Oranges Color and Taste Comparison

[fruitlovers]

Cara cara orange on the bottom, blood orange center, washington navel on the top:
Taste winner was regular washington navel, cara cara second, and blood orange last. But the blood orange was the only one i didn't grow, and was from California, so probably 3-4 weeks old by the time i got to taste it. Blood oranges will not turn color here due to lack of cold.

[Jackfruitwhisperer69]

Hi Oscar,

I luv Blood Oranges we get them from Spain. they have kind of a wine flavour and super delicious!!!  I hate stored oranges they are the worst!!! Fresh is best

That blood orange looks like a Moro Blood Orange!,  Cara cara looks awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[bsbullie]

Yeah, if you have never tasted a blood orange, don't expect it to taste like a typical orange.  The flavor profile is totally different.  Some say its better and some hate it.  When they are good (grown and ripened properly) and fresh they are excellent, otherwise they can have an off putting taste with almost a sourness to them that could easily make them unappealing.

[fruitlovers]

Hi Oscar,

I luv Blood Oranges we get them from Spain. they have kind of a wine flavour and super delicious!!!  I hate stored oranges they are the worst!!! Fresh is best

That blood orange looks like a Moro Blood Orange!,  Cara cara looks awesome! Thanks for sharing!

Hi Steven, I remember eating blood oranges in Argentina as a young boy. They were excellent tasting with a nice berry like taste. I'm sure the ones in Spain are also very good quality. I tried them so many times in California, but never had a single one that was as good. I have a blood orange tree planted here, but in our climate they look and taste like regular orange, except tree is more shy bearing than navels.

[Jackfruitwhisperer69]

Hi Oscar,
You are definitely are a globetrotter   what rootstock are you using for the Blood orange?

BTW, I also got a Blood orange and it's flowering at the moment.
Sanguinelli Blood orange




Lan-late Bahia Orange

[HMHausman]

Nice presentation/pictures Oscar.  I am a big fan of all of the citrus pictured.  Have tried to grow all of the above.  None liked my growing conditions, although for a few years I did get some fairly tastty Cara Caras.  Blood oranges fruited but never got more than a wayward flesk of red coloring inside.  Navels of various types do well for a short time and then start to decline. My yard is destined to be much more of a lychee /mango growing yard than any type of citrus.  Only Pomelo seems to weather the flooding and mucky conditions fairly well. Not sure why.

Harry

[Jackfruitwhisperer69]

@ Harry and Oscar- I'm really surprised to hear about the blood oranges not getting the dark coloured flesh in Hawaii and South Florida!  looks like they prefer a more Mediterranean climate!

[bsbullie]

Nice presentation/pictures Oscar.  I am a big fan of all of the citrus pictured.  Have tried to grow all of the above.  None liked my growing conditions, although for a few years I did get some fairly tastty Cara Caras.  Blood oranges fruited but never got more than a wayward flesk of red coloring inside.  Navels of various types do well for a short time and then start to decline. My yard is destined to be much more of a lychee /mango growing yard than any type of citrus.  Only Pomelo seems to weather the flooding and mucky conditions fairly well. Not sure why.

Harry

Harry - most citrus would not like the wet feet your yard would provide.  I am surprised the Pomelo does.

[bsbullie]

@ Harry and Oscar- I'm really surprised to hear about the blood oranges not getting the dark coloured flesh in Hawaii and South Florida!  looks like they prefer a more Mediterranean climate!

I know a lot of people try to grow bloods here but has been said, whether its that lack of cold, cliemate, or some other reason they don't color up well here.  The red navel does a little better but still not what it should. 

Any Central Flroida/Indian River County people want to chime in, do bloods or red navels color up in your neck of teh woods ?

[fruitlovers]

Hi Oscar,
You are definitely are a globetrotter   what rootstock are you using for the Blood orange?

BTW, I also got a Blood orange and it's flowering at the moment.
Sanguinelli Blood orange




Lan-late Bahia Orange

Was a tree i bought when i first got here. Not sure what rootstock that nursery used for the blood orange.

[fruitlovers]

Nice presentation/pictures Oscar.  I am a big fan of all of the citrus pictured.  Have tried to grow all of the above.  None liked my growing conditions, although for a few years I did get some fairly tastty Cara Caras.  Blood oranges fruited but never got more than a wayward flesk of red coloring inside.  Navels of various types do well for a short time and then start to decline. My yard is destined to be much more of a lychee /mango growing yard than any type of citrus.  Only Pomelo seems to weather the flooding and mucky conditions fairly well. Not sure why.

Harry

Pummelos do realy well here also. I think they are more tropical in native habitat than the other citrus.

[Jackfruitwhisperer69]

@ Harry and Oscar- I'm really surprised to hear about the blood oranges not getting the dark coloured flesh in Hawaii and South Florida!  looks like they prefer a more Mediterranean climate!

I know a lot of people try to grow bloods here but has been said, whether its that lack of cold, cliemate, or some other reason they don't color up well here.  The red navel does a little better but still not what it should. 

Any Central Flroida/Indian River County people want to chime in, do bloods or red navels color up in your neck of teh woods ?

Hi Rob,
I think the main reason why they don't color up!, It's because you guy's have rain in summer! compared to my Mediterranean dry summer climate! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_climate
California has a Mediterranean climate and the bloods grow very well there as shown in Oscar's pic!

My guavas when they get too much water in the ripening stage, they will have an insipid taste! which is not really nice

[Jackfruitwhisperer69]

I will see what I can dig up on the net for rootstocks that are recommended for more tropical climates!!!

