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Oranges are fruit trees that have been cultivated by humans for several thousand years. Now they are known in all countries of the world. Outdoors, oranges grow in hot countries with tropical and subtropical climates.
How oranges grow
Economic significance [edit | edit code]
Growing oranges is an important part of the US economy (Florida and California), and countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Pakistan, China, India, Italy, Iran, Egypt, Turkey. It is somewhat less important for Spain, South Africa and Greece.
Compared to 1974, in 2004 the production of oranges doubled, an increase of 99.8%.
International scientific name | |
Area |
World orange production by year | |
1965 | 18 724 |
1970 | 24 868 |
1975 | 32 204 |
1980 | 40 014 |
1985 | 40 875 |
1990 | 49 705 |
1995 | 58 496 |
2000 | 63 793 |
2005 | 62 832 |
2006 | 65 910 |
2007 | 65 502 |
2008 | 69 497 |
2009 | 67 594 |
2010 | 69 508 |
Top 20 orange growers in 2009 and 2019 (thousand tons) [10] | ||||||
Brazil | 16,320 (2014) | |||||
China | 6900 (2014) | |||||
USA | 6097 (2014) | |||||
India | 5201 (2009) | |||||
Mexico | 4300 (2014) | |||||
Iran | 2713 (2009) | |||||
Egypt | 2630 (2014) | |||||
Spain | 2617 (2009) | |||||
Italy | 2359 (2009) | |||||
Indonesia | 2102 (2009) | |||||
Turkey | 1689 (2009) | |||||
South Africa | 1600 (2014) | |||||
Pakistan | 1492 (2009) | |||||
Argentina | 900 (2014) | |||||
Morocco | 750 (2014) | |||||
Greece | 800 (2009) | |||||
Syria | 689 (2009) | |||||
Vietnam | 675 (2014) | |||||
Algeria | 626 (2009) | |||||
Ghana | 528 (2009) | |||||
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |
Common varieties
Tea tree: home care and breeding methods
One of the well-known homemade varieties is the Washington Navel orange. It is characterized by excellent taste. A medium-sized tree with a spreading crown and rich green foliage. Flowers are white in color, collected in small inflorescences with a pleasant smell. The fruits are round in shape with a navel at the top and are large in size. Average weight 0.5 kg. The skin of the fetus is generally smooth or rough and separates well from the fetus. The fruits ripen at the end of the year. The pulp is divided into 13 sectors by partitions of medium thickness and contains a large percentage of juice. A culture of this type is propagated with the help of cuttings, especially when wetted in growth-stimulating substances.
Pavlovsky. The description of the variety boils down to the following: it is very good for growing in apartment conditions. The tree grows up to 100 cm tall with beautiful, bright green leaves. The flowers of this variety are white, collected in bunches, with a pleasant aroma. The fruit itself is round, with a bright orange color. The culture is bred using cuttings in late winter, early spring.
Relatives of the orange
In addition to the orange, many other types of citrus fruits have been bred, among which there are fruits that are well-known and widely represented in stores around the world.
Table: the most famous varieties of citrus fruits
Name | Characteristic |
Orange | Bright orange fruit, round, with sweet and sour pulp |
Lemon | Yellow, oval, flesh - sour |
Mandarin | Intense orange, round-flattened, sweet |
Grapefruit | Round, large, pale yellow, reddish flesh with bitterness |
Pomelo | Round, the largest of a grapefruit, the peel is yellow-green, the flesh is sweet, with bitterness |
Lime | Oval, green peel, pungent-sour flesh |
Kumquat | The taste is similar to an orange, the size of a walnut, the flesh is bitter |
Finger citron | The shape resembles the fingers of the hands; there is no pulp; the peel is used to make candied fruits |
Tangelo | Hybrid of mandarin and grapefruit |
There are also less common species and hybrids:
- sweets - pomelo + white grapefruit;
- gayanima - Indian citrus with the scent of ginger and eucalyptus;
- agli - a hybrid of grapefruit and tangerine;
- ponzirus - inedible citrus with yellow fruits;
- citrange - poncirus + orange;
- Citranjquat is a pear-shaped orange, a hybrid of kumquat and citrange.
Photo gallery: varieties of citrus fruits
Citrange is not eaten fresh, but used to make marmalade
Kumquat contains a lot of nutrients
Finger citron Buddha's hand - fruit without pulp
Pomelo is the largest citrus fruit
Tangelo is a hybrid of one of the varieties of mandarin and grapefruit
Red oranges
Sicilian, or bloody, orange has a red flesh due to the presence of anthocyanins (plant dyes). This is a hybrid of pomelo and mandarin, which was first bred in Sicily. This kind of citrus contains almost no seeds and is inferior in size to an ordinary orange with juicy orange pulp and a specific berry aroma. The color of the flesh can vary from bright crimson to purple-black. The peel of Sicilian oranges is orange or reddish.
