Orange fruit is the one of the top of fruits for vitamin. However there are some interesting details in its story that not much people know about. Orange fruit has its long story from the day when it was found out. It travels around the world by different ways and brings its nutrition to contribute the human life on earth.
From China to Europe
It is said that the origin of the orange fruit was in China from 2.500 BC. The orange was found out that they were grown in the South of China, the Northeast of India and Southeast Asia. This fruit was introduced to Romans in 1st century BC. The trading road between the Romans and Indian was the bridge to transfer the oranges from India to Europe. At that time the oranges were the precious fruits in the nobility’s life and upper classes’ consumers. The oranges became popular in Europe in 11th century after the long time with up and down together the development and changes from human society and trading. And the 16th century was considered the heyday of the orange in Europe when it was used commonly and even in the production of wine and food. Of course in its journey by the junks from China and India, the orange fruit was also come to Asian countries and South Pacific. That was the reason that the orange appeared in many places in the world.
From Europe to United States
In the time of conquering the South America in 15th and 16th century, the Spanish explorers brought with them the orange and plant in the areas when they arrived in. The place was considered the first region of planting was an island in Sao Paulo in Brazil. And then the orange was following the first settlers and the European missionaries and also the explorers to some regions in America such as Los Angeles, Florida, Arizona and Louisiana in the centuries in the period from 16th to 19th centuries.
Orange related to culture and symbol
It is not strange when the orange fruit becomes what special symbol or meaning in China because the country is considered the original area of the orange. In the Chinese Culture, the oranges are displayed in the New Year time as the symbol of luck and happiness. In Europe, the symbol of orange and its flowers are existed in the legends for years. In European countries like Greece and Spain, the orange is symbol of love, prosperity and fertility. Especially the orange’s flowers are used like a hairpin, hand flowers or jewelry by the brides in the wedding traditionally. And beside there is one of the interesting thing that related the orange that the orange color is symbol of charm.
In Religion, the orange fruit is considered the symbol of purity, chastity and generosity. This is one more prove that explain why the brides choose the flower orange adornments in the wedding traditionally.
Orange today in the world
The orange fruit is still one of the top of fruits for vitamin C. People in over the world have their habit to use the orange as the main resource for vitamin C to body through juice, whole fruit and the products from orange.
By the consuming of the oranges, there are many type of oranges are appeared that suit with each region and the countries in the world have their scale of growing oranges. And at the moment in general, there are top of 5 countries of growing orange in the world like Brazil, United State, China, India and Mexico.
