Cara Cara Orange Tree – Grafted Live Citrus Plant in 0.5 Gallon Pot

Overview

Cultivate your own delicious and vibrant fruit with this cara cara orange tree, a remarkable grafted live plant that promises an abundant harvest of unique citrus. Known for its striking pinkish-red interior, the Cara Cara orange is a type of navel orange, celebrated for its exceptional sweetness, low acidity, and a delightful hint of red berry flavors like cranberry or blackberry. Discovered in Venezuela in the mid-1970s, these oranges have gained immense popularity for their seedless nature and juicy, flavorful pulp. This grafted orange tree ensures vigorous growth and earlier fruit production, allowing you to enjoy fresh, home-grown Cara Caras sooner. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or a citrus enthusiast, adding this beautiful and productive tree to your collection will elevate your gardening experience and provide a continuous supply of this sought-after fruit.

The cara cara orange tree is a fantastic choice for both seasoned gardeners and those new to growing citrus. Its compact size when grown in containers makes it suitable for patios, balconies, or even indoors in colder regions, allowing more people to enjoy the benefits of fresh citrus. With proper care, this tree will not only provide delicious fruit but also contribute to the aesthetic appeal of your garden or home environment with its lush green foliage.

Key Benefits

Growing a cara cara orange tree offers numerous advantages, from its unique fruit characteristics to its ornamental appeal. This exceptional citrus variety is a must-have for any fruit lover or home gardener.

• Delicious, Unique Fruit: Enjoy sweet, slightly tangy, and seedless oranges with distinct pinkish-red flesh, offering a flavor profile that includes hints of cranberry or blackberry, setting them apart from traditional navel oranges.
• Grafted for Vigor: This grafted orange tree ensures a stronger, healthier plant that typically fruits earlier and more reliably than trees grown from seed.
• Versatile Growing Options: Suitable for planting directly in the ground in USDA Zones 8-10 or for container gardening, allowing greater flexibility for various climates and spaces.
• Nutrient-Rich Harvest: Cara Cara oranges are known for their high vitamin C content and antioxidants, providing a healthy and refreshing snack straight from your garden.
• Beautiful Ornamental Plant: With its glossy green leaves and fragrant blossoms, the cara cara orange tree adds significant aesthetic value to any landscape, patio, or indoor setting.
• Long Harvest Season: These oranges typically reach their peak season between December and April, providing a fresh fruit supply during the cooler months.
• Easy to Care For: With appropriate sunlight and watering, this navel orange tree is relatively low-maintenance, making it a rewarding choice for home growers.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your cara cara orange tree is straightforward when you understand its basic needs. These tropical plants thrive in specific conditions that mimic their natural habitat, ensuring healthy growth and abundant fruit production. They are best suited for USDA Zones 8-10 for outdoor planting, but can be successfully grown in containers and brought indoors during colder months in other regions.

Sunlight: Cara cara orange trees are sun-loving plants and require at least six hours of direct sunlight per day to flourish. For optimal growth and fruiting, aim for full sun exposure. If growing indoors, place the tree near a south-facing window where it can receive maximum light, and consider supplementing with a grow light, especially during winter months. While they love sun, younger trees may benefit from partial shade during the hottest parts of the day if temperatures consistently exceed 90°F to prevent wilting.

Watering & Soil: Proper watering is crucial for your grafted orange tree. They prefer consistently moist, but not waterlogged, soil. Allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out between waterings to prevent root rot, which citrus trees are particularly susceptible to. Well-draining soil is essential; a good quality cactus or citrus potting mix is ideal for container-grown plants. For in-ground planting, ensure the soil is well-amended to provide good drainage. Regularly check soil moisture, especially during hot, dry periods.

Fertilization: Like all citrus, the cara cara orange tree is a heavy feeder and requires regular fertilization. They need a balanced diet of macro and micronutrients, with a particular emphasis on nitrogen. Use a fertilizer specifically formulated for citrus trees, following the product instructions for application rates and frequency. Fertilize during the growing season (spring through fall) and reduce or stop during dormancy (winter). This consistent feeding will support healthy foliage, strong root development, and bountiful fruit production for your navel orange tree.

Size & Details

This cara cara orange tree is a grafted live plant, typically arriving in a 0.5-gallon pot, ready for transplanting. At maturity, when planted in the ground, these trees can reach heights of 10-15 feet, with a similar spread, though container-grown specimens will remain smaller and more manageable, often reaching 5-8 feet depending on pruning and pot size. The grafting process ensures that you receive a healthy, established plant with a strong root system, capable of producing fruit much sooner than a seedling. Expect flowers to appear in spring, followed by fruit development throughout the summer and fall, with harvest occurring from late fall through spring. The tree’s vibrant green foliage provides an attractive display year-round, making it a wonderful addition to any garden or indoor space.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this plant get? A: When planted in the ground, a mature cara cara orange tree can reach 10-15 feet tall and wide. If grown in a container, its size will be more compact, typically 5-8 feet, and can be managed with pruning.
• Q: What size pot does it come in? A: This grafted orange tree is typically shipped in a 0.5-gallon pot, providing a healthy root system for easy transplanting upon arrival.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The cara cara orange tree can be grown outdoors in USDA Zones 8-10. In colder climates, it is best grown in a container and brought indoors during the winter months.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: This citrus tree requires at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. For indoor growth, a south-facing window or supplemental grow lights are highly recommended.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, with consistent sunlight, proper watering, and regular fertilization, the cara cara orange tree is relatively easy to care for, making it suitable for gardeners of various skill levels.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: You will receive a healthy, live cara cara orange tree in a 0.5-gallon pot, similar to the product images, carefully packaged to ensure its safe arrival.
• Q: Can I use Cara Cara oranges in cooking? A: Absolutely! Cara Cara oranges are excellent for eating fresh, juicing, or using in a variety of culinary applications, from salads to desserts, thanks to their sweet and unique flavor.
• Q: When is the best time to plant? A: For outdoor planting, spring is generally the best time after the last frost. Container planting can be done year-round, ensuring protection from extreme temperatures.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: If you are in USDA Zones 8-10, the navel orange tree can survive winter outdoors. In colder zones, it must be protected from frost by bringing it indoors or providing adequate insulation.
• Q: What kind of soil does it prefer? A: This tree thrives in well-draining soil. For container planting, a good quality cactus or citrus potting mix is recommended.