Orange trees perfume the whole yard when their waxy white blossoms open in spring, months before the fruit that follows even begins to show color.
A classic warm-climate fruit tree, orange grows best where winters stay mild, though dwarf varieties in containers let gardeners further north enjoy the fragrant blooms and homegrown fruit by moving the tree indoors for winter.
Orange trees want full sun and well-draining, slightly acidic soil, and they're sensitive to hard freezes, thriving best in zones 9–11. In marginal climates, growing a dwarf variety in a large pot allows the tree to be moved to shelter before frost.
Orange trees can take three to five years to bear fruit from a young grafted tree, so patience and consistent feeding pay off more than any single quick fix.
