Even if you may have read something different in various forums or your specialist dealer tells you the opposite: orange trees are not hardy. The plants come from a subtropical climate zone, where it is very humid and very warm - all year round. This heat-loving tree would not survive our German frost.
Are orange trees hardy?
Orange trees are not hardy and cannot tolerate frosty temperatures. In Germany, the orange tree should be kept in a bucket and overwintered in a frost-free, cool room, e.g. winter garden or cellar, from 5 °C onwards.
Keeping an orange tree in a bucket
If possible, don't plant your orange tree out; the best way to keep it in our latitudes is (and will remain so for a while, despite global warming) to keep it in a container. The bucket must be large enough; the optimal diameter is about a third larger than the circumference of the tree crown. Orange trees need a lot of water, and they also love the sun - the brighter the location during the growing season, the better. If it is warm enough, you can also place the tree in a sheltered, bright corner in the garden or on the terrace.
Protect orange trees from cold from 5 °C
However, as soon as temperatures drop below 5 °C, the tree should be protected from the cold. The best way to do this is to simply bring it into the house - an overwintering place with temperatures around 10 °C is ideal. In this case, the orange tree does not need to be too bright, as it is in hibernation in this case. The plant only starts its growing season at around 12 °C, so the location should be adjusted accordingly. Overwinter your orange frost-free, but as cool as possible - then more flowers will develop the following spring.
Optimal places for winter rest
Wintering in a heated place such as B. a heated winter garden or the living room is not suitable. In most cases, these locations are simply far too dark in winter for the sun-hungry plant - the few hours of sunshine during the day usually cannot cover the light needs of an orange tree. That's why hibernation is the best solution. However, since the plant should overwinter indoors, the following unheated or only slightly heated solutions are a good choice:
- Winter Garden
- Staircase
- unused, unheated room
- Garage or basement with window
- Greenhouse
By the way, overwintering that is too warm often leads to an infestation with harmful insects, especially scale insects. In addition, improperly overwintered oranges often shed their leaves at the end of winter.
Tips & Tricks
If you cannot provide a species-appropriate wintering place for your orange, it is usually possible to place it in a nursery greenhouse.
