For the perfect combination of beauty and usefulness, nothing beats an orange tree. For months the golden fruits hang from the branches, and the lovely evergreen leaves are a rich green, making the perfect backdrop. Then there are the fragrant white flowers in spring and the excitement of watching for the first tiny green fruits to be visible, and their tantalizing development over summer until one day – there it is – your first fruit of the season. With the Hamlin Sweet Orange Tree that first fruit will be early compared to others, and that first bite will be juicy and sweet from the ‘low-acid’ variety that is perfect for juicing or eating fresh. This orange is one of the most frost-resistant varieties and grows outdoors in Houston, where winter nights can fall to 20 degrees, so if you live in zone 9 you are all set. Even if you don’t live in a warm enough area to plant in the garden you can grow it in a pot if you have a bright, cool place to keep it during the winter months. All in all, if oranges are your thing, then the Hamlin Sweet Orange is what you want, and nothing beats homegrown fruit.

Growing the Hamlin Sweet Orange Tree

Size and Appearance

The Hamlin Sweet Orange Tree is an upright evergreen tree with a rounded crown and smooth bark. Young stems are marbled in shades of gray and green, with some thorns, while older stems are uniform dark gray. The smooth, glossy leaves are oval and pointed, about 5 inches long and 2 inches wide. All year round they are a wonderful dark green color and this is a very handsome and attractive tree. In spring you will see the new stems developing and shortly after clusters of flower buds. The white flowers are almost an inch across, with thick white petals and they fill the air with the wonderful, ever-popular ‘orange blossom’ fragrance. This variety is self-pollinating, and soon you will see small, pea-sized green fruits forming. These develop slowly over the summer, becoming full-sized by fall. This early variety produces ripe fruit in December, just when that glass of fresh-squeezed juice is perfect for the bounty of Vitamin C it contains. The fruit is medium-sized with a strongly-colored bright orange skin. Peel away the thin skin and colorful orange segments greet you. These are juicy and sweet with low acidity, and very few, if any, seeds. The Hamlin Sweet Orange is ideal for juicing, mixed drinks, eating fresh, salads and for baking. It stores for several weeks.

Using the Hamlin Sweet Orange Tree in Your Garden or Home

This ornamental tree is perfect out on a lawn or grown as a specimen anywhere in the garden. Plant it near a window to enjoy the fragrance in spring and to easily see those beautiful ripe oranges in winter. In cooler zones grow it in a pot which should spend most of the year outdoors, such as on a patio, terrace, or balcony.

Hardiness

This is one of the hardiest orange trees, famous for its resistance to frost, and it can be safely grown outdoors throughout zone 9. It is the perfect choice if you are right on the edge of the ‘citrus belt’. In cooler areas bring potted trees indoors when night temperatures start to fall below 40 degrees and keep them in a bright, cool place. Lower temperatures are best, even if close to freezing. Place it back outside as soon as the frost has gone. A cool porch is better than a hot living room for a citrus tree.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Full sun is what your Hamlin Sweet Orange Tree craves, and that is where it will grow best. Stand potted trees outdoors in the sun, and indoors in the brightest place available. Most well-drained soils will grow citrus trees well. If you have poor drainage plant it on a low mound of soil. For pots, use a planter with drainage holes and a potting soil blended for citrus trees or a cactus soil with 25% houseplant soil mixed with it. Trees that bloom while still indoors may need hand-pollination to set a good crop.

Maintenance and Pruning

The Hamlin Sweet Orange Tree is generally healthy and rarely bothered by pests or diseases. If you should have pest problems we recommend our Neem Oil Spray or natural soap sprays. These products are harmless to you, children, pets and the environment. It is best not to prune your tree, and certainly not to trim it into a rounded ball, if you want to enjoy fruit. Anything more than shortening a few branches can interrupt the flowering cycle for several seasons, reducing or eliminating your crop. Removing a few branches in spring to keep the center of your tree open will help ripening.

History and Origin of the Hamlin Sweet Orange Tree

A.G. Hamlin owned an orange orchard near Glenwood, in Florida, which he planted in 1879. One day he found a seedling that had developed on its own, and kept it growing. In the winter of 1894-95 there was an enormous frost in Florida which destroyed many orchards. Mr. Hamlin saw that his tree survived, and it soon became widely grown, displacing the older ‘Parson’ variety that was not as cold resistant. Today it is widely grown in Florida, and now this valuable tree can be yours – the best early-maturing and cold-resistant sweet orange variety there is.

Buying the Hamlin Sweet Orange Tree at the Tree Center

Nothing beats the beauty of a citrus tree laden with fruit, or in bloom. For the garden or in a pot, nothing beats the Hamlin Sweet Orange for juicy sweetness, versatility and December ripening. This tree is always in huge demand from both commercial growers and homeowners, so order now. We guarantee our trees, and we can guarantee that if you wait these trees will all be gone.