Red (bloody) orange contains the pigment anthocyanidin, which is an antioxidant
The 3 most common varieties of red oranges are known:
- Sanguinello (Spain);
- Tarocco (Italy);
- Moreau.
Citrus hybrids with red pulp are grown in Morocco, Spain, Italy, USA, China. The fruit is used in baked goods, sweets, as a fresh dessert.
Description of the orange tree
An orange tree grows up to 12 m in height, popular cultural rootstocks - up to 4-6 m.The dwarf species, which is grown at home in tubs, has a height of only 60-80 cm, greenhouse varieties - 2-2.5 m. The crown is compact, branches have spines up to 8-10 cm long. The trunk is covered with smooth brown bark.
According to the description, the orange tree grows for a long time, begins to bear fruit in 8-12 years, if planted from the seed. Small seedlings yield a harvest in 3-4 years.
Root system
There are no villi on the roots of the orange plant, which absorb moisture, mineral and organic substances from the soil. Instead, at the tips of the roots, there are special caps on which saprophytic fungi multiply. Through their mycelium, water and all the components necessary for nutrition enter the tree. First of all, these are phosphorus compounds. In return, mushrooms receive carbohydrates and amino acids.
The symbiosis increases the yield of the plant. At the same time, it becomes dependent on microorganisms. Mushrooms do not tolerate low temperatures, overdried soil, therefore the plant bears fruit only in warm climates, needs watering and irrigation. When transplanting, it is easy to damage the roots and mycelium - this manipulation should be carried out carefully. A young tree is transferred to a new place with a clod of earth.
Leaves
The tree has dark green oval leaves
The color of the leaves is dark green, oval in shape, with a pointed tip. The petiole is short, with a winged appendage. The leaf area is 10-15 cm, the edges are smooth, wavy or with shallow notches. The surface is smooth, evenly covered with short hairs. The leaf plate is fleshy, in its thickness there are glands that produce essential oils with a specific smell.
The leaves on the tree change gradually. Approximately 25% falls in February and March, and the same amount is lost throughout the year. The average lifespan of one leaf is 2 years. Young leaves are responsible for photosynthesis, old ones accumulate nutrients that are used for growth, the formation of flowers and fruits. Leaves tend to turn yellow in winter and then turn green again.
Main characteristics of the orange plant
Orange is a flowering, woody, evergreen plant with a continuous growing cycle, that is, at the same time there can be ripe and green fruits on the tree, as well as flowering baskets. The fruit of orange trees is prized for its taste and aroma. In the Mediterranean, Asian countries and South America, hectares of orange plantations are cultivated. In southern Europe, alleys with citrus hybrids adorn central streets and squares.
Orange trees adorn streets and courtyards in Spain
Orange is an unusual plant in a number of characteristics. It is considered a long-liver and lives for over 75 years.
Table: botanical classification of orange
Indicator | Name |
Genus | Citrus |
Subfamily | Orange |
Family | Root |
Why trees and fruits are interesting
This tall tree with a compact dense crown of a round or pyramidal shape reaches a height of 10–12 m. It is characterized by remontability, it grows up to 50 cm per year. There are also low varieties:
- dwarf forms grow up to 5 m;
- compact indoor trees, outwardly similar to a bush with glossy foliage, grow to 0.8–1.0 m. Exceptional specimens, which are more than 10 years old, are two meters in height.
The roots of the hybrid are located superficially and at the ends have caps with fungal colonies instead of root hairs to absorb nutrients and moisture. The symbiosis of plants and fungi is called mycorrhiza and has a beneficial effect on citrus yields, since the mycelium increases the absorbing surface of the roots through which mineral compounds and water are absorbed. This feature of the root system requires artificial irrigation.
At the ends of the orange roots there are cases with mushroom colonies to absorb nutrients and moisture
On the branches there are thorns and thorns up to 10 cm long. Leaves of an orange tree live for 2 years, therefore, on one plant at the same time there can be last year's leaves, which serve to accumulate nutrients, and young ones participating in photosynthesis. Mostly old leaves fall in February - March. The dark green citrus leaf is leathery, dense, oval in shape with a sharp tip, has a size of 10 × 15 cm and a jagged or solid wavy edge. The glands of the orange leaf plate contain aromatic oils. The petioles have small winged appendages.
The harvest of oranges is largely dependent on the foliage of the plant. If for some reason the orange tree has lost its foliage, it will not bear fruit next year.
