How to Grow Tarocco Orange

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Tarocco Orange

Citrus × sinensis 'Tarocco'

tree

Tarocco is a premium blood orange cultivar prized for its deep red flesh, rich flavor, and seedless fruit. This Italian heirloom variety produces medium-sized oranges with exceptional sweetness and a distinctive wine-like complexity. It is one of the most valued blood orange varieties for both fresh consumption and juice production.

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

Plant Tarocco Orange
Around Apr 17

Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
Tend & protect
Late spring–summer

Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
Harvest Tarocco Orange
Late summer into fall

Before the first fall frost (≈ Nov 8)

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

Growing Conditions

☀️

Sun: Full sun, 8+ hours daily for optimal fruit color and sugar development

💧

Water: Deep, infrequent watering; approximately 1-2 inches per week during growing season. Reduce watering in winter. Trees are moderately drought-tolerant once established but need consistent moisture during fruit development.

📏

Spacing: 240 inches

📅

Days to maturity: 1095-1460 days (3-4 years from graft to first fruit)

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Planting depth: Plant at same depth as nursery container; graft union should be 4-6 inches above soil line

Soil

Type: Well-draining sandy loam or loamy soil

pH: 6.0-7.5

Amendments:

Compost Citrus fertilizer (balanced NPK) Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) Aged manure

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 8b-10b; prefers mild winters and warm summers

8b 9a 9b 10a 10b

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Growth Stages

Establishment

1 year

Young grafted tree developing root system and framework branches

Support with stake if needed; mulch with 3-4 inches of organic material (keep 6 inches away from trunk); water consistently; prune to encourage branching; avoid heavy feeding first year

Vegetative Growth

1-2 years

Tree developing canopy structure and increasing in size; new shoots emerge in spring and summer

Apply balanced citrus fertilizer monthly during growing season; prune to maintain open center form; thin crowded branches; ensure good air circulation; continue consistent watering

Flowering

3-6 weeks

Fragrant white blossoms appear on branch terminals, typically in spring (February-April in Northern Hemisphere)

Do not over-fertilize nitrogen which reduces flowering; maintain consistent water; avoid pruning during bloom; provide moderate zinc and boron; pollination usually occurs via insects

Fruit Development & Maturation

4-6 months

Small green fruit forms and gradually enlarges; skin color transitions from green to orange to deep red over 4-6 months

Thin fruit to one every 6 inches for larger oranges; maintain regular watering; apply potassium-rich fertilizer; reduce nitrogen; monitor for pests and diseases; blood red color develops best with cool winter temperatures

Harvest Ready

2-4 weeks

Fruit reaches full size with deep red-orange exterior and crimson interior flesh; flavor peaks with full sweetness and complexity

Harvest when fully colored and slightly soft to pressure; taste-test if unsure of readiness; handle gently to avoid bruising; mature fruit can hang on tree for several weeks without deterioration

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Lemon Grapefruit Tangerine Avocado Nitrogen-fixing cover crops (clover) Alyssum Marigold

Avoid planting near:

Fennel Walnut Eucalyptus Allelopathic plants Dense shade trees

Common Pests

Remove infested leaves; use reflective mulches; apply spinosad or neem oil; encourage natural parasitoids
Horticultural oil spray in dormant season; insecticidal soap; remove heavily infested branches; encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs
Increase humidity; water foliage; neem oil spray; miticides if severe; avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer
Yellow sticky traps; neem oil; insecticidal soap; encourage predatory insects; remove affected growth
Strong water spray; insecticidal soap; neem oil; encourage natural predators like lacewings and ladybugs
Remove with soft brush and alcohol; insecticidal soap; horticultural oil; encourage parasitic wasps

Uses

🍳

Fresh juice and blood orange cocktails

Culinary

Tarocco's deep crimson flesh and balanced sweet-tart flavor make it exceptional for fresh-squeezed juice, blood orange mimosas, and gourmet cocktails. The distinctive wine-like complexity adds sophistication to beverages. [source]

🍳

Gourmet cooking ingredient

Culinary

The vibrant color and unique flavor profile enhance desserts, sauces, marinades, and upscale dishes. Tarocco zest and segments elevate risottos, glazes, and plated desserts in fine dining. [source]

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Vitamin C and antioxidant source

Medicinal

Rich in vitamin C, anthocyanins (which give blood oranges their red color), and other antioxidants that support immune function and may provide anti-inflammatory benefits. [source]

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Natural cleaning and fragrance

Household

Orange peel can be used for natural household cleaners and infusions; the fragrant blossoms are prized for their aromatic appeal in gardens and can attract pollinators. [source]

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Ornamental landscape specimen

Craft

Tarocco's attractive form, fragrant spring blossoms, and striking fruit make it an excellent ornamental addition to Mediterranean and warm-climate gardens, providing year-round visual interest. [source]

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

Harvest Tips

Tarocco oranges typically ripen December-March in the Northern Hemisphere. Harvest when fruit is fully colored (deep orange-red) and yields slightly to gentle pressure. Taste one fruit to confirm sweetness and flavor development. Cut fruit from tree with pruning shears rather than pulling to avoid branch damage. Wear gloves as branches have thorns. Fruit can remain on tree for 2-4 weeks after peak ripeness without quality loss. Best flavor occurs when picked slightly soft, not hard.

Fun Facts

🌱 Tarocco is a mutant of the Sanguinello orange that arose in Sicily and is now the most commercially important blood orange variety in Italy, especially around Mount Etna in Sicily.
🌱 The deep red flesh color (ranging from ruby to almost black) develops in response to cool winter temperatures; blood oranges grown in warmer regions with minimal winter chill often have less intense red coloration.
🌱 Tarocco's seeds are typically absent or very few (parthenocarpic), making it preferred over other blood orange varieties that produce numerous seeds, enhancing eating quality and juice yield.

Gardening Terms

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

Cultivar Full Sun Heirloom Mulch pH Pollination

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