Oranges have a rich and colourful past. Believed to have originated in China and South-East Asia more than twenty million years ago, the orange can be traced through history by examining the development of its name. The word ‘orange’ is derived from the Dravidian family of languages spoken in India, which was then translated into Sanskrit.
Arabs first brought oranges to Spain, and from there they spread throughout Europe. The first oranges are said to have been more bitter than the ones we know today as Citrus sinensis – close relatives of the Seville orange.
Cultivation of the orange is thought to have commenced before 4000 BC. Citrus fruits were in the Mediterranean region well before Christian times and by the fall of the Roman Empire oranges were thriving along what is now known as the Italian (or Apennine) Peninsula, with its warm climate and sandy soil.
Portuguese, Spanish, Arab and Dutch sailors all planted citrus trees along their trade routes once the health benefits of the orange were established, in an attempt to fend off scurvy. By law, each Spanish sailor travelling to the Americas had to carry with him 100 citrus seeds and by 1565 oranges were growing in Florida. Such conscientious transportation enabled oranges and other types of citrus fruits to flourish the world over. They now grow in all soils, favouring sandy, well-drained conditions. Orange trees are evergreen, which helps to protect the fruit from direct sunlight as it grows.
The blood orange, also known as a pigmented or Maltese orange, is distinguishable by its darker skin, but more notably its dark red flesh colour, which comes from the pigment anthocyanin, common in other red fruits and flowers but uncommon in citrus. It is native to Italy and has long been a European delicacy but is newer to Australian shores.