How Do Oranges Grow?
Ever wonder how oranges grow? We talked to a farmer to find out!
by Drew Blanton
The Story We Aren’t Told
Oranges are one of the most recognizable fruits across the globe. Although most people know what an orange is, they don’t know how it got from the farm to their local grocery store. From tree, then to blossom and, finally, fruit, the lifecycle of an orange in the U.S. is a lot more interesting than most people think. Here is how oranges get from a tree to your table.
Planting the Tree
Before orange farmers can plant anything, they must first decide where to plant their trees. Oranges love lots of sunshine, humidity, and well-drained soil. These conditions make it perfect to grow oranges in places like Florida and California (which are the top two orange-growing states in the country). Once farmers have picked where they want to grow oranges, they can start planting.
To help describe the process, Gabe Smoak, a 4th generation orange grower in Lake Placid, Florida, will share the process on his 200-acre farm.
Gabe, like most farmers, doesn’t buy seeds to plant. Instead, Gabe buys young trees from nurseries and then plants those young trees on his farm. Gabe does this because the nursery does the hard work of growing individual orange trees and “grafting” them. Grafting means fusing two different orange trees together to help them become stronger, healthier, and better at growing fruit. Gabe will purchase and plant his trees, then water them 3-4 times a week, fertilize them, and weed around them.
Blossom, Bloom, and Beyond
After planting, a tree usually takes 3-5 years to produce fruit. After this time has passed, a process called “fruiting” begins. This process starts with orange blossoms. In the U.S., orange blossom flowers typically bloom in early spring. During that time, they produce an “orange” fragrance that is so strong, it can be smelled as people drive by! Once the flowers have been pollinated, they fall off the tree and tiny green bumps take their place.
These “green bumps” are baby oranges, and they need to grow for 8-13 months before they are ready to be harvested. Because an orange has a delicate surface and is easily bruised, almost all oranges in the U.S. are hand-picked by individual farm workers. Once they are picked, the oranges are packaged and delivered across the country, ready to be enjoyed.
What Are Oranges Used For?
Oranges have many uses after they are harvested. The two main ways are, of course, eating the fruit on its own, or drinking orange juice. Did you know that in 2024 – 2025, 77% of oranges grown in California were sold as fresh fruit, while 91% of oranges grown in Florida were squeezed into orange juice?
While fresh fruit and orange juice are the two primary ways we use oranges in the U.S., there are many other uses or “byproducts” that come from oranges. Orange blossoms, peels and pulp can be used for animal feed, medicine, cleaning products, makeup, perfumes and much more!
Eat and Repeat
Once an orange hits the grocery store shelf, and is bought, and enjoyed, the lifecycle of the orange is complete. The process is repeated throughout the year, and people across the nation get to enjoy these fresh, colorful, and tasty fruits.
References
“Citrus Fruits 2024 Summary.” United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics, Aug. 2025, esmis.nal.usda.gov/sites/default/release-files/j9602060k/vx023d76b/w9507070x/cfrt0825.pdf.
“Citrus - UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions.” UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/fruits/citrus/. Accessed 22 July 2026.
“Florida’s Fragrant Symbol of Spring: The Orange Blossom! .” Sawgrass Nature Center & Wildlife Hospital, 3 Apr. 2025, sawgrassnaturecenter.org/2025/04/03/floridas-fragrant-symbol-of-spring-the-orange-blossom/.
Goodrich, Renee, and Robert Braddock. “Major By-Products of the Florida Citrus Processing Industry.” UF/IFAS Extension, 2006, ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/IR/00/00/20/62/00001/FS10700.pdf.
“Growing Great Citrus | UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County.” University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, ucanr.edu/site/uc-master-gardeners-santa-clara-county/growing-great-citrus. Accessed 22 July 2026.
“How Are Oranges Harvested?” Florida Fruit Shippers, 21 Feb. 2021, blog.orangesonline.com/2021/02/how-are-oranges-harvested.html.
Smoak, Gabe. Personal Interview with the author. 23 June 2026
“U.S. Citrus Production and Value by State.” Citrus Industry Magazine, 20 Nov. 2024, citrusindustry.net/2024/11/20/u-s-citrus-production-value-state/.
