Oranges grow on trees, developing from flowers into fruit over several months.
Here's a breakdown of the orange growing process:
- Flowering: Orange trees produce fragrant white flowers. These flowers are pollinated, typically by bees.
- Fruit Set: After pollination, the flower petals fall off, and the base of the flower starts to swell, forming a tiny green fruit. These baby oranges resemble small limes.
- Development: The small green fruit gradually grows in size and changes color as it ripens. This ripening process can take a considerable amount of time.
- Maturation: Different orange varieties have varying maturation times. Valencia oranges, for example, can take up to 15 months to fully mature, while navel oranges typically take around a year. During this time, the fruit accumulates sugars, develops its characteristic orange color, and becomes juicy.
In summary, oranges develop from flowers on orange trees, taking many months to mature into the sweet, juicy fruit we enjoy. The specific time it takes for an orange to fully mature depends on the variety of orange.
