So I've found out that both the Valencia Orange and Washington Navel will do well in my area (San Jose, California) and now I'm trying to decide which of the two to plant. Has anyone here had the chance to compare these two head to head? I'm mostly concerned with which one tastes better, but if anyone knows of any other important differences between the two that might come into play, I'd be grateful for any help! Thanks, Josh
Hi Josh, Navel oranges tend to be better for eating. They juice well but don't store well as juice. Valencias juice well and store better as juice. http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/az1001.pdf Newt
We're going to go with the Washington Navel. Now the question is, what is the best time of year to plant a new orange tree, or does it matter? We usually get about 3 or 4 nights each winter when it freezes, but not too many, and the temp never gets much below freezing, if that makes any difference. Thanks, Josh
TheXman. The biggest difference between the two is time of ripening. Navel will ripen in early Dec - Jan. Valencia does not ripen until late Feb - Mar. Valencia is one of the main oranges for juice production and can be eaten out of hand as well. The problem with Valencia in your area is that one freeze will destroy the fruit before it ripens. Navel orange as stated above does not juice well & the juice that it does produce will not store well.
