One of the most consumed fresh fruits in the United States, the navel orange is a common cultivar of the sweet orange botanical group Citrus sinensis. The navel orange gets its name from the small hole that resembles a belly button, or human navel, at the blossom end of its stem. When peeled, the blossom end reveals an undeveloped second fruit inside.
The navel orange is a winter variety that grows on evergreen trees. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) brought navel orange tree seedlings from their native country Brazil to the United States in the 1870s. In their early years, navel oranges were mainly a dessert fruit. Their popularity and purpose grew as more peopled in the United States began to appreciate the citrus fruit as a flavorful source of vitamin C.
Depending on where you live, navel oranges are usually available from November to June. There are more than fifty types of navel oranges, including the popular Dream Navel, Florida Navel, California Navel, Washington Navel, and Brazilian Bahia.
Source: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cara-cara-vs-navel-oranges
Recent Comments