Has anyone successfully grown an orange tree in SC or GA?

[raccoon]

I'd try it if I didn't live in an apartment.

[bvar22]

1. Citrus will freeze and die at 26 degrees.

http://www.nola.com/picayunes/t-p/wbpicayunes/index.ssf?/base/news-16/123346984811350.xml&coll=1

That makes it difficult at latitudes above New Orleans, Florida, and LA.
The only way would be a GreenHouse.

I would dearly love to grow some citrus here in Central Arkansas.
The Louisiana Satsuma has a lower "freeze point" than other citrus (20 degrees), and I may try to come up with an energy efficient way to grow a couple of these here.

[WolverineDG]

3. Keep it sheltered, on the southern side

I grew up in the Rio Grande Valley & we often had freezes where the temps went under 32 & sometimes into the 20s. We had a lime tree & a tangerine tree in the backyard (south side of house, lots of sun), that dad planted about 6' from the house. When we got some really bad cold temps in the 80s (in the teens for days) both trees survived because of where dad planted them.

dg

[XemaSab]

5. Citrus is happy in the Bay Area and the Central Valley in California

I wouldn't try it in the mountains, but most of the state is hospitable.

[tosh]

2. Yeah, sort of, in SW Ga. -- amazing story for me...

About 10 years ago, friends gave us a tree - orange, they thought - that had outgrown its space as a houseplant because we had plenty of space for it. For all those years it just grew. This year, though, I saw big green balls on it!! There were 18 huge beautiful green fruits! In November, the night of our first hard freeze I picked the dozen that I could reach and just put them in a bowl in the kitchen. They were just beginning to change color. In December we cut one just to see. They are pink grapefruits and really tasty.

This tree lives right on the 8a/8b line (on most maps) but is not in the exact site I would have chosen had I thought it had a chance at fruiting.

We are moving this year to 30 acres and want to try more citrus in the orchard we're planning. This one got us stoked.

Edited to add: This is my first post in the Gardening forum. I'm digging again after 8 years off due to no time. I am sooo happy to be a gardener again.:hi:

[dgibby]

4. Yes, my neighbor has dwarf citrus trees in planters.

He moves them indoors when it freezes. He has also used Christmas tree lights and a cloth cover to keep them warm outdoors. We're in SC lowcountry, and its does get into the high teens and low 20's here.

[raccoon]

6. Hey, that's where I grew up and I still have relatives in the area.

:hi:

Tried to encourage them to try an orange tree but they haven't yet.

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. Reminds me of one place I lived in - Bonita, California basically a suburb of San Diego I think .?.

.
.
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I had an orange tree right outside my bedroom window and could grab a fresh orange in the morning for breakfast

wow

Now I live in Northern Ontario, have to drive a mile to the store, to get oranges that come from who knows where - -

[lib2DaBone]

8. There is a new variety of Dwarf Citrus that is designed to grow in containers...

Lemon, lime and orange trees grow great on back yards and pool cages in Ga and Tenn.

Dont know anything about this vendor.. but here is a site for comparison http://dwarfcitrustreenurseryonline.com/