Orange care — light, water, toxicity and hardiness
Orange (Citrus sinensis) wants full sun and a drink about every 5 days once established. It is hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11. It is toxic to pets — worth keeping out of reach.
| scientific name | Citrus sinensis |
|---|---|
| family | Rutaceae |
| category | fruit |
| plant type | tender_perennial |
| light | full sun |
| water cadence days | 5 |
| min zone | 9 |
| max zone | 11 |
| frost tolerant | false |
| toxic to pets | true |
| toxic to humans | false |
| edible | true |
How often should I water Orange?
Deep, infrequent watering once established.
Is Orange toxic?
The fruit is edible; citrus foliage and peel oils are mildly toxic to pets.
Who eats it
Palatable to browsing animals such as deer: low. Palatable to grazing animals: low. Palatable to people: no.
What it needs
Its shade tolerance is medium. Its moisture use is medium. Its drought tolerance is medium. It wants at least about 60 inches of rain a year. Above roughly 100 inches of annual rain it struggles. It tolerates soil down to pH 5.0. It tolerates soil up to pH 7.0. Its fertility requirement is high. Adapted to coarse, sandy soils: yes. Adapted to medium, loamy soils: yes. Adapted to fine, clay soils: yes. It needs at least 365 frost-free days. Its salt tolerance is low. Its tolerance of chalky soil is medium. Fire resistant: no. It has been recorded down to 17°F. It suppresses neighbours chemically: no.
How it grows
It grows as a single stem form. Its growth rate is moderate. Its lifespan is moderate. It puts on most of its growth in year round. It spreads by seed at a moderate rate. It spreads vegetatively at a slow rate. It resprouts after damage: yes. Coppices: no. Its tolerance of hedging is medium. At maturity it reaches about 30.0 feet. By twenty years it is about 30 feet. Its roots go down at least 60 inches. Its shape is rounded. It holds its leaves through winter: yes.
What it looks like
It blooms in spring. The flowers are green. Conspicuous in flower: no. The foliage is green. The foliage texture is medium. In summer the canopy is moderate in porosity. In winter it is moderate in porosity. Fall colour: no. The fruit or seed is orange. Fruit begins in spring. Fruit finishes by fall. It fruits low. The fruit persists on the plant: no. The fruit is conspicuous: yes.
Growing more of it
Propagated by seed: yes. Propagated by cuttings: yes. Propagated by container: yes. Propagated by bare root: no. Propagated by bulb: no. Propagated by corm: no. Propagated by tubers: no. Cold stratification required: no. Commercial availability: routinely available.
Source: USDA PLANTS Database; US Cooperative Extension horticulture publications · ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List · 2026-09-02