M. A. KAPTSINEL
The fruit of the orange is called hesperidium (a type of berry-like fruit) or orange. Fruits ripen from 7 to 12 months, depending on the variety. They are small and large, with a strong aroma or subtle, barely noticeable. Ripe fruits weigh from 100 to 250 g, and sometimes reach 600 g. Oranges are round or broadly oval in shape, similar in structure to berries. They are multi-seeded and seedless, have a sweet and sour taste, sometimes with a specific bitterness.
Orange is a fruit and a berry at the same time
The fruits contain:
- essential oil - up to 2%;
- sugar - 9%;
- vitamins - 68%.
The fruit pulp is multi-celled, covered with a film and consists of 9-13 slices, separated by a septum. Fragrant juice makes up about 40% of the total fruit volume. The inner part is represented by large juicy cells in the form of juice sacs, easily separated from each other.
The porous surface of the orange - the peel - accounts for 20 to 40% of the total fruit mass and has a thickness of about 5 mm. It is bright orange in color, sometimes with a reddish or yellowish tint, depending on the variety. The surface of the peel - the zest - has a pungent, ethereal aroma. The white, spongy layer inside the rind is called albedo and is easily detached from the rind.Each slice contains 1–2 seeds, located one above the other.
Inside the orange consists of three layers: peel, albedo and pulp with seeds
Fleur d'orange - elegant orange blossom
For the first time, young plants bloom and enter fruiting in the 3rd year of life. A snow-white basket with a large golden pistil in the middle, gathered in clusters of inflorescences at the ends of the shoots, exuding a delicate aroma with hints of jasmine - this is an orange blossom.
Usually flowers of a tropical hybrid are collected in bunches of 6-8 pieces, less often - single ones. Orange blooms at a temperature of 16-18 degrees: in the south of Russia this is the beginning - mid-May, some varieties bloom in early June. In Spain and Turkey, the orange tree blooms in mid-March, and in Cyprus in March or April.
Orange flower exudes a delicate aroma
With a sharp fluctuation in the temperature background in any direction, sensitive flowers crumble. The blossoming flower is bisexual. It does not live long (no more than 5 days) and exudes a delicate, pleasant aroma. The inflorescence grows up to 5 cm in diameter when fully blooming. On it there are white-milky, sometimes with a pinkish tinge, fleshy petals (5 pieces) of oval shape, tapering towards the end.
Surrounded by many yellow, strongly pubescent stamens, there is a single long pistil in the center. The flower does not fully open and the pistil remains surrounded by perianths - underdeveloped petals. There are varieties without pistils, they do not require pollination and produce fruits without seeds.
In French, "orange flower" sounds like "orange d'Orange".
The attractive orange blossom essential oil has a wide range of cosmetic properties and has healing properties for skin and hair. It is also called "neroli" in honor of the Italian princess Neroli, who first began to use orange blossom essential oil for cosmetic purposes.
Neroli - orange blossom oil, which is used in cosmetology
Snow-white orange flowers were used in the Middle Ages in Europe as a traditional decoration for the bride's wreath.
Healing power
The properties of orange fruits have been known since ancient times. Doctors of Ancient Egypt with their help successfully cured many problems. Juicy pulp improves appetite, maintains strength, and promotes rapid wound healing. Fruits strengthen the heart muscle, reduce blood viscosity. They are useful for tachycardia, bleeding, heartburn.
A well-balanced ratio of vitamins C and P strengthens blood vessels, normalizes blood pressure, and activates redox processes. This is a good prevention of atherosclerosis, hypertension, obesity, infectious diseases.
Oranges are used for the prevention of vitamin deficiencies, recuperation after surgery, stress, overwork. The high content of potassium salts gives them diuretic properties. Fiber and pectins normalize digestion, relieve constipation. Reasonable use restores well-being, improves the functioning of the whole organism:
- normalize metabolism,
- strengthen the gums,
- activate the intestines,
- increase the defenses in the season of colds,
- improve appetite,
- relieve apathy and fatigue,
- cheer up
- increase efficiency,
- slow down aging,
- protect against the harmful effects of free radicals.
Oranges with zest and seeds
Ascorbic acid activates tissue regeneration, so fruits are actively included in the diet for injuries, as well as in the postoperative period. It is recommended to add them to the menu under the following conditions:
Freshly squeezed orange juice: benefits and harms
Orange juice is not only a tasty treat and refreshing drink. It can bring invaluable health benefits:
- Increases "good" cholesterol.A 2000 US study found that regular consumption of the drink improved the lipid profile of the blood.
- Helps to lose weight.
- Restores bone health.
- Reduces inflammation.
