The Moro Blood Orange Tree is an evergreen citrus tree of average vigor and size and a round top. These citrus trees have creamy white blossoms that diffuse a delicious scent reminiscent of the exotic tropics which turn into round, medium-sized fruits in clusters of three of more.
The Moro Blood Orange Tree with botanical name Citrus sinensis ‘Moro’, is an evergreen citrus tree that produces sweet, juicy red-blood oranges best grown in USDA growing zones 8 – 11. Moro Blood Orange Trees are of average vigor and size, with a round top and somewhat spreading growth habit. As most citrus trees, the Blood Orange trees thrive in tropical to subtropical climates where temperatures are warm and the winter cold is moderate.
The Blood Orange Tree is a hybrid between a pomelo and a tangerine. The Moro Blood orange tree variety is believed to have originated as a bud mutation of “Sanguinello Moscato” at the beginning of the 19th century in the Lentini Province of Siracusa, Sicily.
Blood Orange Trees produce creamy white blossoms that diffuse a delicious scent reminiscent of the exotic tropics. Once successfully pollinated, the beautiful blooms then turn into round, medium-sized fruits in clusters of three of more.
The Moro Blood Orange Tree fruit is the most common pigmented orange distributed in the United States. The medium-sized round fruits are the most colorful of all blood oranges with their deep red flesh and outer skin having a bright red blush. The fruit have a furrowed base, flattened apex, faint or inconspicuous areole, and few seeds if any. The rind of blood oranges are medium-thick, moderately adherent, and slightly pebbled. The flesh of Moro blood oranges is deep red, almost violet-red, has flavor that is stronger and more aromatic than other oranges, and has a distinct, sweet taste with a hint of raspberry.
The package arrived early as expected but my plant looked frail, I transferred it yo a big pot and half of the leaves fell off in a couple of dayshift, whites pots seen on the leaves as well
If you are a little bit hesitant to purchase an orange tree for sale, especially aBlood Orange tree for sale, do not be since growing orange trees is pretty easy; with proper care your citrus tree will grow healthy and start bearing delicious fruits in no time.
Seasonal Information: Being classified as a tropical plant, the Moro Blood Orange fruit tree grows best outdoors basking in the sun in regions with warm climates. However, that does not mean that you cannot grow this citrus tree if you live in an area where winter can be colder. You can grow a Moro Blood Orange tree even when you live outside USDA growing zones 9-10. You just have to plant this fruit tree in a large pot which you can easily move indoors when the forecasted temperature is below 28°. Also, although it needs sunlight to develop high sugar content for sweet taste, blood oranges actually need some cool nights to develop anthocyanins (water-soluble vacuolar pigments or compounds) that giveblood oranges their deep red color.
Planting: Make sure the Blood Orange citrus tree for saleyou bought gets shipped to you in March, since planting of this citrus tree should be done in late March after the danger of frost has passed.
Outdoor Planting: If you are to plant your blood range tree outside, choose a location that gets full sunlight for most of the day. It is also advisable that you plant the tree on the south side of your house to shield it from strong/cold winter winds. After replanting your citrus tree directly in the ground, saturate the soil right away to eliminate any air pockets. Water the tree once a week to keep it moist but not waterlogged.
Planting in a Container: Use pots that are bigger than what the citrus trees for sale arrived in. Make sure that the pots you are going to use have lots of holes for excess water to flow out. It is also advisable that you use pots that have casters for easy movement when the cold winter is approaching. Furthermore, use potting soil that is specifically designed for citrus trees. Soil that is lightweight, drains well, and has the right combination of nutrients for citrus or avocados is ideal. Repot every two to three years with new amended soil.
Fertilization: Growing citrus trees require a lot of iron, manganese, and zinc to develop a deep, extensive root system and produce tons of delicious fruits once established. For growing Moro Blood OrangeTrees use fertilizer for citrus trees (ammonium sulfate) in February, May, and September. Follow label instructions on how to use the citrus tree fertilizer to fully optimize its usage.
Pruning: Moro Blood Orange fruit trees do not need elaborate pruning and develop an attractive, natural form without much attention. Pruning should only be done when removing diseased, leggy or dead limbs and suckers to keep the trees healthy.
Fruit & Harvesting
Fruit
Moro Blood Oranges are round, low-seeded fruits that are medium-large in size. These fruits have slightly pebbled, medium-thick rind blushed with burgundy color. The blood orange rind is moderately adherent to the flesh.
Moro Blood Orange is the most colorful of all the blood orange varieties marketed in the United States. It is distinctive in that pigmentation or coloring happens early and strongly in the flesh. The pulp of Moro Blood Oranges have a magenta tint and ranges from pink streaks to fully saturated crimson to winey-red or dark burgundy color. The unique deep red flesh of the Moro Blood Orange has a strong flavor and aroma that is more intense than your average orange. Its sweet taste has a hint of raspberry with a touch of bitterness, but it is definitely less acidic than other blood oranges.
Moro Blood Oranges are generally used for juicing and the brilliantly crimson red color is ideal for gruesome sounding cocktails like Bloody Mary, Blood Orange Margarita, and more. They can be used to make salads, sauces, sorbets, compotes, marmalades, syrups, and vinaigrettes. They can also be paired with chocolates, mint, cheese, yogurt, shallots, olives, seafood, and other citrus fruit.
