 True Name/ Common Name:
Orange – Citrus sinensis Description of Look and Flavor:
Orange trees grow tall, blossom fragrantly, and produce gorgeous golden-orbed fruit. Orange is a hespiridium, a particular type of berry unique to citrus fruits. The pulp is segmented into kidney shaped plugs called carpels. Growth Period/ Harvest –
Navel oranges are available in October and November and Valencias come in the spring lasting through summer. If you chose your varieties correctly and had the right cold storage abilities, it wouldn’t be hard to have California Oranges available nearly year round. Nutritional Info –
100 grams of orange has 75% of your daily vitamin C. So get yourself a 150-gram orange and be done with it! Other Uses –
Though usually discarded, the skin of the orange contains a lot of pectin and almost as much vitamin c as the pulp, especially in the white portion, called the pericarp.
Orange peel makes an excellent slug repellant. The oil serves as a miraculous and environmentally friendly alternative for wood treatment, grease cutting, and cleaning of hands and surfaces. History –
Citrus plants of all kinds had very little problem extending themselves around the globe because scurvy was such a problem for sailors and they brought citrus plants and seeds with them everywhere they sailed. Especially, if they planned to return.
In 1820 a single mutation at a monastery in Brazil led to the navel orange. One clipping from that original plant was brought to Riverside, California and transplanted and it spawned the entire navel craze we see in the stores and markets today. Myths and Legends –
Orange blossoms have been associated with blessings and were commonly used in bridal bouquets and to adorn wedding head wreaths. Interesting Facts/ Misnomers -
There is a fairly new variety of navel, called the Cara Cara, that has pink flesh like a grapefruit and the boldest and sweetest flavor that any orange has ever achieved.
Brazil produces the most oranges each year with approximately 18 million tons and the U.S. is second at 8.5 million tons each year.
The color orange was named for the fruit, not vice versa.
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