Oroblanco tree grow and care – tree of the genus citrus also known as Sweetie is an hybrid between a Grapefruit and Pomelo, Oroblanco tree perennial evergreen plant, grow for edible fruits, can be used also as ornamental plant and can grow as dwarf tree or bonsai, can grow in tropical, subtropical or mediterranean climate and growing in hardiness zone 10+ and with the right overwinter care possible in hardiness zone 9b.
Leaves color is green the shape it’s like two connected leaves one close to the stem and the other connected to the first leaf, the second leaf elliptic with pointed top, the leaf that connected to the stem mostly small but can be in the same size, the shape can be from elliptic to heart shape.
Flowers are white with yellow stamen, size of the 1-3 cm (0.75- 1.2 inch).
Fruit size ~7-15 cm’ and color is yellow-white or pink, the taste sweet with hint of sour, the inner fruit divided by segments, the segment cover with soft thin layer, it containing the pulp (little cones covered with a thinner layer), rind color is green, yellow, the peel is edible but sometimes little bitter also used as flavor and fragrant.
Different between Oro blanco tree, Pomelo tree and Grapefruit tree
Hybrid also in the taste and the structure of those fruits, it doesn’t have the bitterness of grapefruits, it is sweet that remind the Pomelo taste without the little bit of taste of grapefruit without the bitter in the end – fruits taste changing by cultivars and remind pomelo or grapefruit depend on the cultivars, the fruits are juicy more like grapefruits but it also different in the cultivars, the white cover of the segment is mostly hard and chewy and like the pomelo and the peel is big.
Different between oroblanco and sweetie: Same hybrid but different source, the sweetie consider better quality and sweeter
How to grow growing Sweetie Oroblanco tree:
Better frost free but survive light frost, loamy soil, organic matter, for young trees put mulch to keep the humidity, if the trunk expose to full sun better to whitewash (lime paint)
What is the best way to start growing: Plant / Seed / Air layer / Cutting
Is it necessary to graft or cutting? Yes, necessary to ensure the existent of the fruits and quality of the fruits and there are different parameters: size, taste (sweet, sour or something in between), juicy or dry, amount of seeds or seedless, season of the fruits (different cultivars have different dates for the fruits), better to graft more than one cultivar or more than on citrus.
Cutting need to use for the base of the tree for: disease-free, base that fit for different soils, resistance for drought, base that won’t resist for grafting or specific cultivar for the fruits.
Difficulties/Problems with growing: Young tree very sensitive to citrus leaf miner
Planting season: Spring / Autumn, possible all the year, hardiness zone 9b-10a spring, hardiness zone 10b possible all the year but better in autumn or spring, hardiness zone 11a+ if summer too much hot better not in summer
Pruning season: End of the winter beginning of the spring (after the fruits)
How to prune: Dead branch, cross branch, density branch growth – when the tree grow in high density it’s prevent
Size of the plant: 3-6 m, 10-20 feet
Growth speed in optimal condition: Medium growing
Irrigation water management requirement: Average amount of water to big amount of water with good drainage, need to increase the amount of water in the fruits season especially when the fruit become bigger if there are rains need to check that it’s enough, if not the fruit will be dry or crack hole.
Light conditions in optimal condition for growing: Full Sun and possible to grow in half shade in the right care but will produce less fruits
Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant? No, but possible to grow next to window with sun that possible, grow it as dwarf tree and will take more time to get fruits
Growing is also possible in a pot, planter, flowerpot or containers: Yes, when grow in container need to choose the desirable container if it’s small plant it directly if it’s a big container bigger than 100% than the root ball consider start to grow with small container, better to switch the soil once in few years, when start to grow check that the graft of the tree not too much high and choose plant that can grow as dwarf tree or to grow it as bonsai.
Blooming information
When does flowers bloom? Winter to spring
General information about the flower Flowers are white with yellow stamen
Thinning / Deadheading of the blossom: The first years until the tree establish should thinning the flowers
Pollination is done by: Bees
Edible Fruits
When does it yield: Autumn, winter and rarely in spring
Fruits pests or diseases: Citrus stubborn disease, citrus black spot, alternaria
What can be donewith bigquantities of fruits? Eat, juice, the rind used fragrant, fruit leather, sugary rind
Work requirements on the fruit: Pick up (sometimes cut branches that grow into the fruit)
How long does it take to bear fruit? 2-3 years from grafted tree
Ripening of fruit Possible to pick up the fruit before and let them ripening them in the house
How to grow Oroblanco tree from seeds
Sowing requirement: Moist soil, well-drained soil, 20-27C temperature and better in sunny location
Saving and care seeds until sowing: Dry, dark location in room temperature
Sowing season: Spring to early summer (possible also summer to autumn)
How to plant: Planting in soil that keep moist, cover the seed lightly
Planting spacing: Better in separate pots, direct on the place 3*4m (10*13 feet), for transplant 5*5 cm (2*2 inches)
Depth of Sowing: 2cm (1inches)
Conditions for seeds germinate: Keep the soil and don’t let it dry, rich soil and sunny location
Watering requires for Seeds: Average amount of water
Germination time: 2-4 weeks, but can take longer
Condition of seedling: If there is Citrus leaf miner in one of the trees in the area, better to put it in greenhouse or indoor to protect the tree, young tree very sensitive to citrus leaf miners, better to cover the soil with mulch.
