Food Encyclopedia

navel orange

Grown in California, Arizona and Florida, the navel is an excellent eating orange. Its name originates from the fact that the blossom end resembles the human navel. This large fruit has a bright-orange skin that's thick and easy to peel. The pulp is sweet, flavorful and seedless. One variety of the navel orange is the Cara Cara, which has a reddish pink flesh and a flavor evoking strawberries and raspberries. Available from late fall through late spring, the navel orange is sometimes called Washington, Riverside or Bahia navel. See also orange.