Blood Orange Tree ‘Smith Red’ (Citrus sinensis hybrid)

Selected as a sport in Ventura County, California, ‘Smith Red’ Blood Orange has red pigmented rind and the inner flesh is deep red with a sweet, delicious flavor and very few seeds. The fruit ripens in late winter but holds onto the tree well into late spring. Deep red blood oranges have a high percentage of anthocyanin pigments, and tend to have higher amounts of vitamin C and antioxidants. When fruiting, higher temperatures during the day and lower nighttime temperatures encourage the deepest red color and sweetest fruit. ‘Smith Red’ is a vigorous variety that produces an abundance of fruit. This is a grafted plant that blooms and fruits sooner. Photo courtesy of UC-Riverside Citrus Variety Collection.