange is a very attractive plant. However, like everything that cannot grow in our latitudes. They began to describe it from the beginning of the 19th century.

Botanists who have encountered orange trees in the wild have been impressed for a long time. The orange tree is a long-liver. There are specimens that have lived up to 150 years.

Let's not forget that every year trees bear a huge amount of tasty and healthy fruits. One orange in a good year can produce 30-40 thousand fruits. The amount depends on the age of the plant.

orange leaves

The height of the tree reaches 6 meters in height, at home it is 3 times less. The crown of the orange is very beautiful. The leaves are regular lanceolate in shape, like all oranges. They are glossy and dark green in color.

orange blossom

White flowers have a special beauty. They are white, less often pink, extremely fragrant and arranged in clusters, sometimes singly. The flower consists of a perianth covering many stamens and five petals.

The fruits consist of several nests, each of which contains seeds. Orange, like tangerine, unlike some other citrus fruits, is easily divided into lobes, each of which contains one or two seeds.

The orange peel has 2 layers:

• flavedo (yellow), outer
• albedo (white), internal

Inside the outer layer there are many glands that contain essential oil.

All citrus fruits have an albedo layer. But, for example, in lemon it is dense, which does not allow peeling, and in orange it is weak and loose. This allows the peel to be easily separated from the fruit.

The pulp of an orange differs, like that of all citrus fruits, in its originality and complex structure. It consists of elongated sacs containing juice. You can observe that if you do not cut the fruit, but only open it, then the juice does not flow out.

This happens because the juice sacs are not disturbed.

Origin of the orange

The name "Orange" comes from the Dutch (according to some versions - English) language. It translates as "Chinese apple." The birthplace of orange is China. This is the oldest fruit cultivated by people. According to historical information, it began to be grown in the Middle Kingdom as early as 2500 BC. e. But there is an opinion that orange citrus seeds came to China from India.

Orange trees were also grown in ancient Egypt, where the citrus fruit was used as a medicinal remedy. The fruit came to Greece from India after the campaigns of Alexander the Great, but did not become widespread. It was brought back to Europe by the Portuguese in the 15th century. It is not for nothing that in some languages ​​the name sounds like “portogallo”, i.e. “Portuguese”. Fruits came to the Mediterranean countries earlier, from the Middle East, after Christ’s campaigns. Now this type of citrus fruit has become the most popular.

The orange is of hybrid origin, its ancestors being the tangerine and the pomelo. It remains unknown whether the crossing occurred naturally or artificially.

According to the botanical classification, the fruit belongs to the Rutaceae family, the Pomerantaceae subfamily, and the Citrus tribe. It is an evergreen tree that reaches a height of 10-12 m and can live up to 100-150 years.

How to grow a tree from a seed

orange seeds

You can try to plant more than just an orange from a seed. But also lemon, persimmon or avocado. You just won’t get fruit from these indoor plants. Quite beautiful trees will please the eye, but only with foliage. Citrus fruits are a pleasant exception.

Why do you need a rootstock?

An inquisitive beginner who has never planted anything is faced with the question: if you plant an orange seed, what will grow? Moreover, the orange is the most ordinary one, from the nearest supermarket. The answer is yes. We will tell you how to do this below.

But we don’t need an orange seedling, but a rootstock. What does it mean? When we buy a ready-made tree with orange fruits in a flower shop, we do not even suspect that it is grafted. In 99% of all cases, the scion and rootstock are different types of citrus fruits.

Citrus grafting

All citrus fruits are grafted, otherwise, grown from seeds, they will bear fruit late (if this happens at all) and the fruits will not be as tasty. Quite often you can hear or read on specialized forums a story whose fragments are similar.

It’s about the fact that at work there is a huge lemon (orange, tangerine) grown from a seed, which is already 15 years old (10, 20, 30). And no one has ever seen it bloom. Accordingly, this tree also never indulged in fruits.

If you want your efforts not to be in vain, immediately find a good rootstock for your future tree. They can be found through advertisements. But the search will be much more effective on specialized sites, where people who are passionate about growing citrus fruits share their experience and excess planting material.

Which citrus fruits are best to plant for rootstock?

In order for citrus fruits to bear fruit, they need to be grafted. For example, kumquat or calamondin are never planted with seeds as rootstocks. Firstly, they are too frail and take a long time to grow.

Secondly, the root system of these seedlings is very weak. Both callus take a long time to grow. In a word, they are not used in this capacity.

It is believed that the best rootstocks for orange are:

• lemon
• pomelo
• bigardia or sour orange
• grapefruit

The fact is that various factors are taken into account, such as growth rate and others. Lemons are most often used, simply because they are more accessible. Than all other types of successful rootstocks.

