Spanish Word for Oranges

The Spanish word "naranjas" means oranges in English.

Oranges are without any doubt the most important citrus crop in the world, and Spain produces enormous amounts of them.

Oranges, as with various other forms of fruit, flourish in semitropical climates such as Florida and subtropical regions such as California and the Mediterranean. A variety of oranges are produced in Spain ranging from the bitter Seville oranges to the sweet Clementine.

Valencia is the region that produces the most oranges in Spain, so much so that the region has attracted the name "The Orchard of Spain". Sweet oranges are grown in healthy irrigated groves close to the coastline. In the summer months, the air is filled with the most heavenly scent of orange blossom.

Seville oranges are large and bitter. The streets in Seville are lined with orange trees.

It has been said that picking oranges from trees in the streets is legal, providing that the whole orange is eaten without leaving the shade of the tree.

There are 600 varieties of oranges which are classified into three classes; sweet, bitter/sour, and loose skinned.

The sweet varieties are used for eating fresh, making juice and for tarts and salads.

The sour varieties are rarely eaten fresh. These are generally cultivated for the purposes of making marmalade.

The loose skinned variety can range in taste from sweet to tart. They are part of the Mandarin family, but still come under the same genus. They are easier to peel, deep orange in color and generally seedless.