Years to fruit for Sour Orange?

[jez251]

Hi,

I've been trying to find info online on how many years a seedling Sour Orange takes to fruit, but can't come across any definitive answer. I know it will vary, but mine are about 5-6 years old and they haven't even flowered yet!

We use sour oranges a lot at home for cooking, so it would be great to start getting fruit from the 2 trees I have.

Jaime

[Central Floridave]

Hi, I see no one responded.  I would imagine it takes the same amount of time any other orange tree would take.  Maybe you are fertilizing at the wrong time.  It seems like 5 to 6 years is long enough.  Is it in full sun?  that would make a major difference.

[jez251]

Hi,

Yes, it is in full sun, one is in a pot, the other in the ground. They are fertilized about once a month using 8-3-9 fertilizer. I thought it would have flowered by now, but it hasn't.

Jaime

[HMHausman]

Hi,

I've been trying to find info online on how many years a seedling Sour Orange takes to fruit, but can't come across any definitive answer. I know it will vary, but mine are about 5-6 years old and they haven't even flowered yet!

We use sour oranges a lot at home for cooking, so it would be great to start getting fruit from the 2 trees I have.

Jaime

The only citrus I have ever fruited from seed was an orange fleshed lime Igrew from seeds that I obtained from a fruit I tried at Excalibur years ago.  It took 10 years for it to bear. Al Will's class notes indicate that Sour Orange is supposed to fruit in 5-7 yars from seed.  It would probably take me 10....but that's just me.  Hopefully you are on the verge with your trees.

Harry

[jez251]

Thanks, Harry. I'll be on the lookout for flowers in the spring. Chances are I'll graft a different citrus on one of them or maybe create one of those cocktail trees!

Jaime

[jcaldeira]

To encourage citrus to flower, it often helps to have them go through a period of drought stress before the flowering period.  Don't know why it works, but NOT watering in the months prior to flowering generally produces more flowers.  It's okay if the leaves curl a bit.

John

[jez251]

I may try that with potted one. Thanks, John.

Jaime

[Jsvand5]

Thanks, Harry. I'll be on the lookout for flowers in the spring. Chances are I'll graft a different citrus on one of them or maybe create one of those cocktail trees!

Jaime

I don't know if anyone actually follows it, but you are not allowed to graft any citrus in FL.

[jez251]

Well I won't tell if you won't.

Jaime