“Orange” is doing a lot of work as a word. It’s a fruit, it’s a colour, and some say it is a climate expectation.
When we crave oranges, we imagine enjoying a juicy orange coloured fruit.
But some say oranges aren’t even supposed to be naturally orange in the first place. Are these claims true?
Verdict:
TRUE
Apparently, oranges were never supposed to be orange in colour.
The fruit evolved in South-East Asia, and in the warmer climate of the tropics, oranges actually stayed green because chlorophyll acts as a natural sunscreen against the constant heat.
When it comes to colour, early oranges weren’t always the bright orange we picture today—their skins could range from pale yellow to green.
Even now, many oranges stay green despite being fully ripe, especially in warmer regions, because peel colour is influenced more by temperature and growing conditions than by ripeness.
Cooler weather helps break down the green pigment, revealing the orange tones underneath. And in hotter climates, some oranges are harvested while still green and then exposed to ethylene gas to encourage the peel to change colour—a practice known as “degreening.” Some dye orange fields with a chemical called Citrus Red.
It’s mind-blowing to think that we consider an orange-coloured orange normal only because someone, long ago, took the fruit somewhere cold enough to change its colour.
As for whether the word “orange” first referred to the fruit or the colour, that is a conversation for another QuickCheck.
References:
https://www.foodandwine.com/
https://www.siciliaagrumi.it/
