The History of Oranges

According to a recent scientific study published in Nature Genetics, the precursors to oranges and citrus plants originated more than 25 million years ago on the Indian subcontinent. The research team discovered that these fruits originated at the same time that the Indian subcontinent was colliding with continental Asia and creating the Himalayas. As the continents became joined, the ancestral citrus plants once only found on the Indian subcontinent spread into Asia. Interestingly, this theory has been backed up by the discovery of citrus-like plant fossils in southern China! It’s theorized that citrus species like trifoliate oranges and mandarins first evolved in south-central China roughly 8 million years ago. (Other citrus species, like the pomelo and citron, are thought to have emerged slightly later in the foothills of the Himalayas.) It is thought that several million years ago, the climate of south-central China underwent drastic changes, transforming the area from a relatively dry tropical locale into a wetter area dominated by monsoons. These climate changes and complexities are thought to have provided ideal growing conditions for citrus fruits like oranges. Then, thousands of years ago, humans began cultivating citrus plants for food and medicine, leading to a vast expansion in the biodiversity of citrus plants. Today, oranges and other citrus fruits are cultivated in many locations and are enjoyed by people all over the world.