- Gives a charge of vivacity, especially in winter.
It is believed that the drink has a destructive effect on tooth enamel, so it is recommended to drink it through a straw or rinse your mouth with clean water.
How is orange juice good for you?
The drink normalizes digestion, stimulates appetite. It is recommended for reducing bile secretion, a tendency to constipation, hypoacid gastritis. It contains a large amount of pectin substances that improve intestinal motility, ensure its timely emptying, reducing the absorption of harmful components.
This bright drink is rich in phytoncides, which eliminate inflammation, inhibit the growth and development of bacteria, protozoa and microscopic fungi. These natural antibiotics help to cope with colds, flu, and recuperate after an illness or surgery. The drink perfectly tones up and lifts the mood.
How to make orange juice?
Making one of the healthiest natural drinks isn't difficult at all. Anyone can handle it. This will require:
- take 5 ripe fruits, wash thoroughly;
- wipe dry;
- peel, grind in a blender;
- dilute the resulting mass with a bottle of mineral water, strain through a fine sieve.
When and how an orange blooms
It has bisexual flowers, rather large, up to 50 mm in size. The flower consists of five white petals, but it also happens with a reddish tint.
Types and forms of flowers
Flowers are collected in inflorescences in the form of a brush, several pieces. There are also single flowers, but they are rare.
Flowering period
Orange flowers usually appear in spring. Some homemade varieties bloom all year round.
How to care for an orange during flowering
In order for the culture to bloom normally, you need to create certain conditions in the room. The buds, which are formed in the spring, bloom at temperatures from +17 to +19 ° C degrees.
Blooming orange
Growth features
Amazing things can be seen where oranges grow. The orange root system is almost shallow and has unique characteristics that must be considered when growing this plant. Unlike other fruit trees, orange roots do not have root hairs, which contribute to a good absorption of moisture and nutrients. Instead, at the ends of the roots, there are cases with soil fungi that exist in combination with the plant.
Mushrooms convert into an accessible form mineral compounds (the main thing is phosphorus), which are assimilated by the plant, and in return they receive amino acids, carbohydrates and other important substances. This community is called mycorrhiza, which helps to increase yields by increasing the absorbing root surface.
There is also a problem with this phenomenon. Such a plant is more vulnerable due to the fact that mycorrhiza cannot stand the lack of water and it is difficult to tolerate exposing the roots. Therefore, on the lands where oranges grow, it is desirable to observe one important condition. This is the creation of artificial irrigation.
Where do oranges grow in Russia? Do the climatic conditions allow for the ripening of sunny fruits in this country? And yet they grow in Abkhazia and in the Krasnodar Territory.
Where do oranges grow - in which country in the world?
The subtropical plant was formed in a humid, warm climate, which is the reason for its continuous vegetative growth. Hybrids of this species are thermophilic and occupy an intermediate place in frost resistance among other citruses, at the same time they are quite heat-tolerant and are successfully cultivated at temperatures up to 45 ° C.
Humidity, temperature and soil composition for growing and fruiting oranges are ideal on the shores of the Mediterranean, in Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey. This variety of citrus fruits is also cultivated in Algeria, Iran, USA, Brazil. Climatic conditions in Sicily, India, Spain and Portugal make it possible to feast on oranges and grow them for export.
Citrus fruits (including oranges) grow in subtropical and tropical conditions with mild winters and hot summers, which is ideal for the growth of such a plant. But each region cultivates its own citrus varieties.
Oranges grow in many countries - from China to Europe. The very first plants were cultivated in China, from where they were brought by ships to the shores of Europe.
There are still countries leading in the cultivation of these delicious exotic fruits. The most delicious sunny oranges are grown in Turkey, Egypt, Spain, India, USA and China. They are most often seen by customers on the shelves.
They are also grown in Greece, Italy, Algeria, Portugal, Morocco, Africa, Japan, Australia, Brazil, etc.
How to grow a tree from a bone
Orange seeds
You can try to plant not only an orange from a stone. But also lemon, persimmon or avocado. Only fruits from these indoor plants can not be expected. Quite beautiful trees will delight the eye, but only with foliage. Citrus fruits are a pleasant exception.
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Why do you need a stock
For an inquisitive beginner who has never planted anything, the question arises: if you plant an orange seed, what will grow? And the most common orange, from the nearest supermarket. The answer is yes. We will explain below how to do this.
But we do not need an orange seedling, but a stock. What does it mean? Buying a ready-made shaped tree with orange fruits in a flower shop, we do not even suspect that it is grafted. In 99% of all cases, the graft and rootstock are different types of citrus fruits.