Harvesting
Moro Blood Oranges become mature in early winter through early spring and should be harvested when they develop full color and flavor. You can perform several tests of the fruit to determine if they are ready for picking; look for a waxy shine of the peel, gently squeeze the Moro Blood orange and see if it has begun to soften or do a taste test. If the fruit has reached its optimum flavor and juice, or when your taste buds are splashed with sweet orange taste tinged with raspberry overtones, then you can start harvesting. However, if the fruit you test is not yet fully flavored do not pick the other fruits since they do not sweeten once harvested.
Growing Zones
Advice
Moro Blood Orange trees grow up to 8’-12’ when planted directly in the ground, but tend to stay smaller when planted in containers. They should be protected from cold when temperatures fall below 28° F. The usual fruit season for Moro Blood Oranges is from early winter to early spring and the fruit needs heat or sunlight to become sweet.
Pests and Diseases
Pests
Common pests that attack Moro Blood Orange trees are scale insects and rust mites. Scales attack the leaves of the tree while mites cause damage to both leaves and fruits. Both pests can be controlled without using harmful chemicals. These pests can be managed biologically with the use of parasitic fungi and the parasitic wasp.You can also use neem oil to control both scale insects and rust mites.
Diseases
Penicilliumdigitatum – a mesophilic fungus that grows and lives in soil with moderate temperature or areas best for growing citrus trees. It is the major cause of post-harvest rot in Moro Blood fruit commonly known as green rot or green mould. Symptoms include white mycelium colonizing the rind and moist depressions on fruit surfaces. The center of the mycelial mass then turns olive and the fruit eventually decreases in size and turns into an empty dry shell.
This disease can be controlled by proper fruit handling before, during and after harvesting. Chemical controls include use of salicylic acid, imazalil, thaibendazole, and biphenyl.
Citrus Tree Greening – Asian citrus psyllid spread the bacterial pathogen citrus greening that damages the root system and starves the tree of much needed nutrients. From the roots Greening spreads to the rest of the tree’s canopy. Greening symptoms are yellowing of leaves, premature defoliation, dieback of twigs, and fruit stunting after ripening.
Cultural control includes sanitation, removal of infected parts/plants, and antibacterial management. To date, heating of trees in tents is the only known cure to kill the Greening pathogen.
FAQs
Where are blood oranges grown?
Blood oranges may have originated in China, but are now grown in Italy, Spain, and tropical climates in South and North America.
Are there health benefits to the Blood Orange?
Blood oranges contain compounds called Anthocyanins, which cause the dark red fruit color, and have been shown to combat free radicals as well as inflammation. Blood oranges are also rich in Vitamin C, which has numerous observed health benefits. Blood oranges also contain Vitamin A, which is said to be beneficial in the health of skin.
How is the Moro Blood Orange different from other Blood Oranges?
The Moro blood orange variety is the most richly colored blood orange. It has a deep red interior and theskin has a bright red to crimson shade. The Moro Blood Orange variety is also quite sweet and flavorful, with hints of raspberry and tart grape in the flavor.
Do Moro Blood Orange Trees have thorns?
Moro Blood Orange Trees are basically thornless, but may have some small thorns on individual branches. As with all plants, individuals may vary in certain respects, and some Blood Orange Trees may have more or less thorns than others. Overall the Blood Orange tree has few if any thorns.
How tall can I expect my Moro Blood Orange Trees to get?
Mature Moro Blood Orange Trees grown in the ground under proper conditions will reach a height of about 18 to 25 feet.
Can I grow a Moro blood orange tree indoors?
Yes. When growing citrus indoors be sure that the tree gets plenty of light. You can supplement sunlight with growing lights if needed. Also be sure the tree is watered thoroughly, but not allowed to stand in water or continually saturated, non-draining soil.
Do Moro Blood Orange Trees require a second tree as a pollinator?
No. Dwarf Moro Blood Orange Trees are self-pollinating, and will grow fruit without an additional tree for pollination. However, Dwarf Moro Blood Orange Trees with a second pollinator tree will often grow more fruit than a solitary Dwarf Blood Orange Tree.
Do Moro Blood Orange Trees take longer to grow fruit?
No. Dwarf trees will typically produce fruit at least as soon as standard sized trees, and in most cases even faster, since the dwarf variety tree will reach its mature size faster.
How long will it take for a Moro Blood Orange Tree to grow fruit?
Grafted trees can produce fruit in about two to three years after being planted. Variations in fruiting are affected by fertilizing, watering, sunlight, temperature, and other environmental factors. Trees grown from seed will take much longer to mature to fruit-growing age, and seven to ten years of growth before fruit is common.
Jenny (verified owner) –
The package arrived early as expected but my plant looked frail, I transferred it yo a big pot and half of the leaves fell off in a couple of dayshift, whites pots seen on the leaves as well
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Anonymous (verified owner) –
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Denise (verified owner) –
Smaller than I expected but healthy
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Christian (verified owner) –
A little small
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Citrus Customer Care (store manager) –
Thank you for your positive review. Enjoy your tree.
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