[fruitlovers]

From what i've read the lack of coloration in blood orange is tropical places is due to lack of cool temperatures. The coloring in Cara cara is different in nature and does not need cool temperatures to get deep coloroing. The rootstock most often used here for citrus i think is trifoliata.

[nullzero]

I love Cara Cara oranges, one of my favorite citrus.

[Ethan]

I enjoy the Morro and Sanguinelli we grow here in CA but I think harvesting time has a lot to do with it.  Some off my tree have a wonderful fruit punchish overtone but others taste bland or overripe.  Red Valencias are another one that is really good.

nice pic,
-Ethan

[Pancrazio]

Here our blood oranges are grown in two place in Sicily. Both palces are pretty hot during summer but they can get quite some cold during winter. The frost is mainly generated by orography, being generated inside the island, on the mountains, and slowly falling towards the sea a night.
The production of blood oragnes there follows strict rules, imposed by european community, wich dictates the varieties admitted to be labelled with the name "sicilian blood oranges" (Arancia rossa di Sicilia). They are three (but only some clones for variety are admitted): Tarocco, Moro and Sanguinello.
I find interesting that all those varieties become blood oranges if you expose them to the right environment.
For the production of blood oranges here the rules admit only 4 kind of rootstock: Sour orange, citrange troyer, citrange carrizo, and poncirus trifoliata.
I dunno if one of them would do fine in a more tropical climate, but i'd say that a sour orange should work fine. The poncirus is pretty hardy, as far as i know, so maybe it isn't the best bet.
For my likings, i prefer navel oranges. When i eat a fruit i like it SWEET. Blood oranges are tasty but i have hard times finding good ones, and a navel oranges is way easier to find and more sweet, as far as i have encountered. If someone knows some citrus even sweeter please tell me, but i don't count on it.

[bsbullie]

@ Harry and Oscar- I'm really surprised to hear about the blood oranges not getting the dark coloured flesh in Hawaii and South Florida!  looks like they prefer a more Mediterranean climate!

I know a lot of people try to grow bloods here but has been said, whether its that lack of cold, cliemate, or some other reason they don't color up well here.  The red navel does a little better but still not what it should. 

Any Central Flroida/Indian River County people want to chime in, do bloods or red navels color up in your neck of teh woods ?

Hi Rob,
I think the main reason why they don't color up!, It's because you guy's have rain in summer! compared to my Mediterranean dry summer climate! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_climate
California has a Mediterranean climate and the bloods grow very well there as shown in Oscar's pic!

My guavas when they get too much water in the ripening stage, they will have an insipid taste! which is not really nice

I don't think it has anything to do with rain.  The tree grow just fine here and there is no problem with fruiting, it is that they don't achieve the vibrant flesh color that these varieties are known for.

[Jackfruitwhisperer69]

Poncirus trifoliata is more recommended for cold climates!
it's a good rootstock for oranges, grapefruit, some mandarins and lemons. Here's a quote ''Field performance in tropical and sub-tropical regions is generally poor''

Advantages:
Phytophthora resistant
nematode resistant
tristeza immune
cold tolerant
tolerates waterlogging
good quality fruit
compact tree

Disadvantages
dislikes high ph soil
dislikes acid soil
sensitive to calcareous soil
drought  sensitive
exocortis susceptible
slow growing in nursery

heres more info on citrus rootstock:
http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=670.0

@Oscar and Rob- I forgot about the cold! thanks!!!

Here our blood oranges are grown in two place in Sicily. Both palces are pretty hot during summer but they can get quite some cold during winter. The frost is mainly generated by orography, being generated inside the island, on the mountains, and slowly falling towards the sea a night.
The production of blood oragnes there follows strict rules, imposed by european community, wich dictates the varieties admitted to be labelled with the name "sicilian blood oranges" (Arancia rossa di Sicilia). They are three (but only some clones for variety are admitted): Tarocco, Moro and Sanguinello.
I find interesting that all those varieties become blood oranges if you expose them to the right environment.
For the production of blood oranges here the rules admit only 4 kind of rootstock: Sour orange, citrange troyer, citrange carrizo, and poncirus trifoliata.
I dunno if one of them would do fine in a more tropical climate, but i'd say that a sour orange should work fine. The poncirus is pretty hardy, as far as i know, so maybe it isn't the best bet.
For my likings, i prefer navel oranges. When i eat a fruit i like it SWEET. Blood oranges are tasty but i have hard times finding good ones, and a navel oranges is way easier to find and more sweet, as far as i have encountered. If someone knows some citrus even sweeter please tell me, but i don't count on it.

hi Pancrazio,
mines on citrange carrizo rootstock!

[sultry_jasmine_nights]

I love blood oranges but definitely more of a berry taste to it than regular orange. Our little tree has many little fruits developing this year.
Here is some Blood Orange Marmalade and some Blood Orange Habanero Chili Marmalade that we made this year. Great for cooking and grilling.

[HMHausman]

Not too much of a marmalade fan....but your posting has me questioning myself.  It really looks and sounds delicious.

Harry

[bsbullie]

Not too much of a marmalade fan....but your posting has me questioning myself.  It really looks and sounds delicious.

Harry

Harry - I make a mean marmalade out of Centennial Kumquat.  When I come to see you at mango time I will bring you a jar.

[HMHausman]

Thanks Rob....you guys may make me into a converted marmalade fan.

Harry

[nullzero]

Blood Orange Habanero Chili Marmalade, sounds like it would be great with grilled tilapia!

[Jackfruitwhisperer69]

Hi sultry_jasmine_nights,

it looks really delicious!!! thanks for sharing! 

@ Nullzero-Grilled tilapia with B.O.H.C marmalade also sounds great