Oranges

Oranges are sweet and tangy fruits that grow on trees. They have a thick, bumpy peel that you have to take off first. Inside, the fruit is split into juicy sections called segments. Oranges are famous for being full of vitamin C. People eat them fresh or squeeze them to make juice.

Where Oranges Grow

Orange trees grow best in warm places that do not get too cold. Florida, California, Brazil, and Spain grow many oranges. The trees have shiny green leaves and white flowers that smell sweet. It takes months for the fruit to turn from green to orange. Workers pick them by hand when they are ripe.

Pretty white orange blossoms before they turn into fruit.
Pretty white orange blossoms before they turn into fruit. (Alexander Hardin / Wikimedia Commons)

Kinds of Oranges

There are many types of oranges in the world. Navel oranges are easy to peel and have no seeds. Valencia oranges are very juicy and good for juice. Blood oranges have red flesh inside that looks like a sunset. Mandarins and clementines are small, sweet cousins of the orange.

Fun Facts

  • Oranges were named before the color, not the other way around.
  • One orange has more than 100 percent of the vitamin C you need each day.
  • Orange trees can live and make fruit for over 100 years.

Did You Know?

An orange tree can have flowers, green fruit, and ripe fruit all at the same time.