One-year-old lemon seedlings

Two more circumstances that are taken into account when choosing a rootstock. It must have a powerful root system in order to fully feed itself and feed the scion. And another important thing: callus should grow quickly and the wounds should heal within a short period of time.

Some people call New Georgian lemon as a successful rootstock for orange. It, like bigardia, is ready for grafting within a few months after planting. And not in a year, like a lemon.

Its root is powerful and it grows callus instantly. One of the best options for rootstock. There are many opinions regarding grafting of citrus fruits. Some people like grapefruits as a rootstock because they have fairly vigorous shoots.

Some people categorically reject them for use in vaccinations. The best way to find out who is right is to experiment with grafting yourself.

How to prepare a seedling for grafting

Previously, it was believed that the rootstock should be as thick as a pencil. Now smaller barrel diameters are allowed. Hobbyists who have achieved virtuosity in matters of grafting graft citrus fruits with a trunk as thick as a match.

For successful grafting, take one-year-old lemon seedlings or 4-5 month old sour oranges. Some people apply a higher dose of nitrogen fertilizer to help the seedlings grow faster. This should not be done.

Because exceeding the dose of any element, including nitrogen, has the same negative effect as its deficiency.

Excess fertilizer is harmful to potted plants

Among the disadvantages of this method is the increased susceptibility of the plant to fungal diseases. If the excess nitrogen is large, this will also affect the appearance of the plant: the color of the leaves and trunk will change, they curl and become stained.

The best way to grow a healthy plant is to use a complete fertilizer, which contains the entire set of basic elements and microelements. In order for the lemon to grow and develop better, you can occasionally spray it with Epin to use the plant’s internal reserves.

Watering should be moderate. The soil should be slightly moist. If there is too much water, the roots will begin to rot. Outwardly, this will not appear immediately, but such a plant as a rootstock will be of little use. After all, roots are the main organ for feeding a plant.

We prepare everything for planting

Gardener's Tool Set

For beginners, you can take lemon seeds. If you really want to grow an orange from a seed, then you can do it. Orange can also be grafted onto orange rootstock. However, you will have to wait a little longer than a lemon, about a year and a half.

In order to plant citrus seeds, we need:

Plastic cups

Containers for soil

Some people specifically buy transparent cups so that they can observe the development of the root system.

Drainage

It is used to allow excess moisture to escape through the drainage hole. In the absence of drainage, excess moisture does not come out, but accumulates in the lower layer of soil and can sour there.

Pebbles or small expanded clay are used as drainage

The latter is sold in flower shops in bags labeled “Drainage”.

Priming

It is best to use the one where the name says: “For citrus fruits.” To improve germination, you can add river sand to the soil. It must first be calcined in the oven (20-30 minutes) or in the microwave (5 minutes).

Packaged soil

If you use self-prepared soil, then you must definitely use sand. Your soil must also be calcined so that all spores of fungal infections die. It is not necessary to use highly nutritious soil for sowing.

Additionally: potassium permanganate, watering can, water for irrigation, marker for signature, plastic bag, fluorescent lamp or phytolamp.

Seeds must be pre-soaked

In order for the seed to germinate faster, you can first soak it. Seeds of any plants are soaked in a small amount of water so that it barely covers the planting material. Otherwise, the seeds may “suffocate” and not sprout.

What is better to use for planting: pots or plastic cups? There is no unity in answering this question; each method has pros and cons. But most still prefer to use glasses.

They are smaller and the soil in them will not have time to sour. As soon as the root system has entangled the entire earthen ball, you can transplant the plant into a larger container. And in a pot, the root will take a long time to master the entire volume, which will slow down the development of the above-ground part.

Planting seeds

You can plant 2 or 3 seeds in a large pot at once.

You can soak the seeds in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 15-20 minutes to disinfect the planting material.

The landing algorithm is as follows:

• Drainage holes are made in the cup with a hot metal object, usually a nail.
• Usually 2-3 holes are enough.
• Pour drainage into the bottom, approximately 1/5-1/6 of the height of the pot.
• Then add soil.
• We leave it for several hours so that it settles.
• Usually this procedure is done simultaneously with soaking the seeds.
• Just during this time the earth will settle and it will be possible to begin planting.
• In addition to soaking for several hours, you can leave the seeds in a damp cloth to germinate.
• The fabric should be washed every day in clean water and not allowed to dry out.
• After 2-3 days, the seeds (or seeds) can be planted.
• Before planting, make a small depression in the center of the pot or glass and spill a little water.
• The soil should be only slightly moistened, but in no case should the so-called “swamping” be allowed, when the soil turns into mud.
• If the soil has settled too much, add fresh soil.
• Plant the seed to a depth of 2-3 centimeters.
• After planting, sprinkle loose soil on top and do not water again.
• There should be enough moisture.
• If the seed has a “beak”, that is, a small sprout, when planting, point it down, this is the root, the cotyledon leaves will appear later.
• After planting, cover the cup with a plastic bag.
• There should be space between the soil surface and the bag.
• A so-called mini-greenhouse is formed.
• The air humidity in it should be increased to speed up germination.
• Shoots will appear in 2-3 weeks.
• How quickly this happens depends on many factors.
• First of all, this is pre-sowing treatment.
• If you pre-soaked and germinated your seed, then you may be pleased with the seedlings within a week.
• If there is no time, they can also plant dry seeds.
• In the best case, the sprout will appear in a month.
• Until this time, you can keep the pot even in a dark place.
• The main thing is to check it regularly, at least three times a day.
• The bag must be removed at least once a day and ventilated for 15-20 minutes.
• You also need to monitor the soil and seedlings.
• As soon as a sprout appears, the bag must be removed and the plant placed in the sun or under a lamp.
• You can wear the bag at night for some time, for example, a week.

