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Citrus variety

Cara Cara

Also known as Cara Cara Navel

The short answer

Cara Cara is self-fertile[1]. The sourced figures are below — where nothing is published we say so, and any estimate is clearly labeled as ours.

Growing facts

Cara Cara growing facts
Chill requirementNone — citrus trees don’t need winter chill
HardinessNot published for this variety
PollinationSelf-fertile[1]
Harvest windowOctober–January[2]
Years to bearingNot published
Cara Cara citrusSpecies illustration — no historical watercolor exists for this cultivar

Notes

  • Pink-fleshed navel orange; ripens fall into winter.[2]
  • As a navel, seedless to nearly seedless with good cold hardiness among sweet oranges.[1]
  • Protect below about 28F.[2]

A year with your Cara Cara

When the work happens for a citrus in USDA zone 6, anchored to typical frost dates.

Months for pruning, thinning, spray-timing windows, and harvest for Citrus in zone 6
TaskJFMAMJJASOND
Prune——————————
Spray timing—————————
Harvest————————————
Care—————

See the full month-by-month citrus calendar for zone 6 →

Growing a Cara Cara? Get its care calendar for your exact ZIP code, starting with this month’s tasks for one tree, free.

Save your first tree free

Questions

Is Cara Cara self-pollinating?
Cara Cara is self-fertile, though a pollination partner can improve cropping.

Sources

  1. [1] Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (Aggie Horticulture). Table 1. Characteristics of common Texas citrus varieties — accessed July 2026
  2. [2] Four Winds Growers. Citrus Variety Info Chart — accessed July 2026