Oroblanco tree

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

Pests and diseases:
Citrus leaf miner, aphids, citrus foot rot, ant, citrus gummosis

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 done with big quantities 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.

Scientific name:

Citrus paradisi x Citrus maxima