When germination, the soil should always be slightly moist. Check not the surface of the soil, but a little deeper. Place your index finger on 2 phalanges. If you feel damp, then everything is in order, you can wait with watering.

Orange: reproduction

The plant propagates in two ways: seeds and cuttings. Instances grown from seeds bear fruit at 8-12 years of age. For vegetative propagation, the plant is cut from February–March. An orange grown from plant cuttings bears fruit in the 2nd year.

Orange tree from seed

The orange seed is quite dense and covered with a hard peel. Only fresh seeds are suitable for planting indoor oranges. The likelihood that a dry seed will grow is negligible.

Sowing seeds

Before planting, orange seeds are washed in water and soaked in warm water or in a Fitosporin solution for 8-10 hours. Then the seed is planted in the ground to a depth of 1 cm. And everything is covered with film. The container with the seeds is placed in a warm place. Growth is observed after a month. The mini-greenhouse is periodically ventilated and moistened as the soil dries. And as soon as the sprouts appear, the greenhouse is moved closer to the light.

Since orange trees grow in well-lit and warm places, indoor seeds are best planted in March, when daylight hours begin to lengthen. Young seedlings respond favorably to lamp lighting.

Picking young plants

Young seedlings begin to dive at the moment when two true leaves appear on them. When picking, it should be taken into account that the culture does not respond well to transplantation. Therefore, you should be careful and try not to damage the root system. The best thing for a young orange is transshipment. As the orange grows, it will need to be subjected to a similar procedure regularly. Each time the pot should be 3 cm larger than the previous one. Young plants are replanted annually, and adults once every 2-3 years.

Selection of pot

If the orange has 4-6 leaves, then a pot 10 cm in diameter will suit it. The soil mixture should consist of 2 parts turf soil, one part humus, one part sand and one part peat. At each transshipment, the amount of turf soil is increased and a little clay is added.

Good drainage can provide optimal growing conditions for the crop. You should also follow the watering regime to prevent rotting of the root system.

Orange from cuttings

To cut citrus fruits, a part containing 3-5 leaves is cut off from the mother varietal plant. You can cut off the semi-lignified silt, woody part of the crown. I cut the cuttings with a sharp knife. In this case, the branch is held suspended so as not to injure the bark. The upper cut is made 5 mm above the kidney, and the lower one directly below the kidney. It is advisable to make cuts at a slight angle.

The lower cut of the cutting is immersed in sand, having previously treated the cut with charcoal. The leaf near the bud is removed, the rest can be left. To root the cuttings, a mini-greenhouse is built. For this purpose, take a plastic liter bottle and cut it into two parts. The bottom 2/3 is filled with sand, which must first be spilled with potassium permanganate or calcined over a fire. The prepared cuttings are immersed in sand 2-3 cm. And cover the seedling with the top of the bottle. From time to time you should unscrew the top cover and ventilate the handle. For better aeration, small holes can be made in the top of the bottle.

Attention!!!

Only one cutting is planted in one bottle. And on the bottles they write the type of orange and the date of planting.

The mini-greenhouse is placed in a well-lit place, but protected from direct sunlight. The air temperature should not be less than 20-25⁰С. The seedling should be sprayed with a spray bottle twice a week. Don't water. Spraying is usually sufficient. If roots appear, they are usually white and can be clearly seen in a plastic bottle, then this means that it is time to transplant the plant into a pot.

In order not to damage the young roots, the orange is lightly watered, carefully removed from the greenhouse and, together with a lump of earth, planted in a pot of soil, having previously made a hole in the soil for the root system of the plant. And then the plant is replanted as it grows.

On a note!!!

The following varieties are best suited for indoor culture: Gamlin, Korolek, Pavlovsky, Washington-Navel.

