Orange=सुन्तला Oranges are one of the most wide spread and popular fruits in the world. Oranges belong to citrus family that include many including lemon, lime, tangerine...etc In the US oranges are what we call ???? सुन्तला are called tangerine or tangelo... Oranges are green before they ripen... From - http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0781683.html Did you know: citrus grew in Asia 20 million years ago? citrus was first mentioned in literature in 2400 B.C.? the first varieties of citrus were bitter and not edible? each person in the U.S. eats about 12.5 lbs (5.6 kilos) of citrus per year!!! citrus is the most widely grown crop in the world! Brazil produces the largest amount of oranges and grapefruits in the world! in Florida there are approximately 10.3 million citrus trees on 853,000 acres of land! there is more fiber in an orange than in most other fruits and veggies! Florida oranges may be greener than California oranges because the night temperatures in Florida are warmer, which causes more chlorophyll to migrate into the peel; they are still ripe and sweet though. British sailors used to be called ?Limeys? because they ate citrus to prevent scurvy on long sea voyages. if you plant a single seed from an orange you will probably get more than one plant growing from it. immature growth on most citrus trees will have sharp thorns. These tend to break off as the wood gets older. ************************************** from - http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/CH066 Sweet Orange1 Jeffrey G. Williamson and Larry K. Jackson2 History The sweet orange was cultivated in China for many centuries before it was introduced into Europe, most likely during the early fifteenth century. Columbus is credited with bringing sweet orange seed to the New World during his second voyage in 1493 and reportedly established plantings of sweet orange and other citrus in Hispaniola. The first plantings of sweet orange in what is now the United States were established in Florida between 1513 and 1565 in and around the settlement of St. Augustine and along the St. Johns River. Assisted by Spanish explorers and Indians, sweet orange spread rapidly throughout Florida. A sweet orange industry emerged during the late eighteenth century and attained considerable status by the winter of 1894-95 when two severe freezes virtually eliminated it. Since that time, a number of additional freezes have gradually pushed the industry south. Distribution Sweet orange is grown throughout the world in tropical and subtropical climates with its range extending approximately 35-40 degrees either side of the equator. Although some sweet oranges are grown in tropical regions, most commercial acreage is located in subtropical and Mediterranean climates where higher quality fruit is attained. Sweet orange is currently grown throughout central and south Florida ( Figure 1 ). Importance Sweet orange is the most widely grown citrus fruit in Florida and the world. With over 444,000 bearing acres (about 180,000 hectares) in production and an estimated annual production value of over $850 million (1991-1992), Florida accounts for roughly 70 percent of U.S. sweet orange production. The importance of the sweet orange industry to Florida's agricultural economy is not likely to decline in the foreseeable future as vast expanses of south Florida continue to be developed for sweet orange production. Description Tree Sweet orange trees are moderately large, often 22 to 30 feet (7 to 10 meters) in commercial orchards, larger if unpruned. Trees are erect as seedlings, globose and slightly spreading as budded or grafted plants. Branches are strong and usually do not require pruning except for tree size control. Leaves Sweet orange leaves are dark green and approximately 3 to 5 inches (8 to 13 cm) long. The leaf blade is pointed at the apex and rounded at the base with a narrowly winged petiole. Short spines are found in the axils of most leaves. The leaves are evergreen, persisting as long as two to three years. Flowers Sweet orange flowers are white and complete (contain all flower parts). Most cultivars (cultivated varieties) are self-pollinating because of the construction of the flower. However, bees assist the pollination process. Some cultivars have little or no viable pollen and/or few or no fertile ovules. Such fruit develop into seedless or near-seedless fruit. Fruit Botanically, the sweet orange fruit is a specialized berry known as a hesperidium. Fruit size varies with cultivar and crop load but is usually 2? to 4 inches (6 to 10 cm) in diameter. The shape of the fruit is spherical to oblong, with a peel that is intermediate between grapefruit and tangerine in thickness. The peel is fairly smooth in some cultivars and somewhat rough, or pebbly, in others. Except for navel oranges, the peel adheres rather tightly to the flesh. Peel and flesh color are orange, but the intensity of color is a function of climate and cultivar. Low temperatures can intensify the orange and red colors of both peel and flesh. Seeds The number of seeds per fruit is variable. Some cultivars are considered seedless for commercial purposes, having only 0 to 6 seeds, while others may contain 15 to 20 seeds or more. Cultivars may be conveniently classified as "seedy or "seedless". The most important seedy cultivars include 'Parson Brown', 'Pineapple' and 'Queen'. Important seedless cultivars are 'Hamlin', 'Valencia' and the navel orange cultivars.