Citrus grafting
All citrus fruits are grafted, otherwise, grown from seeds, they will bear fruit late (if this happens at all) and the fruits will not be so tasty. Quite often, you can hear or read a story on specialized forums, fragments of which are similar.
It is about the fact that at work a huge lemon (orange, tangerine) grown from seeds is growing, which is already 15 years old (10, 20, 30). And no one has ever seen him bloom. Accordingly, this tree has never pampered with fruits either.
If you want your efforts not to be wasted, immediately find a good stock for your future tree. They can be found in the ads. But the search will be much more effective on specialized sites where people who are keen on growing citrus fruits share their experience and extra planting material.
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See also: Almonds: description, planting a tree or shrub in the open field, caring for it, benefits and possible harm + Reviews
What are the best citrus fruits for rootstock
For citrus fruits to bear fruit, they need to be grafted. For example, never seeded kumquat or calamondin as rootstocks. First, they are too frail and take a long time to grow.
Secondly, the root system of these seedlings is very weak. Both callus build up for a long time. In a word, they are not used in this capacity.
It is believed that the best rootstocks for an orange would be:
- lemon
- pomelo
- bigardia or sour orange
- grapefruit
The fact is that various factors are taken into account, such as growth rate and others. Lemons are most commonly used, simply because they are more readily available. Than all other types of successful rootstocks.
One-year-old lemon seedlings
There are two more circumstances that are taken into account when choosing a rootstock.He must have a powerful root system in order to fully feed himself and feed the scion. And more importantly: callus should grow quickly and wounds should heal within a short period of time.
Some people call Novogruzinsky lemon as a successful rootstock for an orange. He, like the bigardia, is ready for vaccination within a few months after planting. And not in a year, like a lemon.
His root is powerful, the callus is growing instantly. One of the best choices for rootstock. There are many opinions regarding citrus grafting. Some people like grapefruit as a rootstock because they have quite powerful shoots.
Someone categorically rejects them for use in vaccinations. The best way to find out who is right is to experiment with the vaccine yourself.
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How to prepare a seedling for vaccination
It used to be that the stock should be as thick as a pencil. Smaller barrel diameters are now allowed. Amateurs who have achieved virtuosity in matters of vaccination, graft citrus fruits with the thickness of the trunk into a match.
For a successful vaccination, take one-year-old lemon seedlings or 4-5 month old sour oranges. Some people apply an increased dose of nitrogen fertilizers so that the seedlings grow faster. This should not be done.
Since the excess of the dose of any element, including nitrogen, has the same negative effect as its deficiency.
Excess fertilizer is bad for potted plants
Among the disadvantages of this method is the increased susceptibility of the plant to fungal diseases. If the excess nitrogen is large, then this will affect the appearance of the plant: the color of the leaves and trunk will change, they curl and become stained.
The best way to grow a healthy plant is to use a complete fertilizer that contains the entire set of essential elements and trace elements. In order for the lemon to grow and develop better, you can occasionally spray it with "Epin" to use the internal reserves of the plant.
Watering should be moderate. The soil should be slightly damp. If there is a lot of water, then the roots will begin to rot. Outwardly, this will not appear immediately, but there will be little sense from such a plant as from a rootstock. After all, the roots are the main organ for plant nutrition.
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We prepare everything for planting
Gardener Tool Set
For beginners, take lemon seeds. If you really want to grow an orange from a seed, then you can do it. Orange can also be grafted onto an orange stock. However, you will have to wait a little more than a lemon, about a year and a half.
In order to plant citrus seeds, we need:
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Plastic cups
Tanks for soil
Some people specifically buy transparent cups so that you can observe the development of the root system.
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See also: Hyacinth (80+ Photos) - Planting, care and reproduction at home - Elegant bouquet on the windowsill + Reviews
Drainage
It is used to allow excess moisture to escape through the drain hole. In the absence of drainage, excess moisture does not come out, but accumulates in the lower layer of the soil and can acidify there.
Pebbles or small expanded clay are used as drainage
The latter is sold in flower shops in bags labeled "Drainage".
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See also: Pomegranate at home: growing from seeds and care, useful properties and contraindications + Reviews
Priming
It is best to use the one where the name indicates: For citrus fruits.To improve germination, river sand can be added to the soil. It must be pre-calcined in the oven (20-30 minutes) or in the microwave (5 minutes).
Packaged soil
If self-prepared soil is used, then it is imperative to use sand. Your soil must also be calcined so that all spores of fungal infections die. For sowing, it is not necessary to use highly nutritious soil.
Additionally: potassium permanganate, watering can, irrigation water, signature marker, plastic bag, fluorescent lamp or phytolamp.