Caring for seedlings after germination

To make an orange feel “at home,” the same conditions are created for it as in its homeland. To summarize, orange loves heat, high humidity and sun. But everything needs moderation. For successful development, we create the following conditions for an orange or lemon seedling:

Temperature

The higher the better. In the first year of development, this rule only works for the benefit. As the plant grows and blooms, the temperature will need to be regulated differently. But this will happen only in a few years.

In winter you need to reduce the temperature to 15 degrees

At the same time, do not forget about the lighting, otherwise the plant will stretch out. And the rest of the time - 20-25 C is the most comfortable temperature for an orange. At this time, especially when the temperature rises, you need to monitor the sun.

Lighting

Diffused light would be best

Orange loves sun, but direct sunlight can cause it to dry out. Especially in the first year, when a small amount of substrate in a glass dries out in half a day.

Watering

Young assistant

Regular, but no frills. For irrigation, use only settled water or after a filter.

Spraying

Several times a day, especially in the heat.

Top dressing

It is advisable to use complex fertilizers, such as nitroammophoska, which contains three main elements: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Nitroammofoska can be used throughout the development of the orange tree

As an additional recommendation, you may be advised to keep your seedlings away from drafts, otherwise they will die. To maintain high humidity, you can place cups with seedlings in trays, where you can spread wet moss.

Preparing the soil and planting site

If you plan to plant an orange tree in open ground, then choose the sunniest area. It should be protected from the winds by other trees or buildings. Then dig a trench at least 1.5 m deep and wide.

The length depends on the number of seedlings. The excavated soil is divided into two parts. The top layer is poured into a separate mound. From the lower one, a protective embankment is formed along the northern edge of the pit.

On this side, the earthen wall should be vertical, running perpendicular to the bottom. The southern slope is made gentle, and the bottom narrows to 85 cm. Then fine gravel or crushed stone is poured into the hole as a drainage cushion. It prevents water stagnation. The southern slope is covered with black film or any non-woven material to prevent the growth of weeds.

The northern slope of the pit is tightly covered with boards or bricks. Then they paint it with white paint so that the surface reflects the sun's rays. This will prevent a possible light shortage. Humus or compost is added to the soil from the top layer. Then a polycarbonate dome is fixed over the pit.

To plant an orange tree, take special soil. Or they cook it by hand. To do this, mix equal parts of turf, ordinary soil, and humus. Add a little river sand to the mixture. The soil that is taken to prepare the soil must be neutral in pH or slightly acidic.

Orange grafting

In order for an orange to bear fruit, it needs to be grafted. Let's see how to do this:

You need to prepare: rootstock, orange stalk, pruning shears or blade, polyethylene or latex (in extreme cases, you can take electrical tape).

Algorithm of actions:

• Plant it yourself using our tips, or buy a ready-made rootstock.
• Purchase a branch of a fruiting orange tree from breeders or hobbyists for grafting.
• You need to buy it on the day you plant the plant.
• Before the procedure, you need to store it in a plastic bag, wrapped in a damp cloth.

There are two methods of grafting: budding (or eye) and cuttings.

• To successfully carry out the event, you need to wait for the time of active sap flow, when the bark peels off well.
• We remove the leaves from the scion.
• After grafting, we tie the graft site and water it generously.
• After 5-10 days you need to check. If the eye does not turn black, then the bud has begun to take root.
• After 3 weeks, the bandage can be removed.
• When budding, we cut off the upper part of the rootstock only when the scion bud has sprouted and taken on an “adult” appearance.
• Budding

Vaccination schedule

Vaccination is not as complicated a procedure as it might seem at first glance. In order for everything to go well, you need to act confidently.

You can “fill” your hand on young branches of any tree or shrub. You need to take ones that are similar in diameter to the citrus fruits that interest us.

How to propagate an orange yourself

Culture propagation is usually carried out in three ways: grafting, cuttings, layering and seeds. At home, the most common method of propagation is the use of cuttings. This method makes it possible to obtain fruit-bearing trees within 5 years.

Rooting cuttings

Cuttings are taken from a healthy tree; they should have several normally developing buds. Cuttings are rooted using a container with soil, but this can be done simply in water. Rooting occurs within half a month.

Cuttings

Graft

Vaccinations are carried out in the spring, during the period of intensive growth and sap flow. Cuttings undamaged by disease are used. Do not file down the grafting site, but cut it evenly. Connect the scion and rootstock so that their cambial layers coincide. To do this, the cutting diameter must be equal in size. Now press the branches as hard as possible and wrap them with material. The grafting site must be wrapped in polyethylene to create conditions of high humidity.

Layerings

Reproduction is carried out as follows: from a crop characterized by good fruiting, the best and healthiest branch is selected, the length of which is up to 0.3 m, thickness 60 mm. At a distance of 100 mm from the bottom edge, two annular cuts are made, with a distance of 120 mm between them. The cut bark is removed. All foliage that is located 50 mm above and below this place is removed.

