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Believe it or not, oranges don't actually exist naturally in nature.
You've probably seen an orange tree in person or on TV, and never thought twice about it. Ever consider how they're grown or how long it takes?
It can take years for an orange tree to bear fruit from a seed - it's a big difference from your standard flowering plant that takes fewer than 10 weeks to produce!
What is really surprising is how oranges don't actually exist naturally in nature. According to a 2012 study in Nature Genetics, citrus fruits originated in Asia thousands of years ago, but the orange's exact genetic origin is unknown.
Some sources believe that oranges are a hybrid of two other fruits.
The Citrus County Chronicle claims the orange we know today is the result of cross-pollination between a pomelo fruit and a mandarin fruit. The pomelo fruit, which you may not be familiar with, grows primarily in Asia and Malaysia - typically the size of a mini basketball and have light green or pale-yellow skin and dark pink flesh. As for mandarins, which I'm sure you're familiar with, they are at practically any grocery store that sells fresh produce.
A 2012 study published in Nature Genetics suggests the possibility that oranges have been around since 314 B.C., based on a reference to them in Chinese literature.
You know something new now! Oranges don't naturally exist in nature. They're a manmade result of the cross-pollination between the pomelo and the mandarin!