Navel Orange

Citrus × sinensis 'Navel'

fruit

Washington Navel is the seedless eating orange that defined the California citrus industry. Large rounded fruit with the signature small secondary fruit (the navel) at the blossom end, an easy-peeling rind, and sweet richly flavored juice. The variety is parthenocarpic, meaning it produces fruit without pollination, which is the source of its seedlessness.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Marigolds — Roots release nematode-suppressing compounds that protect citrus feeder roots
• Lavender — Pollinator magnet that repels aphids and supports beneficial insects
• Basil — Aromatic foliage may confuse citrus leafminer and supports pollinators
• Comfrey — Deep mineral mining; chopped leaves return potassium to citrus roots

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Citrus leafminer →

  Prune sparingly and time horticultural oil sprays to coincide with new growth flushes

• Aphids →

  Encourage ladybugs and lacewings, blast colonies with water, and avoid heavy nitrogen

• Citrus scale →

  Apply horticultural oil in late winter, hand-scrape light infestations, and release parasitic wasps for biological control

• Snails →

  Wrap the trunk with copper banding and clear ground cover within 12 in of the base

🌾 Harvest & storage

Washington Navel ripens November through January in most California regions, with fruit holding well on the tree into early spring. Pick when the fruit turns full orange and feels heavy for its size; navel oranges do not continue to sweeten after harvest. Twist gently or clip with pruners. Store at room temperature for a week or refrigerate up to a month.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

About 49 calories per 100 g with 2.4 g fiber, 53 mg vitamin C (88 percent of daily value), 181 mg potassium, and 40 mg calcium. One navel orange supplies a full days vitamin C.