Yes, is there a blood orange tree is a real question with a real answer. The tree belongs to the Citrus sinensis species, the same family as common sweet oranges. The ruby fleshed fruit you see in markets each winter comes from these living trees.
I saw my first mature blood orange tree in a small backyard near Pasadena, California. The tree stood about 12 feet (3.6 meters) tall with deep glossy green leaves. The white blossoms gave off a sweet citrus scent that filled the whole yard on a warm March morning.
A real blood orange tree does not belong to a separate plant species. It is a pigmented cultivar of the common sweet orange, Citrus sinensis. The Ruby gene controls the red color in the flesh by switching on anthocyanin production when nights turn cool.
Without that gene and the right climate, you would just get a plain orange with yellow flesh. The tree itself looks the same as any sweet orange tree from the outside. You cannot tell a blood orange tree from a navel tree by the leaves alone.
Three main cultivars dominate the commercial trade in Citrus sinensis blood orange trees today. Moro gives the deepest dark red flesh with a tart berry kick. Tarocco brings the sweetest flavor with light red streaks. Sanguinello falls in between with a mild taste.
I bought my first Moro blood orange tree from a certified citrus nursery in Riverside. The young tree came in a 5 gallon (19 liter) pot and stood 3 feet (0.9 meters) tall. It set fruit by the second winter and has produced a crop every year since.
A few rare types exist for the keen home grower who wants something unusual. Vaniglia Sanguigno has pale pink flesh with almost no acid. It tastes like vanilla cream. Smith Red comes from one California family orchard. It rarely shows up in big nurseries.
These rare types call for some hunting and some luck to track down at all. Most stay in private hands or small specialty growers. The thrill of finding one makes the search worth all the time spent reading nursery lists each winter.
The blood orange tree exists in many home gardens across warm parts of the world today. You can find it in Sicily, Spain, and the southern United States. Each region prizes the tree for its winter harvest of ruby fruit and the lovely scent of its spring flowers.
The fragrant blossoms attract bees in great numbers each spring during the bloom period. Honey made from these flowers carries a soft citrus note that beekeepers love to bottle. Your tree adds both food and beauty to a backyard or patio space at the same time.
Buy your tree from a certified citrus nursery in USDA zones 9 to 11 for the best start. These nurseries follow strict rules to keep diseases like citrus greening out of their stock. Look for 2 to 3 year old grafted trees ready to fruit within a season or two.
If you live outside the warm zones, try a mail order source that ships dwarf trees in containers. Several reputable growers in Florida and California will ship a young tree right to your door. The blood orange tree species is the same, but the dwarf rootstock keeps it small enough for a patio.
Pick a tree with healthy green leaves and no signs of pests or yellow spots. Check that the graft union sits above the soil line and looks well sealed. Your investment of $40 to $80 today gives you a tree that produces fruit for decades to come.
Read the full article: Blood Orange Tree Complete Guide