A light plastic container is cut in half and hung from a branch so that the cut falls on the center of the container. Now the two halves of the container are tied together and filled with washed sand or moss, previously treated with steam. The filling should not be dry, so it is watered with warm water. After 2-3 months, you can cut the branch and plant it together with the substrate in a container with a diameter of at least 13 cm. The cut is powdered with charcoal. After planting, the container with the layering is placed in a shaded room and constantly sprayed.

Seeds

Planting material is best taken from ripe fruit.

Important! The seeds should not be small.

The selected planting material must be prepared for planting:

• remove any remaining pulp and rinse with settled water;
• Soak for a day in water where fertilizers are diluted.

Plant the seeds in a separate container with a capacity of at least 0.1 liters. You can use yogurt jars, you need to make holes in them to drain excess moisture and ensure good drainage. Seeds are planted at least 10 mm deep. The soil can be purchased ready-made, or you can make it yourself in 1 to 1 proportions of garden soil and peat.

Propagation by seeds

When to expect fruit

The plant is grafted, among other things, so that it bears fruit more quickly. Compare: without grafting, at best, the fruits will appear in 8-10 years. And with grafting, the wait for this event will not be long; in 3-4 years the first fragrant orange flowers will appear.

Fruit ripening in an ordinary city apartment

Sometimes a grafted plant blooms in the first year, but most often this happens later. Orange flowers are self-pollinating, so there is no need to pollinate them additionally. If at the time of flowering the room temperature is above 28 C, then urgently take measures to reduce it, otherwise the pollen becomes sterile and the fruits do not set.

The fruits ripen in approximately 8-10 months. If the plant is small, then some of the flowers can be removed. When ripe, place supports to prevent the orange from falling under the weight of the fruit.

Types and varieties

The orange tree was created by crossing a tangerine and a pomelo tree hundreds of years ago. Over many years of experiments, breeders have developed hundreds of tree varieties. Among them there are types of oranges that can grow not only on agricultural plantations, but also in a greenhouse or city apartment. Let's look at the most common varieties of orange - photos of plants.

Sicilian orange

In Sicily, starting in the 18th century, several varieties of orange with dark red, purple and beet red flesh were developed. These are the varieties Tarocco, Sanguinelloi and Moro, which was recently developed. It is believed that the red color of the fruits comes from the chemical elements of soils of volcanic origin. All similar varieties of oranges are united by the name Sicilian orange.

Washington Neville (Washingtoh Navel)

The Washington Neville variety has large, weighing up to half a kilogram, spherical or ellipsoidal fruits with a textured, rough or smooth skin. The peel of the fruit is usually thick (4-6 mm), it can be orange, yellowish-orange, reddish-orange.

The sweet and sour cellular pulp has a pleasant smell. The flesh is also orange. The fruits usually have a "navel", which is essentially a secondary fruit. This variety is very prolific, both on plantations and in a greenhouse or apartment. The fruits do not contain seeds, so the plant is propagated exclusively by cuttings.

REFERENCE! When growing oranges at home, the Washington Nevil variety is shade-tolerant, but bears fruit only in sunny conditions.

Valencia Late

The fruits of this common orange are round in shape, their size ranges from 70 to 78 mm, the fruit contains a lot of sugar, so the taste of the pulp is more sweet than sweet and sour. Valencia oranges have a wonderful taste. The pulp contains seeds, from 1 to 9 seeds per fruit.

The variety has a thin, bright orange peel, with small red specks and orange flesh. Valencia was cultivated for centuries in Spain, but in the mid-19th century it was taken up by Californian breeders, who created the modern fertile species.

Valencia leads the world as a raw material for juice production, which is not least due to the bright color of the pulp.

Oval

The Ovale orange tastes like the Valencia variety. Ovale was developed in Italy. The fruits have an elongated, oval shape, a medium-thick peel and contain few seeds.

The peel adheres very tightly to the pulp segments. The surface of the peel is finely lumpy. The size of the fruits is average, they reach 6.5 - 7.5 cm in length. There are fruits in which seeds are completely absent.

The tree grows slowly, it is sensitive to seasonal temperature changes and droughts, but in favorable conditions (including in a greenhouse), the tree can be very productive.

Tarocco

Tarocco is one of the varieties of Sicilian orange. Compared to other red-fleshed varieties developed in Sicily, its flesh is the lightest. The red color of the lobules is unevenly distributed, in the form of stripes and spots. Tarocco fruits have very few seeds. Often there are none at all.

This is a very sweet and aromatic fruit. Gardeners claim that of all types of orange, Tarosso is the sweetest and juiciest. The skin of the fruit is thin, and red pigmentation is often visible against the orange background of the peel. Tarosso fruits contain more vitamin C than all other types. The tree grows well in a greenhouse and in a city apartment.

