Other Names:  Citrus paradisi x sinensis

Description:

A hybrid selection believed to be a spontaneous cross of an orange and grapefruit; large, bright yellow, round to pear shaped fruit with orange flesh are sweet and easy to peel; a great orchard tree or landscape accent

Ornamental Features

Chironja Orangelo features showy clusters of fragrant white star-shaped flowers with buttery yellow eyes at the ends of the branches from late spring to early summer. It features an abundance of magnificent yellow berries from mid winter to early spring. The fruit can be messy if allowed to drop on the lawn or walkways, and may require occasional clean-up. It has dark green evergreen foliage. The crinkled oval leaves remain dark green throughout the winter.

This plant is primarily grown as an ornamental, but it's also valued for its edible qualities. The oval sweet fruit is most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Eating When Cooked/Prepared
• Preserves
• Juice-Making

Landscape Attributes

Chironja Orangelo is a multi-stemmed evergreen tree with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting birds, bees and butterflies to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Spiny

Chironja Orangelo is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Hedges/Screening
• Orchard/Edible Landscaping
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Chironja Orangelo will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.

Chironja Orangelo is a fine choice for the yard, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Its large size and upright habit of growth lend it for use as a solitary accent, or in a composition surrounded by smaller plants around the base and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.