Seeds must be pre-soaked
In order for the seed to germinate faster, you can soak it first. The seeds of any plants are soaked in a small amount of water so that it barely covers the planting material. Otherwise, the seeds may "suffocate" and not sprout.
Which is the best for planting: pots or plastic cups? There is no unity in the answer to this question, each method has its pros and cons. But most people still prefer to use glasses.
They are smaller and the earth in them will not have time to sour. As soon as the root system entangles the entire earthen ball, you can transplant the plant into a large container. And in a pot, the root will take up the entire volume for a long time, which will slow down the development of the ground part.
How to propagate an orange yourself
Culture propagation is usually carried out in three ways: by grafting, cuttings, layering and seeds. At home, the most common breeding method is by using cuttings. This method makes it possible to get fruit-bearing trees after 5 years.
Rooting the cutting
Cuttings are cut from a healthy tree and should have several normally developing buds. The cuttings are rooted using a container with soil, but you can do this simply in water. Rooting takes place within a crescent.
Botanical description [edit | edit code]
Quite tall tree, belongs to the Citrus tribe (Citreae
) subfamily Orange (
Aurantio> [6]. Whole perennial orange leaves connect to their winged petioles through an intermediate wide articulation. The white flowers are set in six, in clusters, and are composed of a five-part, slightly opening perianth with thick lobes, many stamens, and a single free or "upper" ovary (known as "fleurs d'orange").
Flower formula: ∗ K 5 C 5 A ∞ G (∞ _) <5>; C_ <5>; A_; G _ <(>) >> [7].
The fruit is multi-celled, multi-seeded, with a thick two-layered peel. The pulp consists of many juice bags
- fusiform, sap-filled hairs (by their origin, sap sacs are outgrowths of the inner epidermis of carpels). The fruit of such a device, which comes from the upper ovary and is also characteristic of other representatives of the genus Citrus (lemon, orange, etc.), is called "hesperidium"; it is a very peculiar kind of berry-like fruit. In an orange, the pulp is easily divided into lobes, which are the nests of the fruit; each contains one or two seeds, one above the other [8].
The outer layer of the orange hesperidium, called because of the yellow-orange color of ripe fruits of the flavedo (from Latin flavus - yellow), contains a large number of large translucent globular glands containing essential oil. The inner layer, due to the white spongy structure in mature fruits, is called albedo (from Latin albus - white); an orange has a loose albedo, so that the flesh easily separates from the rind. Varieties of the so-called umbilical oranges
have an interesting anomaly of hesperidium: their gynoecium forms two rows of carpels, as a result of which two fruits develop, and one of them is rudimentary and is located at the top of the second, larger fruit; this small fruit can be seen through a small hole (“navel”) in the skin of a large fruit [9].
Structure
The pulp contains from 6 to 15% sugars, pectins, citric acid.In 100 grams of the edible part of a ripe fruit, approximately 0.3 mg of iron, 197 mg of potassium, 13 mg of magnesium, 23 mg of phosphorus, 34 mg of calcium, 6 mg of silicon. It contains copper, iodine. Small amounts of zinc, selenium, manganese, sulfur, cobalt are present.
In the wild, trees can still be found in the Himalayas. Some of them are 700 years old.
Oranges are rich in vitamin C. One medium-sized fruit provides about half of the daily requirement for ascorbic acid. There are also polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins B1, B2, B4, B5, B6, B9, E, H, PP, vegetable protein. Zest is a source of natural essential oil. The zest contains sugars, pectins, vitamin P. The chemical composition varies depending on the region, weather conditions, climate, variety and degree of maturity.
A loose light mass - albedo - is located between the peel and pulp. It is in it that the maximum amount of pectins is concentrated. The peel contains over 60 different bioflavonoids. These substances have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer properties.
Application and meaning
The fruits are eaten raw or processed to make drinks, jams, nectars. They are added to salads, sauces and other dishes. Sweet and sour slices are a wonderful dessert, a useful decoration for cakes and other confectionery products. Delicious candied fruits are prepared from the peel and pulp. This oriental delicacy has a pleasant, slightly tart taste.
In southern Europe, the zest is used to make liqueurs. The most valuable oil is extracted from the skin, which has tonic and deodorant properties, helps relieve spasms and fight depression. Essential oil - used as a flavoring agent in the manufacture of medicines, various food products and confectionery.
Citrus fruits are available all year round. They are permanent residents of the counters of popular supermarkets, regardless of the weather or climate zone. Their price is not higher than apples, and you can indulge in a healthy delicacy.
How to make orange peel jam?
Orange jam
If the purchase turned out to be not very tasty, then you can make delicious jam from it. It's easy to make at home. The original dessert will go well with tea or morning coffee and will delight you with its delicate taste and aroma.