Boo (Bu)

Bu variety oranges are grown on plantations in Vietnam, in the subtropical and tropical zones of the country. The peel of the fruit is of medium thickness and moderate relief. The fruits have a bright orange color and a slightly elongated shape. This variety is very prolific. The orange pulp is also orange, the taste of the fruit is sour-sweet or sweet, the fruits have a wonderful aroma.

King orange

The Vietnamese variety King orange has a thick, textured dark green or bright green peel and yellow flesh. These oranges are usually large in size (9-12 cm in diameter) and have 7-9 lobes with several seeds inside the fruit.

The fruits are spherical, their weight reaches 350-400 grams. Royal orange is very juicy and has a delicate sweet taste. The fruits grow in clusters on small trees with long flexible branches, one and a half to two meters high, each tree brings large harvests. Royal orange plantations are found mainly in the south and central parts of Vietnam.

IMPORTANT! To get a guaranteed result, it is better to purchase orange seedlings from nurseries.

Applications of oranges

Oranges are good not only on the table, they are widely used in the food industry.

The main directions of their application:

The main orange product is, of course, juice. It is canned and sold to us in beautiful jars and boxes. The main problem: to distinguish a fake from a truly natural juice.

Fresh orange juice

In 2000, more than 2 million tons of orange juice were produced worldwide. Most orange juice was produced in America and Brazil. Delicious orange syrup is produced for the food industry.

It is sold in retail stores. It is also purchased in large quantities by food industry enterprises. Especially those that produce confectionery, candies, semi-finished products (pancakes with syrup), ice cream.

Antioxidant-rich essential oil is cold pressed from the peel.

There are two types - sweet and bitter orange oil. Oil made in Spain and Guinea is valued more than others.

It has a strong, characteristic aroma of fresh orange, making it popular in aromatherapy. Combines well with other essential oils, especially pine and lavender oils. Since ancient times it has been used in cosmetology as part of creams.

It has an anti-inflammatory, toning and regenerating effect for all skin types. Orange zest is widely used. It is rich in flavonoids, pectin, vitamins, and phytoncides.

Zest jam

It is used in making jam, as well as in the production of liqueurs. The remainder of the peel processing also does not go to waste and is used as livestock feed.

Interesting facts about oranges

Man has been growing delicious citrus fruit for centuries. During this time, numerous interesting facts about the orange have accumulated. Here are some of them:

• In the late Middle Ages, the fashion for oranges spread among aristocrats of various European countries. In temperate climates they were grown indoors. In many languages, the name of the fruit sounds like “orange,” which is why greenhouses are called “greenhouses.”
• In the east, sweet citrus is considered a symbol of fertility, and in the west - a talisman of love and fidelity.
• In California, it is illegal to take a bath and eat oranges at the same time. The acid in this fruit reacts with some ingredients in body washes and is harmful to the skin.
• The color of the skin of ripe oranges in the tropics is green. The orange tint appears due to lack of sunlight or at an intermediate stage of ripening. When ripe fruits are brought from hot countries, they are specially treated with ethylene so that they acquire a characteristic shade: such fruits sell better in supermarkets.
• Sour orange juice becomes alkaline when it enters the stomach, which is why it is recommended to be used as a remedy for heartburn.
• The aroma of the fruit ranks third in popularity after chocolate and vanilla.
• Citrus seeds came to America during the second voyage of Christopher Columbus and took root there well.
• Approximately 13.85% of all orange fruits collected on Earth are used for juice. It is the most popular in the world.
• Orange tree sticks are used for manicure and pedicure.
• There are 35,000,000 orange trees in Spain.
• Worldwide plantings cover 500,000 hectares, with an average of 30 million tons of fruit harvested, and in 2010, 63 million tons were harvested.
• Orange fruit has an anti-cancer effect; it is recommended to be used for the prevention of malignant tumors of the skin, lungs, mammary glands, stomach and intestines.
• The fruits improve vision, prolong youth, and effectively reduce weight.
• If you eat one large orange every day, it will neutralize the harmful effects of fast food and many animal fats.
• The zest, unlike the pulp, lowers blood sugar levels.
• Jamaicans use citrus halves to clean floors and remove grease stains.
• To ensure that fruits survive transportation, they are picked unripe. The fruits ripen during transportation.
• In Russia, this type of citrus fruit appeared at the end of the 18th century and was considered exotic.
• In Odessa there is a monument to an orange. This little fruit once saved the city from decline. Russian Emperor Paul I decided to suspend the construction of the port. Odessa residents ordered the Tsar 3,000 kg of oranges, after which money was allocated for further construction.
• The fruit is used to create hybrids. A tangerine crossed with it is called a clementine, and a hybrid with a pomelo is called a grapefruit.

