Function

• Dwarf fruit trees seem designer-made these days. Most varieties are composed of two parts: a scion (or trunk and leaves) of one tree grafted onto the rootstock of a different tree. The scion choice dictates the type of oranges the tree will produce, while the rootstock determines the height of the tree.
  
  

Significance

• Dwarfing rootstocks are not all alike. Arborists have developed rootstocks that limit the tree's growth to three-quarters, one-half and even a third of the size of a regular orange tree. To know the mature height of a dwarf orange, ask your nursery about the specifications of the rootstock used.
  
  

Considerations

• You might expect that all parts of a dwarf orange tree will be small, but this is not true. The leaves and fruit of a dwarf orange tree will be the same as a full-size tree. Only the height will be different. According to the National Gardening Association, standard orange trees grow 18 to 22 feet tall, while dwarf varieties stay between 8 and 12 feet.