The Jaffa orange, also known as the Shamouti orange, is a very sweet, almost seedless orange exported from Israel.
Characteristics
Jaffa oranges are very similar to Valencia oranges, though they are much sweeter in taste. They are characterized by their oval shape, sweet flavor, and strong aroma. The peel is light orange in color, and is normally very easy to remove from the fruit.
These oranges are very cold-tolerant, allowing them to grow outside of the tropical regions normally associated with growing oranges. Jaffa oranges ripen in the spring to summer months, making it a midseason fruit.
Jaffa oranges are susceptible to Alternaria, a type of fungus, and are prone to alternate bearing.
Origins
Jaffa oranges take their name from the city of that name in Israel, which is one of the largest exporters of oranges in the world.
This variety of orange was first brought to the United States by H. S. Stanford during the 1880s. Stanford brought the oranges to Florida, where they are still grown today.