How to Grow Blood Oranges in the US
Updated September 2026
Why cool winter nights matter, and the varieties to plant
Blood oranges are sweet oranges with red or crimson flesh and a flavor with a hint of berry. The red comes from anthocyanin, the same pigment found in blueberries, and it only develops well when winter nights turn cool while the fruit ripens.
The tree itself grows like any orange. Where you plant it decides both whether it survives the winter and how red the fruit turns.
Where Blood Oranges Grow in the US
For the reddest fruit, Southern California and Northern California and the Central Valley are the best US regions, because cool winter nights color the flesh well. Plant in March, April or October in Southern California, and from March to May in Northern California after the last frost, covering young trees on frost nights. In the Desert Southwest plant in February, March or October, and wrap or paint the trunk against sunburn.
Blood oranges grow outdoors in Central Florida, planted from September to March, and South Florida, planted in the cooler, drier months from October to March so roots settle before the summer rains. Buy certified trees and watch for citrus greening. Warm Florida winters usually give lighter, patchier red color. Hawaii's lowlands grow the tree well, but warm nights mean little red in the flesh. In North Florida and the Gulf South it is risky: plant in March or April after the last frost in a sheltered spot, cover young trees on freeze nights, and consider satsuma, the safer choice. In Texas it grows outdoors only in the Rio Grande Valley. In the Mid-South, the Southern Plains, the Pacific Northwest, the Mid-Atlantic, the Northeast and New England, the Midwest and Great Lakes, the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains and the Mountain West, winters are too cold for citrus outdoors, so grow a dwarf tree in a container and bring it inside for winter. In Alaska keep the container indoors under grow lights. Choose your region below for local planting months.
Varieties to Try
Moro
The darkest blood orange, often red right through, with a strong berry flavor. Ripens earliest, in winter. The most reliable for color in warmer areas.
Tarocco
Sweet, juicy and nearly seedless, with red streaks rather than solid color. Ripens after Moro.
Sanguinelli
A late variety with a red blush on the peel and streaked flesh. Holds well on the tree into spring.
Planting
Plant in the months shown for your region. Choose full sun and soil that drains well, in the warmest part of the yard if you garden where frost is possible.
A standard tree grows about 10 to 16 feet tall, so allow about 13 feet around it. Dig a hole no deeper than the root ball and twice as wide, keep the graft union above soil level, water in well and mulch, keeping mulch clear of the trunk. For a container, choose a dwarf tree and a pot at least 20 inches wide.
Care and Pollination
Pollination: blood oranges are self-fruitful, so one tree is enough.
Feeding: Feed three times a year with a citrus-specific fertilizer: in early spring, late spring and midsummer. See our fertilizing guide for more on choosing and using fertilizer.
Water: water deeply and infrequently, about twice a week in hot, dry weather for an established tree. Consistent watering prevents split fruit.
Pruning: little is needed. Remove dead wood and any shoots growing from below the graft.
Pests and Diseases
These are the problems US gardeners are most likely to meet:
- Asian citrus psyllid: A tiny sap-sucking insect that spreads huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, the most serious citrus disease in the US. There is no cure once a tree is infected. Buy only certified, disease-free trees, do not move citrus plants or cuttings across state or quarantine lines, and report suspected HLB to your local agricultural extension office.
- Citrus canker: A bacterial disease found in Florida that leaves raised, corky spots with a yellow halo on leaves, twigs and fruit. It spreads in wind-driven rain and on tools. Prune out affected shoots in dry weather and clean your pruners between trees.
- Citrus leafminer: Silvery trails in new leaves. Spray new growth with horticultural oil.
- Scale: Brown or white bumps on stems and leaves. Spray with horticultural oil.
For detailed pest management instructions, see our organic pest management guide.
Harvest and Storage
Blood oranges ripen from winter into spring, with Moro first and Sanguinelli last. Taste one before picking the rest. The peel color is not a reliable guide to the color inside.
Clip fruit with a short stem. Picked blood oranges keep for 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge, and the juice freezes well.
Track Your Blood Orange Tree
Add blood oranges to your garden in the Planting Season app and get reminders for feeding, pest checks and harvest time.
Open the App →Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my blood orange not red inside?
The red pigment needs cool nights while the fruit ripens. In warm-winter areas such as South Florida and Hawaii the flesh often stays orange or shows only streaks. Moro colors most reliably, and leaving fruit on the tree longer helps.
Which blood orange variety should I grow?
Moro gives the darkest color and ripens first. Tarocco is the sweetest with fewer seeds. Sanguinelli ripens late and extends the season into spring.
Can I grow a blood orange in a pot?
Yes. Choose a tree on dwarfing rootstock and a pot at least 20 inches wide with drainage holes. Use a free-draining mix, feed three times a year, and move it under cover in freezing weather.
When should I plant a blood orange tree in the US?
In spring or fall in most citrus regions: October to March in South Florida, February, March or October in the Desert Southwest, and March to May in Northern California. Use the calendar above for your region.
See also: Blood Orange in the Plant Library
