Orange Trees, Delivered and Planted in Southwest Florida
Oranges grow well in SW Florida, though you should plant one with citrus greening in mind. A sweet orange wants full sun and drained soil, makes fruit for juice and fresh eating, and often starts bearing within a couple of years. Our trees come from our own nursery, Palm & Plant Co., and we deliver and plant 15 and 25 gallon sizes.
- Light:
- Full sun, 6 to 8 hours or more
- Water:
- Moderate; regular water while young and through spring bloom and fruit set
- Salt:
- Low; burns in salt spray and brackish irrigation water
Orange Tree
Ask for a photo of the actual plant we would deliver.
Orange Tree sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Orange Tree | 15 Gallon, 25 Gallon |
Orange Tree in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 12 to 25 ft tall and 10 to 20 ft wide; easily kept near 10 to 15 ft with pruning
- Light
- Full sun, 6 to 8 hours or more
- Water
- Moderate; regular water while young and through spring bloom and fruit set
- Salt tolerance
- Low; burns in salt spray and brackish irrigation water
- Cold tolerance
- Mature trees handle brief dips into the upper 20s; young trees are more tender, so cover them on frost nights inland
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 15 ft or more from other trees and the house
- Florida native
- No
- Botanical name
- Citrus sinensis
Where Orange Tree works in a SW Florida yard
Give an orange tree the sunniest spot you have, at least 15 ft from the house, pool cage, septic field and power lines. It works as a medium-size fruit and shade tree at the edge of a lawn, in a back corner or in a row of mixed citrus.
Keep turf out of a circle around the trunk, since mowers and string trimmers are hard on young citrus bark. Persian lime, tangerine and Meyer lemon make good neighbors for a citrus corner.
- Backyard fruit and juice
- Fragrant spring blossoms
- Edible landscape corner
- Fruit tree for lawn edge
How our crew plants it
Citrus goes in a little high. The hole is about twice as wide as the container and no deeper, with the top of the root ball an inch or two above the surrounding soil and the graft union, the bump low on the trunk, well above grade. A buried graft invites root rot.
Mulch goes on a few inches deep, off the bark. Our crew handles the depth, waters it in and cleans up. In Lee and Collier, new plantings can be watered extra, so water often for the first couple of months.
Care after planting
- Feed with a citrus fertilizer that includes magnesium, manganese and zinc in late winter, spring and again in October; from June 1 to September 30, Lee County, Naples and Marco Island ban nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer, so hold off.
- Keep turf, weeds and mulch off the trunk, because a mower or trimmer scar on young bark can girdle a tree.
- Water deeply through the dry spring bloom and fruit set, from March into May, when the weather is hot and dry.
- Prune lightly after harvest to hold the height and open the canopy, and cut off sprouts that grow below the graft union.
- Check new growth every few weeks for Asian citrus psyllids and curled leafminer damage, and treat early with horticultural oil.
What to watch for
- Citrus greening (HLB), spread by the Asian citrus psyllid, is established across Florida and has no cure, so an infected tree slowly loses vigor and fruit quality over several years.
- Salt spray and standing water both injure citrus, so skip open waterfront exposure and low spots that stay wet after summer storms.
Orange Tree questions we hear
Can you grow oranges in Cape Coral and Fort Myers?+
Yes. SW Florida's mild winters suit sweet oranges, and most yards here have a sunny spot with drained sandy soil. Plan around salt spray on waterfront lots and around citrus greening, which is present across the state and has no cure.
When do orange trees produce fruit in Florida?+
A new tree often gives a light first crop within two to three years, then heavier crops as it matures. Ripening depends on the variety: early oranges ripen around October to December, navels and midseason types roughly November to February, and Valencia in spring.
How far apart should orange trees be planted?+
Allow at least 15 ft between trees and from the house, pool cage, septic field and power lines. Mature orange trees spread 10 to 20 ft, and crowded citrus shades itself, fruits less and stays damp, which invites disease.
Will citrus greening kill my orange tree?+
Eventually it can. Greening has no cure, and an infected tree loses vigor over several years while the fruit turns poor. Controlling Asian citrus psyllids and keeping the tree fed and watered can slow the decline, but it cannot prevent infection.
How often should I water a new orange tree?+
Frequently while it roots in. Lee and Collier allow extra watering on new plantings, so water every day or two for the first couple of weeks, then a few times a week, then your two assigned days once it is established. Keep the soil moist, not soggy.
How much does it cost to plant an orange tree?+
It depends on the pot size and how many trees you want. Send us your address and a quick note on what you have in mind, and a planted price comes back by text, usually within the hour during the day. Half down holds the trees and a delivery day.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Orange Tree
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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We deliver and plant across Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs and about an hour around.