Benefits of oranges

Orange is a storehouse of vitamins and other useful substances. It has a tonic effect; it’s not for nothing that Americans drink freshly squeezed orange juice in the morning. At a time when citrus fruits were transported to Europe by ship, the fruit was used as an antiscorbutic remedy.

In addition, the fruits are useful:

• prevention of hypovitaminosis
• treatment of vitamin C deficiency (160 grams contains the daily requirement of this vitamin)
• prescribed for liver diseases
• promotes better absorption of iron
• help improve the functioning of the digestive tract
• has a beneficial effect on blood vessels, thinning the blood

Oranges are especially rich in vitamin C. A little behind in quantity are vitamin B1, potassium and folic acid.

Due to the presence of a large amount of fiber, putrefactive processes in the large intestine are reduced. Dietary fiber enhances the digestion process.

One large fruit contains a daily dose of vitamin C

The fruit contains a lot (87%) of water and virtually no protein or fat, which makes the orange a very light product. Even though oranges contain 12% carbohydrates, which are in the form of simple sugars, they have a low glycemic index.

Plus: for all their benefits, they are very tasty!

How best to consume: juice or fruit

Orange juice is the leader in popularity in all countries, but, like any juice, it contains much less fiber compared to fruits. Its glycemic index increases slightly due to the lack of fiber. One glass of orange juice contains enough glucose to equal two whole oranges.

Let's remember this, it is especially useful for those who are going on a diet. Excessive juice consumption can lead to weight gain. Good quality orange juice will only benefit you if consumed in moderation. But, if you want to lose weight, it is better to eat whole fruits.

Juice or fruit?

As such, adverse effects from consuming oranges are rare. “Torture” with oranges is unlikely to harm a healthy body. Only a small number of people are allergic to citrus fruits. Pregnant women are advised to drink juices and eat the fruits themselves with caution.

Orange is highly acidic due to the content of citric and ascorbic acids and can be annoying for those who suffer from heartburn. And it doesn’t matter in what form it will be eaten.

Otherwise, this fruit, beloved all over the world, is the standard for combining business with pleasure - tasty, nutritious, simply a storehouse of antioxidants, flavonoids, vitamins, minerals, and so on. All this really helps prevent cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Overall, delicious and healthy food!

Relatives of the orange

In addition to the orange, many more types of citrus fruits have been bred, among which there are fruits that are well-known and widely presented in stores all over the world.

Table: the most famous varieties of citrus fruits

There are also less common species and hybrids:

• sweetie - pomelo + white grapefruit;
• Gayanima - Indian citrus with the scent of ginger and eucalyptus;
• agli - a hybrid of grapefruit and tangerine;
• poncirus - inedible citrus with yellow fruits;
• citrange - poncirus + orange;
• Citrangequat is a pear-shaped orange, a hybrid of kumquat and citrange.

Photo gallery: varieties of citrus fruits

Citrange is not eaten fresh, but is used to make marmalade.

Kumquat contains a lot of useful substances

Buddha's Hand finger citron - fruit without pulp

Pomelo is the largest representative of citrus fruits

Tangelo is a hybrid of one of the varieties of tangerine and grapefruit.

Blood oranges

Sicilian, or blood, orange has red flesh due to the presence of anthocyanins (plant dyes). This is a hybrid of pomelo and mandarin, which was first bred in Sicily. This type of citrus fruit contains almost no seeds and is smaller in size than a regular orange with juicy orange pulp and a specific berry aroma. The color of the pulp can vary from bright crimson to purple-black. The peel of Sicilian oranges is orange or has a reddish tint.

Red (blood) orange contains the pigment anthocyanidin, which is an antioxidant

There are 3 most common varieties of blood oranges:

• Sanguinello (Spain);
• Tarocco (Italy);
• Moro.

Hybrids of citrus fruits with red pulp are grown in Morocco, Spain, Italy, the USA, and China. The fruit is used in baked goods, sweets, and as a fresh dessert.

Reproduction and grafting

You can grow new orange trees at home either by seeds or cuttings:

1. Cuttings. An excellent method for preserving all the characteristics of the selected variety. The cutting is taken from a tree covered with bark. It is cut with a knife to a length of 8-10 cm. The cutting must have 5 leaves under the bud, with another bud located at the top. The leaf from the lower bud is removed. The cuttings are placed in a greenhouse, the soil is prepared as sandy, and it is regularly moistened. After a month, the rooted cuttings are transplanted into their own pots.
2. Planting with seeds. On the one hand, plants grown in this way require less care, grow well and quickly, and on the other hand, they begin to bear fruit only after 10-15 years. While for cutting trees this period is halved. Plants from seeds do not inherit the parental characteristics, and what will come out of them is a lottery.

