‘Ornamental oranges’ are more than just a pretty fruit

From March 16, 2007:

I’ve always wondered about the ornamental orange trees we have here. Since the orange is no good to eat, it doesn’t get picked and just drops to the ground and rots in our parks, alleys, streets and sidewalks. Any idea on why they’re here and where they came from? Do they have any redeeming value at all?

Hey, Mr. Crabbypants, lighten up. Lots of people like ornamental oranges, and they have all sorts of uses.

Ornamental oranges, also known as sour oranges, are natives of Southeast Asia. They spread to Arabia and then to Europe. By the 12th century, they were being grown in Spain; the Spanish brought them to the New World.

As for their redeeming values, they’re just chock full of the stuff.

Most people probably think they are good only for marmalade, but I found a few recipes for sour orange pie.

In Mexico, people cut them in half, salt them a bit, cover them with a hot chile paste, and eat them. The juice of sour oranges can be used to season meat while it cooks, as vinegar or can even be fermented to make wine.

Depending on the variety, the oil they get from the peels of sour oranges is used for flavoring candy, ice cream, chewing gum, soft drinks and some medicine and in perfumes. How do you think Curacao, the liqueur, got its name? Because it is flavored with oil from Curacao oranges.

The rind of some varieties of ornamental oranges contains something called neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, which I am told is 20 times sweeter than saccharin.

On some Pacific island they mix up the fruit and leaves and use it as a shampoo or laundry detergent.

Last but not least, in Cuba they use the wood to make baseball bats.

You probably think I just knew all this stuff, but I didn’t. I read about it in an article put out by the Purdue University Center for New Crops & Plant Products.

So don’t put the bad mouth on our useful friend, Mr. Ornamental Orange.