What Happens to Oranges in Frost?

Early Dropping

• Farmers who raise orange crops work to harvest their crop before the fruit begins to fall from the trees on their own. Most fruits, including oranges, do not fall from the tree until they are overripe. However, if the orange trees have been subjected to a frost followed by a period of colder temperatures, the fruit may begin to fall prematurely. If the fruit is not ripe enough to pick or the farmer does not harvest the fruit before it begins to fall, part of the crop becomes wasted.

Early Damage

• Immediately after a frost has occurred, the oranges on the tree do not usually have any external evidence of damage. However, within the orange the segments look as though they have been soaked in water. This causes the outer peel to separate from the fruit segments located within the orange. At this point, the oranges appear to be puffy and are soft to the touch. This process happens over the first week or two following the onset of the frost.

Drying

• When a fruit becomes damaged by frost, it begins to dry out. Oranges are typically quite juicy. Much of the flavor of an orange is contained within its juices. When it dries out, though, the fruit no longer tastes the same and eventually becomes inedible. If there is a frost in an orange grove, the fruit begins to dry out soon after the onset of the frost. Therefore, frost-damaged oranges pose a high risk of losing a sizable portion of the crop.

Tree Damage

• During the course of a frost, the tree itself may become damaged and thus affect its ability to produce fruit. In many cases, the leaves of the tree become damaged and die. Without leaves, the tree cannot produce the food it needs to create the oranges. In more severe cases of frost and freezing, the tree may become crippled from producing fruit for several years while it recovers. The farmer should avoid pruning off dead branches until the following spring to be sure they truly are dead.