← Plant Guides

How to Grow Sanguinello Navel Orange

Wikimedia Commons

Sanguinello Navel Orange

Citrus × sinensis 'Sanguinello'

tree

Sanguinello is a blood orange cultivar prized for its deep red flesh, sweet flavor, and distinctive ruby-colored juice. This medium-sized citrus tree produces abundant fruit with exceptional taste and visual appeal, making it both ornamental and highly productive. It's one of the most commercially important blood orange varieties.

When should you plant Sanguinello Navel Orange in your zone?

Get a personalized planting timeline — when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Free to start.

Get my Sanguinello Navel Orange timeline →

Example Sanguinello Navel Orange timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

  1. Plant Sanguinello Navel Orange

    Around Apr 17

    Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.

  2. Tend & protect

    Late spring–summer

    Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.

  3. Harvest Sanguinello Navel Orange

    Late summer into fall

    Before the first fall frost (≈ Nov 8)

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Sanguinello Navel Orange dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

☀️
Sun: Full sun, 8+ hours daily; requires intense sunlight for fruit quality and color development
💧
Water: Deep, regular watering during growing season (spring-summer); reduce in winter. Needs consistent moisture but not waterlogged soil. Established trees are moderately drought-tolerant but produce better with regular irrigation.
📏
Spacing: 240 inches
📅
Days to maturity: 1095
🌱
Planting depth: Same depth as root ball; graft union should be 6-12 inches above soil line

Soil

Type: Well-draining sandy loam or loamy soil
pH: 6.0-7.5
Amendments:
Citrus-specific fertilizer Compost Perlite or sand for drainage Zinc and manganese micronutrients

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 8b-11; best performance in zones 9-10

8b 9a 9b 10a 10b 11

Sign up free to see if Sanguinello Navel Orange grows in your zone — and get a personalized planting timeline.

Get my Sanguinello Navel Orange timeline →

Growth Stages

1

Establishment (Grafted Tree)

1-2 years

Young grafted tree focuses on root development and establishing a strong framework. Typically 1-2 years old at purchase.

Plant in spring in warm climates. Stake for support. Protect from wind. Apply mulch 2-3 inches deep, keeping away from trunk. Water deeply 2-3 times weekly.

2

Vegetative Growth

1-3 years

Tree develops branches, canopy structure, and leaf area. New shoots are tender and susceptible to cold.

Prune lightly to shape tree and remove crossing branches. Apply balanced fertilizer monthly during growing season. Monitor for pests. Avoid heavy pruning.

3

Early Flowering & Fruiting

2-4 months (March-June, depending on location)

Tree produces first fragrant white flowers in spring. Small green fruitlets develop after pollination. Some fruit drop is normal.

Remove some immature fruits (thin) to encourage larger fruit size and quality. Continue regular watering. Provide potassium-rich fertilizer. Ensure adequate pollination (bees needed).

4

Fruit Development & Maturation

4-6 months (July-October in Northern Hemisphere)

Fruits grow larger and develop characteristic deep red coloring internally. Skin color transitions from green to orange-red. Sugar content increases.

Maintain consistent watering without saturating soil. Apply citrus fertilizer every 4-6 weeks. Thin crowded fruits for better size. Blood orange color develops best with cool nights (50-60°F) in autumn.

5

Harvest & Post-Harvest

November-January (Northern Hemisphere)

Fruits reach full maturity and vibrant color. Interior develops distinctive blood-red pigmentation from anthocyanins.

Harvest when fully colored and slightly soft to touch. Cut (don't pull) fruit from tree to avoid branch damage. Store at cool room temperature or refrigerate. Some fruit may remain on tree for extended period.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Citrus species (different varieties) Legumes (nitrogen fixation) Aromatic herbs (basil, rosemary) Marigolds (pest deterrent)

Avoid planting near:

Walnut trees (allelopathic compounds) Fennel Lavender (may compete for resources)

Common Pests

  • Remove infested leaves, apply horticultural oil, introduce parasitic wasps. Avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer.

  • Spray with water to dislodge, apply neem oil or sulfur spray. Increase humidity and avoid over-fertilizing.

  • Monitor with yellow sticky traps, apply insecticidal soap, remove infected leaves. This pest vectors citrus greening disease—critical to control.

  • Apply horticultural oil in dormant season, prune heavily infested branches, release parasitic wasps.

  • Spray neem oil or insecticidal soap, use yellow sticky traps, encourage natural predators.

  • Prune infected branches 12 inches below lesions, sterilize tools, remove infected fruit. No cure; prevention critical.

Uses

🍳

Fresh juice, cocktails, and desserts

Culinary

Sanguinello's distinctive deep red juice makes stunning cocktails, fresh-squeezed beverages, and elegant dessert toppings. The sweet, complex flavor with slight acidity is excellent for both fresh eating and culinary applications. [source]

🍳

Marmalades and preserves

Culinary

The high pectin content and natural acidity make blood oranges ideal for homemade marmalades, jams, and preserves with beautiful ruby coloring. [source]

💊

Vitamin C and antioxidant source

Medicinal

Rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, and anthocyanins, blood oranges support immune function and general wellness. The anthocyanins responsible for red coloring have anti-inflammatory properties. [source]

🌿

Landscape specimen tree

Ornamental

The medium-sized tree with glossy foliage, fragrant white flowers, and stunning red-orange fruit makes an attractive ornamental addition to Mediterranean or subtropical gardens. [source]

🏠

Natural cleaner and fragrance

Household

Citrus peel oils can be used to make natural household cleaners and fresh fragrances for potpourri, diffusers, or homemade extracts. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

Fruit matures November-January in Northern Hemisphere. Pick when skin reaches deep orange-red color and fruit yields slightly to gentle pressure. Use pruning shears to cut stem—don't pull, as this damages branches. Fruit may remain on tree for extended storage. Test ripeness by tasting; internal color should be deep burgundy-red. Peak flavor occurs after 5-6 months of fruit development.

Fun Facts

  • 🌱 Sanguinello's deep red flesh color comes from anthocyanins, the same pigments found in red wine and blueberries, which develop best when nighttime temperatures cool to 50-60°F during fruit maturation.
  • 🌱 Blood oranges, including Sanguinello, have been cultivated since the 17th century, with Italian Sicily becoming famous for their production. The distinctive red coloration is a natural genetic trait, not a dye or mutation from grafting.
  • 🌱 The name 'Sanguinello' means 'little blood' in Italian, referencing the fruit's dramatic deep crimson interior that startles first-time growers expecting typical orange flesh.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Cultivar Full Sun Mulch pH Pollination
Shop Sanguinello Navel Orange plants and related plants at Plant Addicts →

Join 30,000 gardeners planning their gardens with LizPlants.

Get your personalized Sanguinello Navel Orange planting timeline

Tell us your zip code and we'll calculate exactly when to start Sanguinello Navel Orange seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Includes calendar reminders and printable task lists. Free to start.

Get my Sanguinello Navel Orange timeline →