Orange jam with peel - recipe:
- Take 1 kg of ripe fruits, wash well, turn through a meat grinder along with the skins. If at the same time you come across bones, then it is better to remove them so as not to spoil the taste with bitterness.
- Add a glass of water, juice of 1 lemon and a kilogram of sugar.
- Pour the mixture into a wide bowl, put on fire, cook until the desired consistency is obtained. This usually takes about an hour. Then the mass should be cooled. If desired, it is not forbidden to add chopped nuts, cinnamon or honey to it.
Orange jam with peel
Summing up - 7 secrets of success:
- Growing temperature: summer - 20 - 22 ° С, winter - preferably around 15 ° С.
- Lighting: light shade from direct sunlight on hot summer days, in autumn and winter the maximum amount of sunlight.
- Watering and humidity: watered with softened water after a little drying of the soil, in winter, the frequency of irrigation is reduced in accordance with the ambient temperature, the air humidity is high, combined with good movement.
- Pruning: Regular pinching of young shoots and formative pruning keep plant size under control.
- Priming: easily adapts to any soil pH, a nutritious substrate is required.
- Top dressing: with mineral or organic fertilizers, if the plant is prone to chlorosis - add iron preparations to the feeding.
- Reproduction: stem cuttings in spring and summer, seeds - seeds, however, plants obtained from seeds will not inherit the varietal characteristics of their parents by grafting.
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For each of us, the smell of orange and tangerine brings a sense of celebration. Believe it or not, you can create this holiday for yourself all year round if you grow an orange tree on your windowsill.
In apartments, the Merheulsky variety is most often grown: its growth rarely exceeds one meter. If you try hard and have patience, you can collect from 2 to 40 fruits from one plant.
- In the photo there is an orange tree
Orange grove care
Growing oranges will be enjoyable and fun if you follow the care guidelines carefully. A huge advantage of this culture is the fact that it is quite resistant to diseases and pests. When setting up a plantation, you need to carefully calculate all the risks associated with a changeable climate, as well as with the characteristics of the soil. Leading manufacturers are always ready to share their experience with newcomers, despite the competition. Oranges are a very hot commodity that you can make pretty good money on. But for the business to be successful, you should take good care of these plants. What should you pay attention to first of all?
- Soil care. This event includes - loosening the soil in the holes, weed control, cultivation and use of green manure in the aisles.
- Fertilizer. Orange trees literally draw out all possible reserves of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium from the soil. Annual feeding helps to renew their level.
- Crown formation. Since fruits are formed only at the current growth, it is necessary to regularly remove obsolete branches. In addition, with the help of scraps, they preserve the correct shape of the crown, prevent the appearance of parasitic shoots. Mechanically damaged branches are also removed immediately, as they pull more juice out of the tree.
- Watering. The orange pulp is very juicy, but with low watering, the amount of juice in the fruits decreases, and they change the varietal taste to bitter or sour. Water the oranges in the morning or evening, during dry periods - 2-3 times a day.
- Fight against possible diseases and pests. Despite the relative resilience to these problems, exceptions do occur.
List of pests that can infect the orange tree:
- whitefly
- mealybug
- spider mite
- aphid
- thrips of different types
- scabbards.
With such a problem, you will have to clear the crown well, treat the trunk and root hole with special preparations. Healthy trees should also be disinfected.
Diseases of oranges:
- hommosis
- wartiness
- anthracnose
The most dangerous disease is triste, caused by a virus. In his case, the tree will have to be cut down. Sometimes diseases of oranges are expressed by a lack of fertilization, watering, and loosening. In such cases, yellowing of the leaves, wilting and drying of shoots, an increase in the ripening period of fruits, and a change in taste can be observed. To combat diseases and micronutrient deficiencies, effective preparations have been created that can be purchased in the area where this crop is grown.
Beneficial features
Orange is rightfully considered a real vitamin bomb. The composition contains a lot of vitamins (C, B, PP, A) and trace elements (magnesium, iron, potassium).
The product has many useful properties:
- has a tonic effect, gives a charge of vivacity
- has antioxidant properties, rejuvenates the body
- purifies blood, prevents anemia
- prevents scurvy
- helps with constipation
- helps to strengthen the immune system, is used for ARVI and influenza
- has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect
Orange is recommended to use for anemia, hypertension, atherosclerosis. The juice is useful for weakness, lethargy and lack of appetite. The fruit is effective in preventing seasonal colds.
Orange should not be used for stomach and intestinal pathologies, because its juice can be irritating.
It is used with caution by diabetics, due to the presence of sugars in the composition.
