Goodbye Valencias, Hello Navels! A Quick Orange Update

Why did the orange stop?

It ran out of juice!

Bad toddler jokes aside, our supply of Valencia oranges really is slowing down. We source Valencias for our boxes from late spring through summer, and their season is coming to a close. In past years Valencias have rolled right into Navel orange season (which starts in late October/early November) without much of a gap, but this year, that’s not the case.

The Valencia Orange Shortage

It’s hard to say exactly why we’re seeing fewer Valencias on the market. Over the years, Valencia production in California (in terms of the number of cartons grown) has declined. It doesn’t help that Valencias are primarily used for juicing. So when supplies go down, fresh eating oranges can get scarce. Luckily, Vince at Bernard Ranch still has sweet and juicy Valencias for our California mixes.

Green Summer Oranges—It’s Natural!

You might notice that the Valencias don’t look as pretty this time of year and can sometimes have a slight green tint to their skin. Don’t worry—the color doesn’t affect their taste, and it’s actually normal in the summer.

The slight green you might see on oranges is part of the “regreening” process. The green comes from chlorophyll, a natural compound found in the peels of orange citrus. Chlorophyll is vital for photosynthesis, which allows fruit to absorb energy from sunlight. Here’s how orange ripening works: The fruits start out green on the tree, then cold nighttime temperatures cause them to convert their green color to a deep orange. The Valencia or “summer orange” doesn’t get those cool nights. That’s why it can sometimes look more green or yellow. The fruits can also turn from orange back to green if they get too much sunlight. (You can read more about regreening here.)

Valencias vs. Navels

When we can’t source US oranges we do have imports available. Right now, we’re stocking beautiful oranges from South Africa in some of our mixes while we wait for Navel orange season to start. California and Florida Navels should be available by the end of October.

Curious how Navel and Valencia oranges differ? Here’s a handy chart.

Like all produce, every orange has a season. Although I hate to say goodbye to the juicy Valencia orange, I’m happy to wait patiently for the amazing citrus coming soon in late fall and winter.