Known for their distinctive, beautiful colors, blood oranges are a one of a kind citrus fruit. Learn how to care for a Moro Blood Orange tree below.
There's nothing quite like the surprise and delight you get when you cut into a blood orange. Slicing through a bright orange exterior to reveal deep, wine-colored flesh.
Citrus fruits are super healthy too, so they reward you with beauty and support your wellbeing!
If you're looking for a tasty variety that's fast-growing, then the Moro blood orange tree is the right choice for you.
Let's learn more about them and see just how easy it is to care for one.
What is a Moro Blood Orange Tree?
Moro is a very popular variety of blood orange tree, known for producing moderately sized fruit with particularly deep purple flesh.
They thrive in warm climates, typically enjoying temperatures between 55-85° F. They can also do well indoors, as long as they are not planted too close to windows. That's because the glass intensifies the suns rays and could scorch the leaves.
They thrive in the US Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9-11 - roughly a sweep from North Carolina, all through the southern States and up as high as Washington State.
In a warm, dry climate like Southern California, it reaches ripeness between December and February.
Planting
When you buy your Moro blood orange tree, it will come with its rootstock wrapped in a hessian bag ready to be planted.
Planting considerations include timing and location, including growing a blood orange tree in a container. For best results, it should be planted by late March. This will ensure that frosts have passed.
Blood orange trees hate to be planted in soil that can become waterlogged. Take care to prepare a well-draining soil mixture. Adding compost or peat moss to the soil prior to planting can help to keep it draining well.
Dig a hole sufficiently deep to cover the roots. However, take care that the hole is not too deep and that none of the trunk is under the soil. Then water it in, and keep watering over the next few days.
Look out for signs of new growth that will indicate that it is settling in nicely into its new home. Regular watering, especially during hot spells, will keep it in top condition.
Feeding
To really do well, your Moro blood orange tree will appreciate a little extra help.
This comes in the form of two types of feed. First of all, give it 1 cup of 21-0-0 ammonium sulfate each year. The formula is one cup of ammonium sulfate for every year of its life.
Secondly, give it a phosphate boost every few years. Carefully follow the directions that come with the tree to get the balance right.
Caring
Blood orange tree care is actually kind of a doddle.
Beyond the obvious light pruning of weak and dead branches, it doesn't require a great deal of work. If you know that temperatures are going to drop below freezing, considering blanketing the tree.
How to Care for a Moro Blood Orange Tree
Keep the soil well drained, give it plenty of water when it's hot and treat it to some regular feeding and you'll be well on your way to delicious blood oranges to eat and juice.
Growing Trees is fun, and every tree we send comes with a 20-page care guide.
