Orange trees on trifoliate orange root-stock have certain desirable characteristics—smaller trees that yield well in proportion to their size; fruit of better than average quality and size; generally early fruit maturity; tolerance to quick decline; and more cold resistance than other combinations—and the trifoliate root itself is relatively resistant to gummosis and to nematodes. Because of these characteristics, the trifoliate orange is sometimes selected by growers as a root-stock for oranges.