Life Span of Semi-Dwarf Orange Trees

Fruiting Years

• Once a semi-dwarf orange tree begins to grow, it will not produce fruit the first year. For up to three years after planting, a young orange tree will produce only a small handful of thick-skinned, poor-tasting fruits. After that time, the tree will start to produce an annual crop of sweet oranges. The productive life of an orange tree may be 50 years or longer, if you take care of the tree.

Lifespan in Years

• The actual amount of time an orange tree lives may be up to 150 years, according to California Polytechnic State University, Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute. The longevity of an orange tree is based on whether it does not encountering any killing freezes or other damage that could cut its lifespan shorter. Temperatures below 24 degrees Fahrenheit could cause severe damage or death to an unprotected orange tree.

Semi-Dwarf Oranges

• Semi-dwarf orange trees product oranges of the same size as standard trees, but the overall height of the tree is shorter, making it a better option for smaller yards. Most semi-dwarf citrus trees will grow only to 15 feet tall, compared to the 30-foot height of a standard citrus tree. The difference between them is the rootstock, to which the variety of orange you want to grow is grafted. The rootstock's growth controls the overall size of the tree without affecting the size or yield of the fruit.

Growing Conditions to Ensure Longevity

• If you want your orange tree to last for decades, there are some basic things that you must do when choosing the site and keeping the plant growing. First, make sure that you plant your tree in a sunny, well-drained location that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight. When the weather is warm and dry, water only once a week to wet the root area of the tree, which, though shallow in the ground, extends twice the distance of the drip line. Citrus trees need a lot of fertilizer to produce. Fully grown trees require 1.5 pounds of actual nitrogen annually, obtained from 3 to 6 pounds of ammonium nitrate, 2 to 4 pounds of urea or 10 to 20 pounds of ammonium sulfate. Spread this total amount around the tree either as a single dose in December or split evenly between doses in February, July and September.