Valencia Orange

Citrus × sinensis 'Valencia'

fruit

Valencia is the quintessential juicing orange, accounting for nearly half of all Florida citrus production. The thin smooth bright-orange rind peels easily, and the flesh delivers the highest juice content of any orange (about one-third cup per medium fruit) with a sweet bright flavor. The unusual late spring through summer harvest fills the gap when navel oranges are out of season.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Marigolds — Suppress nematodes in the citrus root zone
• Lavender — Attracts pollinators and repels soft-bodied citrus pests
• Basil — Aromatic foliage may discourage citrus leafminer
• Comfrey — Mineral mulch returning potassium to roots

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

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

• Citrus leafminer →

  Limit pruning; apply horticultural oil to new flushes

• Aphids →

  Encourage ladybugs, blast with water, avoid heavy nitrogen

• Citrus scale →

  Dormant oil in late winter; release Aphytis melinus where available

• Citrus greening (HLB) →

  Control psyllid vectors with imidacloprid systemic in spring; remove infected trees immediately

🌾 Harvest & storage

Valencia ripens late spring through summer (March through September). The fruit needs a long warm season to fully develop sugars, so unlike navels do not pick at the first color change; wait until the orange deepens and the fruit gives slightly to thumb pressure. Multiple harvests are possible because Valencia often blooms while still carrying fruit. Refrigerate up to a month; juice freezes well.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

About 49 calories per 100 g with 2.4 g fiber, 53 mg vitamin C (88 percent of DV), 181 mg potassium, and 40 mg calcium. Valencia juice is also rich in flavanones (hesperidin and naringenin), citrus-specific compounds studied for cardiovascular benefits and inflammation reduction.