Tangerine Trees, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
A tangerine tree is the compact, easy-peel citrus for a sunny Southwest Florida yard, with fruit ripening mostly from late fall into winter. Citrus greening is present across Florida, so it pays to buy a healthy tree and keep it fed and watched. Trees come in 15 and 25 gallon sizes, delivered and planted at the right depth.
- Light:
- Full sun
- Water:
- Regular; water deeply and let the top few inches dry between soakings
- Salt:
- Low, keep it off salt spray and brackish water
Tangerine Tree
Ask for a photo of the actual plant we would deliver.
Tangerine 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 |
|---|---|
| Tangerine Tree | 15 Gallon, 25 Gallon |
Tangerine Tree in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 10 to 15 ft tall and about as wide; easily kept smaller with pruning
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Regular; water deeply and let the top few inches dry between soakings
- Salt tolerance
- Low, keep it off salt spray and brackish water
- Cold tolerance
- Among the hardier citrus, but frost can damage young trees and fruit; cover young trees on frost nights
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 15 ft or more from other trees, buildings, and septic or drain fields
- Florida native
- No, native to Southeast Asia
- Botanical name
- Citrus reticulata
Where Tangerine Tree works in a SW Florida yard
Plant tangerine in your sunniest, best-drained spot, at least 15 ft from the house, power lines and septic or drain fields. It fits yards where an orange tree would be too big, and it looks good as a lawn specimen or in a row with other citrus.
Meyer lemon, Persian lime and tangelo trees share the same care, so a small citrus planting can be fed and watched on one schedule.
- Backyard citrus
- Easy-peel fresh fruit
- Sunny edible landscape
- Compact fruit tree
How our crew plants it
Plant citrus high: set the top of the root ball an inch or two above the surrounding soil, with the graft union well above ground. Dig twice as wide as the container, backfill with native sand, and water in.
Keep mulch 6 inches from the trunk. Lee and Collier rules allow extra water on new trees outside your assigned days, so soak daily at first.
Care after planting
- Water deeply and regularly until established, then let the top few inches dry between soakings.
- Fertilize four to five times a year with a citrus fertilizer that includes micronutrients, and remember Lee County, Naples and Marco Island ban nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer from June 1 to September 30.
- Keep grass and weeds away from the trunk, and never let mulch or sprinkler spray sit against the bark.
- Check new flush for Asian citrus psyllids, the insect that spreads greening, and treat early.
- Cover young trees on frost nights.
What to watch for
- Citrus greening (HLB) is present throughout Florida and causes blotchy yellow leaves, small lopsided fruit and eventual decline; there is no cure, though good nutrition and psyllid control can extend a tree's productive life.
- Scale, whiteflies and leafminers are common, and leafminer trails on new leaves are mostly cosmetic.
Tangerine Tree questions we hear
Is citrus greening a problem for tangerine trees in Southwest Florida?+
Yes. Citrus greening is present throughout Florida, and a tangerine tree can pick it up from Asian citrus psyllids. Infected trees decline and make small, bitter fruit. There is no cure, but good feeding and psyllid control can extend a tree's productive years, and UF/IFAS still encourages growing citrus at home.
When do tangerines ripen in Florida?+
Most tangerines ripen from late fall through winter, with many varieties ready in January. Taste a fruit or two before you pick the whole tree, because citrus does not ripen after it is picked. Easy-peel tangerines are ready when they are deeply colored and taste sweet.
How far apart should I plant tangerine trees?+
Plant tangerines at least 15 ft apart and 15 ft or more from buildings, power lines and septic or drain fields. That gives the roots and canopy room and keeps fruit within reach with light pruning. Smaller yards can hold one or two trees, and pruning keeps each at a pickable size.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Tangerine 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.