Young citrus trees and seedlings in Florida's commercial nurseries are often grown under shade cloth netting to avoid high light and temperature. To investigate the potential benefit of altering radiation by colored shade nets, `Cleopatra' mandarin (Cleo, C. reticulata Blanco) seedlings and potted `Valencia' trees [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck] on Cleo or Carrizo [Carr, C. sinensis × Poncirus trifoliate (L.) Raf.] rootstocks were grown in full sun or under 50% shade from blue, black, silver, grey, and red colored shade nets. Changes in photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and temperatures under the shade were monitored. Leaf function and leaf chlorophyll contents were measured, and plants were harvested by the end of the experiment for shoot and root growth measurements. Plants under the shade received an average of 45% PAR and had lower mid-day leaf temperature than plants in full sun. Plants under blue nets had greatest leaf chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll content, whereas those under red nets had the lowest. However, shading improved photosystem II efficiency from measurements of leaf chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) regardless of the color of shade nets. Shading increased shoot growth, shoot to root ratio, and total plant dry weight of Cleo seedlings, especially those under silver nets.