Graft

Vaccination will help speed up the fruiting period. For this purpose, the scion must be taken from an already formed, fruit-bearing tree. This is done during the period of sap flow as follows:

1. The knife must be extremely sharp.
2. The tree to be grafted onto must be at least 2-3 years old.
3. Cut off the top of the crown 10 cm from the ground.
4. Split the trunk.
5. The cutting is inserted and the lower cut is made obliquely.
6. There must be 3 buds on the scion.
7. Combine the split branches and wrap the grafting with film.
8. To retain moisture, the tree is covered with film and placed in a bright place.

In a month it will become clear whether the cutting was successfully grafted or not. If the plant is alive and not blackened, everything worked out.

In the event that the foliage suddenly begins to turn yellow or the tree completely sheds its crown, it is necessary to observe the tree for some time. Perhaps it's all about improper watering, excess fertilizer, light conditions or drafts.

Orange: benefits and harm

Beneficial features

The exceptional popularity of the orange is due not only to the excellent taste of its fruit, but also to its unique chemical composition with a high content of nutrients found in the pulp, juice, zest and seeds. The main advantage of orange is the increased content of vitamin C (50 mg per 100 g), because 150 g of orange satisfies a person’s daily need for ascorbic acid. Orange fruits have a general strengthening effect on the body and increase immunity.

Orange contains a number of vitamins and minerals necessary for the human body:

• Vitamins B, A, PP, E;
• Minerals (potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc);
• Pectins;
• Phytoncides;
• Anthocyanins;
• Sugar;
• Citric and salicylic acid;
• Orange essential oil.

A balanced combination of beneficial substances allows the use of oranges in the complex treatment of a number of pathological conditions:

• obesity;
• colds and various viral diseases, high fever;
• anemia, anemia, weakness, loss of appetite;
• chronic constipation;
• atherosclerosis;
• hypertension;
• gout;
• liver diseases;
• scurvy;
• periodontal disease and bleeding gums;
• gastritis and low stomach acidity;
• vascular and heart diseases;
• urolithiasis disease;
• lead poisoning;
• increased nervous excitability.

In order not to lose essential oils, bioflavonoids and pectins, which are rich in zest and seeds, it is recommended to squeeze oranges whole for juice.

Orange leaves purify the air and saturate the room with phytoncides, which have a detrimental effect on various pathogenic bacteria. This property is one of the factors in favor of growing oranges at home.

Harm and contraindications

• Orange is one of the most powerful plant allergens, so allergy sufferers, young children and nursing women should consume the fruit with caution.
• Oranges are also contraindicated for anyone who suffers from severe chronic diseases of internal organs or has a stomach ulcer.
• The high sugar content in orange can be harmful to diabetics.

Orange tree fruit

The fruit of the plant is round or broadly oval in shape, has a structure characteristic exclusively of representatives of the orange subfamily, and is called hesperidium or orange. It is multilocular, multi-seeded or seedless, and is close in structure to a berry. The outer part, or pericarp, is a soft and thick skin up to 5 mm thick, smooth or slightly rough, covered with zest, and underneath there is a thin white layer called albedo. The orange peel, depending on the variety and degree of ripeness, makes up from 17 to 42% of the weight of the fruit, its color varies from green and light yellow to orange and reddish-orange. The taste is usually bitter, the consistency is loose or dense, elastic, and large translucent glands are filled with essential oil, the percentage of which ranges from 1.2% to 2.2%.

The inner part of the fruit, or intercarp, consists of nests or lobules that separate from each other (9-13 pieces), covered with films of varying thickness and density and filled with large juicy cells of pulp in the form of nipple sacs, sweet, sweet-sour or bitter-sour taste. In most varieties, numerous seeds are immersed in the pulp, white in cross section, usually multi-embryo. There are also seedless forms of the plant, in which the fruits are formed parthenocarpicly, without pollination, and there are no seeds.

Homemade orange, varieties and photos

The following varieties of oranges are considered the most popular for growing at home:

• Torocco Rosso is a variety of Sicilian blood oranges with golden-red fruits and red flesh. This variety is characterized by a delicate aroma and a soft, sweet and sour taste;
• Navelina is a high-yielding variety of Spanish oranges that begins to bear fruit early and is resistant to disease. The medium-sized fruits have sweet, juicy, orange flesh with a small number of seeds;
• Vanilla is a variety of oranges of Chinese origin, distinguished by medium-sized fruits of a yellowish-orange hue. When orange trees bloom, they fill the room with the intoxicating aroma of citrus;
• Pavlovsky is one of the best indoor varieties of orange, having a height of no more than 1 meter and strewn with delicious bright orange fruits;
• Washington Navel is a low-growing variety of oranges that is excellent for growing indoors. The fruits are round, orange, tasty. The variety is unpretentious and cold-resistant.