Blood oranges represent a group of oranges that are distinguished by their coloring. The varieties are derived from the original species Citrus sinensis and have special demands on the environmental conditions. In order for fruit to develop, a few tricks are necessary.
The blood orange variety Tarocco is easy to grow in a bucket
garden season
Blood orange trees have their main flowering season in spring, with the first blossoms appearing as early as February. The self-pollinators develop an orange from each flower, which remains green and grows throughout the summer. Under optimal conditions, there is a second flowering in late summer, so that a tree can bear flowers and fruit. The discoloration begins once the blood oranges have reached full size and nighttime temperatures drop. Therefore, the harvest season extends from December to March.
Where blood oranges come from
Typical growing areas are in Andalusia and Sicily. Around Mount Etna, the temperature conditions are ideal for the ripening of the fruit. Strains require a mix of warm temperatures and night time conditions around freezing.
What blood oranges value:
- mild climate with lots of heat
- around 15 degrees during the day and around two degrees at night
- intense sunlight
sorts
The climatic situation in the growing areas means that blood oranges turn red. The coloring agent anthocyanin, which forms in the peel and pulp, is responsible for the red colouration. The more optimal the environmental conditions are, the more intense the play of colors will be. You can often find half-breed oranges in the supermarkets, where the rind appears orange and the inside appears red. Thoroughbred oranges are characterized by a consistent red color.
half-blood oranges
These cultivated forms are better suited for home cultivation than thoroughbred varieties. 'Tarocco' is a large-fruited variety with irregular growth. The fruits taste aromatically sweet. The acid decreases as the fruit ripens. 'Washington Sanguine' have a sweet and sour taste. The breed develops citrus fruits with few seeds and remains small, so that they thrive well in tubs.
whole blood oranges
'Sanguinelli' is a Spanish variety whose orange fruits are sweet, intensely red and particularly juicy. Even small trees develop early blood oranges that contain hardly any seeds. 'Moro' has oranges in its rounded crown that ripen early and have dark red to violet flesh. In order for the pigmentation to be intensive, cultivation in the conservatory is recommended. This should allow cool temperatures at night.
promote fruit ripening
As a container plant, the blood orange tree needs year-round watering, whereby the substrate is allowed to dry down to the lower layers before each watering. From May to August, the tree enjoys a weekly administration of nutrients. Iron, zinc and magnesium are essential trace elements.
wintering
The right winter quarters are crucial for fruit ripening. It should ensure cool and bright conditions. Greenhouses, (72.95€) cold conservatories, sheds or winter tents are ideal as long as they remain frost-free and offer minimum temperatures of two to five degrees. Here the plant may stand from mid-November to mid-April.