Navelina Orange - Grafted

Navelina is an early-season navel orange loved for its sweet, juicy flavour, seedless fruit, and bright orange colour early in the season. It’s a brilliant choice for Brisbane and SEQ if you want an “eat straight off the tree” orange that starts ripening earlier than many other navels, while still staying compact enough for smaller backyards (and even large pots with pruning).

Quick Overview:

• Common Name: Navelina Orange
• Botanical Name: Citrus sinensis ‘Navelina’
• Origin: Early navel orange cultivar widely grown in orchards and home gardens
• Height & Width: Typically 2–4 m high × 2–4 m wide (can be kept smaller with pruning; size depends on rootstock)
• Foliage: Glossy evergreen leaves; dense canopy with year-round appeal
• Flowers: Fragrant white blossoms in spring
• Wildlife Attraction: Flowers attract bees and other pollinators
• Fruit: Medium to large, seedless navel oranges with smooth, deep orange skin and sweet, juicy flesh
• Position: Full sun for best flowering, sweetness, and fruit colour
• Soil: Well-drained soil is essential; mound or raise the planting area if you have clay or slow drainage
• Tolerance: Heat tolerant once established; protect young trees from frost, waterlogging, and strong drying winds
• Maintenance: Moderate; best results with regular citrus feeding and consistent watering during fruit swell
• Propagation: Grafted 
• Etymology: Citrus is the classical Latin name used for citrus trees; sinensis means “from China,” referring to the species’ historic association with Chinese origin

Detailed Description:

Navelina is a standout early navel orange, valued for reliable crops of sweet, seedless fruit with that classic “navel” at the base. The rind is usually smooth and the fruit colours up nicely early, making it a great option if you want oranges sooner in the season without sacrificing flavour.

For Brisbane and SEQ conditions, Navelina performs best in full sun with free-draining soil and steady moisture during flowering and fruit development. With good feeding through the warmer months, it grows into a productive backyard tree that’s ideal for fresh eating, juicing, and fruit bowls.

Growth and Maintenance:

• Watering: Deep water to establish; once established, water during extended dry periods and consistently during flowering/fruiting for better fruit size and juiciness
• Fertilising: Feed with a quality citrus fertiliser during active growth; add trace elements if foliage shows pale/yellowing symptoms
• Mulching: Maintain a 5 cm organic mulch layer to conserve moisture and protect shallow feeder roots (keep mulch away from the trunk)
• Fruit quality tip: Avoid repeated dry spells during fruit swell—consistent moisture improves sweetness and reduces stress-related fruit drop
• Graft care: Remove any shoots growing from below the graft (rootstock suckers)

Pruning:

• Shape & airflow: Lightly prune after harvest to keep the canopy open and reduce pest/disease pressure
• Size control: Tip-prune to maintain a manageable height for easy picking
• Clean-up: Remove dead, crossing, or inward-growing branches; avoid heavy pruning right before flowering

Common Uses:

• Backyard fruit tree for Brisbane and SEQ homes
• Early-season oranges for fresh eating and juicing
• Large pots for sunny patios and courtyards (with pruning)
• Feature tree near entertaining areas (spring blossom scent is a bonus)
• Espalier along a sunny fence or wall to save space

Planting Benefits:

• Early Season Navel: A great way to start your orange season sooner
• Seedless & Sweet: Easy-eating oranges with classic navel flavour
• Great Backyard Performance: Strong yields with sun, feeding, and good watering
• Fragrant Blossom: Spring flowers add perfume and support pollinators before fruit sets