On the subject of oranges

WillowTheWhisp · 06-09-2005, 12:08

The question about Jaffa and navel oranges got me thinking and googling to see where orange "species" were native to and I was quite surprised to discover that there is no such thing as a natural orange tree!

The orange is not a species! There are no wild oranges anywhere in the world. All species of oranges have been artificially cultivated. The latin name Citrus sinensis Osbeck, is a name of convenience created by horticulturalists and shunned by most taxonomists. The name Citrus X aurantium--belongs to sour and sweet oranges, as well as grapefruit, indicating their hybrid status. The orange is believed to be an artificially created cross between a pomelo (Citrus maxima) and a tangerine (Citrus reticulata).

Well fancy that then!

chav1 · 06-09-2005, 12:12

bah next you will be telling me money trees arnt real either

garinda · 06-09-2005, 12:12

Ok I'm intrigued now.

When were they first cultivated??

MUMMIBOO · 06-09-2005, 12:19

Maximus Reticulata juice for breakfast anyone?

WillowTheWhisp · 06-09-2005, 12:19

Possibly during the 9th or 10th century by Arabs in Sicily - the Arab name for them is naranj.

Can't you just see the scene?

English tourists on holiday in 9th century Sicily - wife sees a new strange fruit on the market and says to hubby. "Ask him what that is."
English tourist: What's that?
Sicilian Arab: It's a naranj.
English tourist to wife: He says it's an orange.

garinda · 06-09-2005, 12:23

Lol at the English couple.

Well I never. Not that I have pondered it a lot, but I always imagined they would have had an orange after running the Marathon in ancient Greece.

We live and learn.

Gayle · 06-09-2005, 15:17

All right, so forgive my ignorance but I think I need to know more.

Where do tangerines come from and are there wild ones? What's a pomelo? Does naranj mean the colour orange or do they have a different name for the colour?

WillowTheWhisp · 06-09-2005, 16:55

I presume there must be wild tangerines because they are a recognised genus (?). I think they originate in China. A pomelo is a sort of grapefruity like thing and they sometimes sell them at ASDA but I haven't seen any for ages. They are often a funny shape like a dumpy fat pear but with a citrus fruit skin and yet inside they are courser than most other citrus fruits and you sometimes have to peel the skin off each segment if it's too tough. I love them. I have no idea if naranj is also the name of the colour. I shall have to look into that.

SPUGGIE J · 06-09-2005, 19:58

Thanks Willow my daughter will be happy if a bit bemused but then that is the fun of learning.

WillowTheWhisp · 06-09-2005, 21:56

I learn ever such a lot from going off on tangents from other people's posts on AccyWeb. I love learning new things and find myself being surprised at thngs I thought I knew which turn out to be totally different in the end (like Lewis Carroll).