Midknight Valencia Orange Tree
Citrus sinensis 'Midknight Valencia'
- Stay Protected with Plant Sentry ™
Midknight Valencia Orange Tree - #5 Container Semi Dwarf is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.
This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.
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Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Shipping
To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.
Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.
Standard Shipping Rates
At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.
| From | To | S&H |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $19.99 | $24.99 |
| $20 | $49.99 | $29.99 |
| $50 | $69.99 | $34.99 |
| $70 | $99.99 | $39.99 |
| $100 | $129.99 | $44.99 |
| $130 | $149.99 | $48.99 |
| $150 | $150+ | Approx 28% |
Click here to see our full rates
Understanding Plant Options
Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:
- Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
- Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements
Container Plant Sizes
Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.
Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 2" x 2" x 3" | 0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts | 0.20 - 0.23 dry liters |
| 4" Container | 0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts | 0.35 - 0.96 dry liters |
| 4.5" Container | 0.65 dry quarts | 0.72 dry liters |
| 6" Container | 1.4 dry quarts | 1.59 dry liters |
| 1 Quart | 1 dry quart | 1.1 dry liters |
| 5.5" Container | 1.89 dry quarts | 2.08 dry liters |
Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Quart | 2 dry quarts | 2.2 dry liters |
| #1 Container | 2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts | 2.49 - 4.11 dry liters |
| 5" x 5" x 12" | 3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts | 3.85 - 4.74 dry liters |
Mature Plants (2-4 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| #2 Container | 1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons | 5.24 - 7.75 dry liters |
| #3 Container | 2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons | 8.14 - 12.16 dry liters |
Large Plants (3-5 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| #5 Container | 2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons | 12.86 - 20.35 dry liters |
| #6 Container | 5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons | 23.12 - 26.42 dry liters |
| #7 Container | 5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons | 26.34 - 28.76 dry liters |
Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.
Common Sizes:
- Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
- Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet
Important Notes
Container Volume Specifications
- Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
- Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
- Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents
Growing Conditions
- Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
- Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
- Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment
Seasonal Availability
- Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
- Container plants are available throughout the growing season
- Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes
Questions?
For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.
Plant Highlights
Midknight Valencia Orange Tree highlights at a glance!
Specifications
Specifications
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Brand
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Botanical Name
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Growing Zones
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Mature Height
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Mature Spread
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Sun ExposureFull Sun
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Moisture
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Soil
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Growth RateMedium
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Flower Color
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Pollinator Friendly
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Pollinator Required
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Fragrant
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Pruning Time
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Bloom PeriodLate Spring
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Harvest Time
Growing Zones 9 - 10 (patio 4 - 10)
Like a knight in shining armor, Midknight Valencia Orange Tree (Citrus sinensis 'Midknight Valencia') is an early fruiting Valencia that will sweep you off your feet. It produces larger fruit than Valencia, but it's just as sweet and virtually seedless. Midknight is a hardy, upright tree with wonderfully sweet fruit. This tree would be just as happy in the yard or in the house making it a great choice in any growing zone.
The Midknight Valencia Orange produces large, high-quality fruit. It has a nice round shape and very smooth skin. Its high sugar and juice content in addition to its low acid content creates an excellent orange for snacking or juicing!
The swarms of bees and butterflies that come to pollinate the fragrant white blossoms! During fruiting, it appears to produce a smaller crop than Valencia. The yield is similar; however, the much larger fruit makes it seem less productive. You'll enjoy the larger fruit and the flavor because nothing beats homegrown produce!
Planting and Application:
These smaller evergreen trees are highly ornamental blooming trees that are fantastic accent trees and focal points for both front and back yard edible landscaping! For pinpoint shade over seating areas, around pools and adorning your front entry with a definite conversation starter!
It is slower growing than Valencia making it a wonderful container plant in colder climates. Plant this hardy tree in a decorative container and enjoy its fragrant flowers and fruit on your patio, deck or balcony during the warmer months. Move it indoors before the first frost and you can enjoy fresh home-grown oranges even in the coldest regions.
Protecting Container Citrus From Cold
Although it's famous for growing in warmer regions, it can also thrive in colder areas as long as the tree is brought indoors prior to the first frost of winter.
If you're growing these tropical trees in the ground in the lowest of their favored growing zones, they need to be planted in a sheltered spot to avoid the worst of the chill. If a spot like that is unavailable, then you are better off planting in a large, deep container.
In borderline growing zones, begin slowly acclimating your tree indoors or into a protected location, eventually moving your tree inside in bright indirect sun for the winter if the temperatures in your area ever dip below that 40°F range. In spring, reverse this process and begin acclimating your tree to again be back out in the full sun all summer. This reduces stress and leaf drop.
- Fall Harvest
- Large, Sweet & Virtually Seedless Orange
- Healthy Snack
- Indoors or Out
- Specimen, Accent & Container Gardening
#ProPlantTips for Care:
Citrus trees need full sun to do their best. Provide a very well-drained site that dries out a bit between waterings. Containers and planters need excellent drainage. Regular fertility and soil on the slightly acidic side will keep your tree healthy.
So don’t wait for your knight, buy the delicious and seedless Midknight Valencia Orange Tree today from NatureHills.com for space-saving and easy-to-grow goodness!
Seedless Fruit Found a Place in the Home Garden
The Midknight Valencia was first found as a part of a budded collection done by A. P. Knight of Summerville, Aldo in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Unfortunately, the buds used were from an unknown source, but developed Valencia type fruits. In about 1927, it was noticed that a few of the budded selections were seedless and a selection was made in 1930.
The selection was found to be a slower grower than the standard Valencia and did not perform well on the typical Citrus rootstocks used in South Africa. The fruit's seedless quality, early ripening time (earlier than standard Valencia), high juice content, and perfect size kept the Midknight Valencia a top variety of interest until the ideal rootstocks were determined.
By the 1970s, news of the seedless Valencia variety from South Africa had spread. Not as productive as the standard-seeded Valencia, commercial growers had chosen to grow it more as a novelty in South Africa. With all the aforementioned qualities, interest began to pick up after 1970.
Budwood arrived from South Africa to the UC Riverside Citrus collection in January of 1985. It was cited on the UC Riverside Citrus Variety Collection site that the budwood was put directly into thermotherapy, a heat treatment used to destroy any potentially harmful viruses. Once cleaned up and certified virus-free, the trees were found to grow faster and get to be better sized, though still a small tree.
Ripening March to July, similar to the standard Valencia, the Midknight Valencia was slow to take off commercially, but the virtues were quickly recognized by the home garden market. In the early 1980's, seedless varieties were fast becoming preferred by the consumer and as many varieties of seedless citrus were introduced, they quickly became popular with the growers that supplied the home garden market.
In the 1990s, the Four Winds Growers, the nation's largest grower of Citrus for the home garden market, introduces the Midknight Valencia. Since that time, it has grown in popularity within the home garden market as a high-quality, seedless alternative to the traditional Valencia Orange.
