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The Florida Orange was NEVER the Florida Orange to begin with. Of note from the story: "...because it came from China, where oranges also came from in the firs
by lightedman 6mo ago
The Florida Orange was NEVER the Florida Orange to begin with.
Of note from the story: "...because it came from China, where oranges also came from in the first place." Technically yes but also no, what we have for the modern navel orange came from a mutation that happened in Brazil in the 1800s - 200 years after its introduction from China. The parent trees for literally the entire navel orange (aka Florida aka Sunkist orange) industry are in Riverside, CA, I see them every day driving to work. The now-deceased Queen of England used to get two boxes of oranges from those very trees every year.
- ramesh31 6mo agoMakes the disease even more confounding, as one would assume that orange trees evolved alongside it. Normally invasives are destructive because the species has never seen it before.
- khuey 6mo agoCitrus greening wasn't documented in Asia until the early 1900s so it's possible they didn't evolve alongside it.
- SoftTalker 6mo agoFWIW, "navel" oranges are grown for eating, not for juice. People prefer them because they are easy to peel and they don't have seeds. Juice oranges have a tougher, thinner rind that doesn't peel easily, and they have seeds. But they have better taste and more juice than navel oranges.
- defterGoose 6mo agoI'll pick a bone on the flavor comment because a good Washington Navel is probably one of the best tasting oranges in existence.
- SoftTalker 6mo agoI guess it might depend on the variety then. I've had navel oranges that were almost like damp cellulose to eat. Very little juice or flavor.
- defterGoose 6mo agoYou got a bad/dry one. Happens all the time with home grown and less frequently with commercial products. My backyard trees have improved, but only with fairly intensive upkeep. The flavor coming right off the tree can be truly candy-like given optimal conditions. After tasting the best ones from my own tree, I had the revelation that so many things that are "orange flavored" are mimicking navels specifically.
- lightedman 6mo ago"FWIW, "navel" oranges are grown for eating, not for juice." I'd beg to differ - navel oranges produce the smoother flavor and are what get used in making Tropicana. Always has been that way.