Citrus made easy for growers, nurseries, and distributors

Yes — TreeSource does offer orange Atwood semidwarf trees, and they are produced on appropriate reduced-vigor rootstocks, including C-35 for balanced growth and yield efficiency and trifoliate for a true compact framework in select planting systems. These choices give growers flexibility: C-35 provides excellent anchorage, strong fruit quality, and good disease tolerance in California soils, while trifoliate delivers tighter stature and canopy control for high-density or hand-managed sites.

Semidwarf Atwood trees maintain the classic California winter navel profile that attracted growers to the variety in the first place, combining smooth rind texture, seedless flesh, and a sweet, balanced flavor that has long been associated with the Central Valley’s traditional navel belt. With a semidwarf structure, growers gain easier pruning and harvest access and improved light distribution, while still preserving the productive nature and historical eating quality of Atwood.

Atwoods stand out for their classic California navel character—smooth rind, strong internal sweetness, and a clean, balanced flavor that holds beautifully in the mid-winter season. They size well, color early, and deliver consistently juicy, seedless segments with fine texture. Unlike some newer late-navel selections, Atwood excels in the traditional December–January window, and growers who want to stretch their marketing period can extend the season with a properly timed gibberellic acid (GA) program, maintaining rind condition and packable quality deeper into winter. For heritage navel flavor, reliable production, and managed season extension, Atwood remains a standout choice.

Atwood navel orange trees typically begin to bear a modest amount of fruit in their second to third year after planting, with meaningful crops arriving by year four to five as the canopy fills and structure matures. As with most navels, early light cropping and good training help build a strong framework, leading to better long-term production and fruit size.

When planting Atwood navel orange trees, there are three proven spacing strategies, each suited to different orchard goals: standard, semidwarf, and double-density. Growers should select based on rootstock, canopy control approach, and harvest system.

The standard row-planting setup for full-size trees typically uses 18–20 feet between trees in the row and 20–22 feet between rows, translating to approximately 100–120 trees per acre. This spacing gives each tree ample room for branch development, light interception, and size control—ideal when maximizing long-term fruit size and consistent yield per tree.

On semidwarf rootstocks such as C-35 or trifoliate, growers often reduce spacing to about 14–16 feet between trees in a row with 18–20 feet between rows, yielding about 135–170 trees per acre. This tighter spacing accommodates more trees, encourages earlier production, and supports easier canopy management while still maintaining size and quality.

Most growers opt to pursue a rapid return on investment or higher acre-productivity with the double-density system. Atwood trees are planted at 9–11 feet between trees in-row and 18–20 feet between rows, placing initial densities around 180–240 trees per acre. After roughly ten years, once canopies begin to overlap and light starts to tighten, every other tree is removed, stepping the block down to a long-term spacing in the 90–120 trees-per-acre range. This approach delivers strong early yields and faster cash flow while preserving long-term productivity and fruit size once the orchard matures.

Agronomic questions are best answered by a Certified Crop Advisor or your local garden center that understands local fertilizer supplies and soil conditions.