Did you know that we consume more oranges than any other fruit?
Oranges are the edible portion of the citrus trees and are a sweet and tender perennial fruit. The tree grow from seeds, in fact, seeds can convert to any member of the citrus family (limes, grapefruit, lemons.)
There are over 400 varieties of oranges grown throughout the world. The sweet orange (C. Sinesis) which accounts for 70% of global orange production is a hybrid of an ancient, cultivated origin between pomelo (C. Mazima) and mandarin (Citrus Reticulata)
Orange trees can begin producing fruits three years after they are planted. The sweet orange( C. sinensis) trees can grow up to 20 feet high and produce fruit for 50 to 80 years!!
Orange plants thrive and grow in warm weather with the majority of oranges grown in Florida and California. They are also grown in Southern Europe, Asia, South Africa, Australia, North America and South America. This includes Navels, Valencias, Trovita, Ruby, Willowleaf, and Seville oranges.
Christopher Columbus brought the first citrus to the New World in 1493. In the mid-1500s, one of the early Spanish explorers –most likely Ponce de Leon– planted the first orange trees around St. Augustine, Florida. Almost 250 years later, in 1763, the first commercial citrus grove was created in Florida
Fun Fact: Oranges that grow on the south side of a tree are often sweeter due to its proximity to the sun. Plants take the energy of the sun and convert it to sugar.
On a healthy note, oranges are a remarkable vitamin C powerhouse!
Isn’t it amazing to learn about the wonder of nature through its many fruits! We like to call this gifts of nature!
Enjoy a freshly squeezed orange juice on us!!
