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Sweet orange
Habit (mature) · C T Johansson / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0
Limited coverage
Sweet orange
Citrus x sinensis
A small subtropical evergreen tree grown for its sweet, fragrant fruit and glossy aromatic leaves. Originally domesticated in subtropical Asia from a cross between a mandarin and a pomelo, it carries clusters of up to six fragrant creamy-white flowers in early spring that ripen into round-to-oval orange fruit 2-5 inches across. Hardy outdoors only in the warmest US zones (9-11) but readily grown as a container plant brought indoors for winter in colder climates.
Review: Source-backed
Climate fit: narrow (30/100)
Focal point
Edible
Container
Light
Full sun
Water
Moderate water
Mature size
96-180" tall · 144" apart
Hardy in zones
9a-11b
frosty to nearly frost-free winters
Summer heat range
Warm-Extreme
warm to extreme summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
No
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder reports it is best grown in deep, evenly moist, well-draining, slightly acidic sandy loams and is intolerant of heavy, saturated soils; trees need protection if temperatures drop below 32F in spring, and in colder climates can be grown as a container plant moved indoors for winter.
Climate notes
Cold hardiness
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Won't grow here
2050
Zone 7b
Plotwright
Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)
Won't grow here
In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.
Out of range today and still out of range in 2050.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Sweet orange (Citrus x sinensis). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/sweet-orange
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited18 source-backed.
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
Botanical research database
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes
Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC BY 3.0
Backs 1 field
Image
Community photos
The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.
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