Now the fruit has been widely used in various areas of life. The pulp is eaten fresh, jams, jellies and desserts are made.
Pulp juice is very popular. Jam, tinctures, liqueurs are prepared from the peel. The product is used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.
Exporting countries annually supply about 70 million tons of fruit.
Let's watch a video about where the orange and other exotic fruits grow:
The history of the appearance of the "Chinese apple"
For the first time, a citrus plant with a dense orange peel and sweet-sour pulp was mentioned in the ancient chronicles of East Asia around 4000 BC. e. The homeland of oranges is considered to be China, where 200 years BC. e. started growing orange trees in greenhouses. The first "oranges" that the Chinese tried were the bitter fruits of the wild-growing orange tree and were not eaten. Fragrant flowers of orange became the basis of the essence, called "bergamot", and the zest of the fruit began to be used as a tonic. This variety of wild citrus fruits later "shared" its genetic characteristics with the traditional southern culture, the fruits of which we know.
The modern orange is the result of Chinese selection, in which the pomelo and mandarin were crossed, and is not found in the wild. The first edible oranges were grown in the gardens of Chinese aristocrats. Perhaps that is why the citrus hybrid is named with the Dutch word "appelsien", which means "Chinese apple". Later, the culture was brought to the Mediterranean countries, Egypt and North Africa.
The Europeans who first tasted this amazing tropical fruit were the soldiers of Alexander the Great. In Europe, the first orange trees introduced by Portuguese seafarers were planted in the middle of the 16th century. Citrus fruits came to the Russian Empire in the 17th century and became an exquisite delicacy of noble people. At the beginning of the 18th century, oranges were grown in Georgia (Batumi region), and in the 19th century they began to be cultivated in Sochi.
Oranges grow in different parts of the world
In ancient times, orange juice was considered an antidote to almost any poison and served as a detergent, coping with grease and dirt.
Conditions necessary for life
The orange tree is very thermophilic. It is completely unsuitable for life in cold and frosty conditions. The tree does not tolerate large temperature changes; with an amplitude of more than 8 degrees, it sheds its leaves.
Also, an exotic plant is demanding on moisture, it feels great at 60-70%.
For citrus fruits, the quality of the soil plays an important role. Roots require loose and nutrient-rich soil.
Southern fruits are sensitive to storage. In order for the shipment to be successful, it is necessary to collect them unripe and wrap them in paper.
How to choose the right place
In order for a homemade orange tree to agree to stay with you, you must first put it in a place that fully meets the needs of the plant. You need light - abundant, but not too bright. The east and south sides are suitable if the tree is not close to the window. You can determine the required distance by the state of the leaves. If the leaves begin to stretch and corrugate, they must be moved closer, without waiting for falling off. If they start to turn yellow, they should be moved a little further (although this rarely happens). An additional concern should be to periodically rotate the pot so that the orange tree is exposed to the light from different sides, and the crown is formed harmoniously. And in the summer it would be nice to take it out into the garden or on the balcony.
Other information
- In Argentina, the FMA I.Ae was developed to transport fruits (mainly oranges). 38 Naranjero. The name of the transporter (Spanish. Naranjero
) translates as "Orange" or "Orange Dealer". - The orange monument, created by the sculptor Alexander Tokarev, was opened in Odessa on September 2, 2004 in honor of the 210th anniversary of the city. According to legend, it was oranges that once saved Odessa from decline. Paul I did not like the undertakings of Catherine II, for this reason, funding for the construction of the Odessa port was stopped. Having learned about the emperor's love for oranges, the inhabitants of Odessa sent him in February as a present 3000 Greek oranges, which at that time in Russia were an outlandish commodity. Thanks to this, a few months later Odessa received 250,000 for the construction of the port. The sculpture, about 12 m in diameter, is a bronze orange mounted on a pedestal. Inside it, instead of one of the lobules, there is a statue of Paul I and three horses harnessed to an orange.
Fruit
The round-shaped orange fruit is called orange or hesperidium. It can be multi-seeded, multi-nested or seedless and is similar in structure to a berry. The skin is a thick and soft structure up to 0.5 cm thick. On the surface it is smooth or slightly rough, covered with zest, and has a thin white layer (albedo) below.
In general, the orange peel in the mass makes up 42% of the total weight of the fruit, and its color can be from greenish and light yellow shades to reddish-orange.
Usually the fruit has a firm and elastic consistency. Its internal mass consists of nests or slices separating from each other (up to 13 pieces), filled with very juicy and large pulp cells with a sweet, sweet-sour or sour-bitter taste.
Most orange varieties have white seeds. There are also seedless plant species, the fruits of which are formed without pollination (parthenocarpic).