It is believed that the sweet orange, along with most other citrus fruits, originated in Southern China and parts of India.  From there, the orange was most likely passed on to other parts of Asia and eventually to Europe by trading.  From Europe, citrus fruits were brought over by explorers and conquistadors to the Americas starting in the 1400’s.  The sweet orange now prevails all across the world and is cultivated and consumed by numerous amounts of people.

HABITAT

Citrus sinensis thrives in subtropical areas where temperatures usually don’t drop below freezing and there is a moderate amount of rainfall.  Optimal growing temperature falls around 550F to 1000F and orange trees are susceptible to being killed off by cold temperatures, especially with younger trees.  Soil needs to be deep enough in order to allow the tree’s roots to develop properly to ensure proper nutrient exchange and to anchor the tree.

GEOGRAPHY

Since the sweet orange is consumed widely in a multitude of different products, humans have been very influential in where this organism grows and gets cultivated.  The main areas where the sweet orange is grown is in the Southern United States, Mediterranean Region, and Southeast Asia.  Most of the areas of growth are between the latitudes of 400N and 400S.  Areas encircled in red on the map to the right are where the majority of oranges are grown. The pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a plant that shares a similar, sub-tropical habitat with C. sinensis.

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