Florida Navel Orange

The sweet, seedless, easy–peeling Navel Orange is a classic.

Navel Orange's most distinctive feature — its "navel," the belly–button–like mark at one end of the fruit. This is actually a tiny "extra" fruit.  Otherwise, the Navel stands out for its relatively large size, moderately thick peel, and bright, handsome color. It's a beautiful orange. The Navel is a sweeter, low–acidity orange with a great typical orange flavor.

Navel oranges are at their peak from November through January. For this reason, they're often associated with the holiday season. You may also find Navels later in the year, but they're freshest and sweetest during the winter.

History

According to researchers, the Navel Orange came about as a result of a "bud sport" or single–branch mutation found on an orange tree at a Brazilian monastery in the early 1800s. An unknown planter introduced the Brazilian Navel to Florida in the 1830s, but his small grove was later burned in the first Seminole War. The Navel then wasn’t heard from for a bit until it was introduced to California in the 1870s, after which its popularity really took off. These oranges have been grown in Florida for over 170 years, making them a classic Florida fruit in more ways than one.