Late Season Orange Selections

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The most important late season variety, Valencia has a wide range of climatic adaptability. A number of selection are available for planting incliding the Rohde Red Valencia with its superior peel and internal flesh color. Valencia accounts for about 50 percent of the fruit crop and the principal variety for processing in Florida. It usually carries two crops on the tree after bloom, the old and the new. Fruit production is basically lower than that for early varieties. Its excellent internal quality including juice color makes it desirable for both processed and fresh markets. As a late variety it is unlikely to be harvested before the occurence of a freeze. Trees tend toward alternate bearing especially if fruit are harvested late in the season. While fruit stores well on the tree, regreening of the peel can occur late in the season. Hedging may be done before of after the crop is harvested, but it should be done consistently at the same time each year to minimize wood and fruit removal.