Here in Southern California, many of us are fortunate enough to be surrounded by citrus trees. While many citrus trees are facing an unknown future with the spread of citrus greening disease (Huanglongbing or HLB), scientists are now beginning to make strides with effective treatments. I felt compelled to celebrate these developments with some tips for citrus care and to share some of my favorite varieties for those of you not in a citrus quarantined area.

Proper irrigation

Citrus trees do best with a deep watering every 7 to 10 days in our climate. They have both shallow feeder roots and deeper stabilizing roots. It’s important that water reach both. It’s also important to remember that you want to irrigate along the drip line of the tree. To identify the drip line, take the edge of your tree’s canopy and follow it straight down to the soil below. The circle of area within is the drip-line zone. Make sure to irrigate and fertilize within this circle.

Fertilizer and mulch

Fertilize your tree in early spring, summer, and fall with a mild organic fertilizer that is slightly higher in nitrogen. Mulching underneath your tree’s canopy is another valuable step in basic care. Mulch keeps roots protected and improves soil as it breaks down. Just be careful not to smother the trunk of the tree with mulch. Keep the mulch away from the crown, and focus on that drip-line zone.

The following trees are some of my favorite citrus specimens for Southern California. All are hardy in Zones 9-11—except for ‘Meiwa’ kumquat, which may be hardy down to Zone 8—and all thrive in full sun.

Mandarinquat

A hybrid cross between a mandarin and a kumquat, this tangy gem gets eaten unpeeled like a kumquat. Its oblong fruit are about 3 inches long. The tree can reach about 10 to 15 feet tall, and it fruits abundantly during the winter months. Plant it in a full-sun location, and enjoy its unique blend of citrus flavors.

‘Meiwa’ kumquat

This is one sweet citrus. It’s much milder and sweeter than your typical kumquat. ‘Meiwa’ reaches 6 to 7 feet tall when planted in the ground and is hardy to 32°F. With its compact size, it can be enjoyed in a smaller garden or in a container.

‘Tarocco’ blood orange

My favorite winter treat is fresh-squeezed blood orange juice. This is one of the sweetest blood oranges I’ve tried, but it still has some tanginess. Reaching 10 to 12 feet tall, this tree is a good coastal candidate.

‘Oro Blanco’ white grapefruit

A sweeter white-flesh grapefruit, ‘Oro Blanco’ or ‘Oroblanco’ is my favorite grapefruit for fresh eating or juicing. My tree in Los Angeles fruits year-round. ‘Oro Blanco’ reaches about 10 to 15 feet tall and does well in coastal areas as well as hot inland areas.

Improved Meyer lemon

This classic citrus tree is a must-have for any Southern California garden. The lemons of an improved Meyer lemon (‘Meyer Improved’) tree are almost sweet enough to be eaten all by themselves. This fruit brightens food with its sweet acidity. I love to squeeze the juice into water for some vitamin C-infused hydration. The trees themselves are on the smaller side, reaching 8 to 10 feet tall, but they fruit nearly all year-round.

—Cara Hanstein is a head gardener at the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

The New Organic Grower, 3rd Edition: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener, 30th Anniversary Edition

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Since its original publication in 1989, The New Organic Grower has been one of the most important farming books available, with pioneer Eliot Coleman leading the charge in the organic movement in the United States. Now fully illustrated and updated, this 30th Anniversary Edition is a must-have for any agricultural library.

Buy at Amazon

DeWalt Variable-Speed Cordless Reciprocating Saw with 6-Piece Saw Blade Set

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

You can fit a variety of blades to this saw to cut fallen branches or prune larger limbs from trees in a pinch. It’s fast, tough, easy to use, and extremely versatile.
- 18.31 x 6.13 x 4 inches
- 1-1/8-inch stroke length
- Variable speed trigger with 0-3000 spm
- DW4856 Metal/Woodcutting Reciprocating Saw Blade Set, 6-Piece

Buy at Amazon

Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil.

Buy at Amazon