Washington Navel Orange Tree

The Washington Navel (Citrus sinensis 'Washington Navel') is the orange most Australian backyards should have. It is the classic sweet, seedless, easy peeling winter orange, on a grafted tree that settles at around 3m to 4m tall and 3m wide, or considerably smaller in a pot. Spring brings heavily perfumed white blossom, and the fruit then hangs on the tree through winter, so you pick as you need rather than all at once.

Why you'll love it

• Seedless and easy to peel. The reason this variety has outlasted every fashion in citrus. Fruit that children will actually eat.
• Fruit through winter. Ripening from mid winter into early spring, when little else in the garden is producing.
• Scent worth planting for. The spring blossom carries across a courtyard and brings in bees while it lasts.
• Non invasive roots. Safe near a path, a paved courtyard or a boundary without worrying about lifting.
• Genuinely happy in a pot. A grafted navel in a large container is one of the best balcony fruit trees available.

Where it works best

Pots, balconies and courtyards. Use a 500mm or larger pot with a quality potting mix. Expect a tree of about 2m that still fruits well, provided you water and feed consistently.

Home orchards. Allow 4m between citrus trees so each keeps its own light and airflow. Good airflow is the cheapest pest control you will ever apply.

Growing a Washington Navel orange in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, six to eight hours a day, with shelter from strong wind. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi arid gardens, which covers most of coastal Australia along with the Riverland, Sunraysia, Perth and Adelaide. It takes light frost only, so in cool temperate and frost prone inland districts grow it in a pot against a north facing wall.

Soil. Free draining and slightly acidic, because citrus will not tolerate wet feet. On clay, plant on a raised mound at least 300mm high, and keep mulch 100mm clear of the trunk. Collar rot is the most common way a home citrus tree is lost.

Water and feed. Deep water twice a week through summer, more in a heatwave, and never let it dry out while fruit is swelling. Citrus are hungry: apply a dedicated citrus fertiliser in late winter and again in late summer, plus trace elements if leaves yellow between the veins.

Pruning. Very little. Remove anything shooting from below the graft union, take out dead or crossing wood, and lift the skirt clear of the mulch. Prune after harvest, not before.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in 200mm packs of six, 250mm packs of three, single 300mm, 400mm and 500mm pots, and advanced 45L and 100L trees. Every plant is grafted onto citrus rootstock, so it comes true to type and fruits far sooner than a seedling would. Smaller sizes usually crop in two to three seasons, while the 45L and 100L trees are often bearing already.

Trees are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. A little leaf drop in transit is normal. Water it in well, keep it out of wind for a fortnight, and it will push new growth. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare lemon, lime, mandarin and orange trees
• Browse the full fruit tree range
• Getting soil and drainage right before planting

Common questions

When will it start fruiting?

A 300mm tree usually gives a first real crop in its second or third season in the ground. Advanced 45L and 100L trees often fruit in the first or second year.

Do I need a second tree to get fruit?

No. Navel oranges are self fertile, so a single tree will set a full crop on its own.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

Citrus oils in the leaves, skin and fruit are mildly toxic to cats and dogs. Most animals leave the tree alone, but it is worth knowing if yours chews everything in reach.