Let’s take a closer look at how oranges arrived in the Golden Isles. Shortly after the Spanish founded St. Augustine in 1565, they established missions in Georgia’s barrier islands, including on the south end of St. Simons. It is likely during this time that oranges trees were introduced on St. Simons Island, because Francis Moore described “a tall and thorny orange tree full of fruit” when he recorded the English arrival on St. Simons in his diary. When Fort Frederica was garrisoned, it became one of the most important towns in the colony. An account of the town at that time describes the streets as being “regularly laid out and margined with orange trees.” You can still see Seville orange trees bearing fruit on the grounds at Fort Frederica National Monument today.
Seville orange trees at Fort Frederica
Outside of Frederica, but in the nearby vicinity, colonists established farms and plantations on land they were granted. One of these early plantations was Orange Hall, General James Oglethorpe’s only home in America. It was recorded to be a small English style raised cottage surrounded by a grove of orange trees. Figs and grapes were also flourishing on his 50 acres of “perfect cultivation” in the midst of the Live oaks.
Cannon’s Point Scottish owner John Couper was one of the leading agriculturists in the worldand a fantastically successful planter. Not only was Cannon’s Point a well-established cotton plantation, but its gardens were known for growing virtually every kind of flower, plant, and tree that could survive in our coastal environment. The property had groves of lemons and oranges, date palms imported from Persia, and, olive trees imported from Marseilles at the suggestion of President Thomas Jefferson. Eventually the property fell into ruin and it is now a preserve under the protection of the St. Simons Land Trust.
There was also Orange Grove, south of Frederica on Dunbar Creek, which was property granted to John Terry, silversmith and recorder of Frederica. He "planted hundreds of orange trees and called his plantation Orange Grove." After passing through ownership by several influential early island families, the Bruces, the Abbotts, and Fendigs , the historic tract became part of the property known as Sea Palms. Major Wright Road, Abbott Lane, and Terry Creek all were named to commemorate these Orange Grove inhabitants.
Fresh Picked by Loren DiBenedetto
Serving Up Sunshine
Unlike lemons and limes, sweet oranges are perfect to peel and eat just as they are. Navel oranges and other seedless varieties are generally preferred for this. If you’re squeezing for juice, Valencia oranges are a better choice. Some more exotic options are the sweet Cara Cara with its pinkish flesh, the distinctive red Blood Orange, and the large Sumo tangerine-orange hybrid. These three are excellent in salads. Sour Seville oranges are delicious in marmalade, and as flavoring in cocktails and salad dressings.
Oranges
This Sunny Spinach Salad is packed with healthy goodness and can be modified with ingredients of your choice. Orange Teriyaki Pork is a zesty twist to the traditional Asian dish. And take a sip back in time with our Almost-A-Julius frothy orange delight.
Peel the Love
Mandarins are a class of citrus that includes a large group of loose-skinned, deeply colored, and highly flavorful fruits. It covers mandarin oranges, satsumas, tangerines, and tangerine hybrids. The terms mandarin and tangerine are used interchangeably for many of these fruits, depending upon where they are grown. Satsumas grow extremely well in Georgia. The tree has fruit that ripen early, will withstand colder temperatures, thus requiring less cold protection, and produce more consistent crops over a longer period of time. Tangerines, especially Clementines, also have great success here. Unlike other types of citrus, cross-pollination is required for optimum fruiting of a number of tangerine varieties and hybrids.
Tangerines are smaller than oranges with bright orange skins and slightly looser peels. They are great for eating raw and adding to salads. You can also juice tangerines for a slightly sweeter and brighter take on classic orange juice, making it a nice option for cocktails too.
Cuties
Clementines (often marketed in the U.S. as "Cuties" or "Sweeties") are very small seedless oranges that are like tangerines in their honey-like sweet flavor. Their compact size makes them best eaten out of hand, but they are delicious in salads and when used in desserts. The tight, shiny orange skins also make them beautiful for display and creating casual, edible centerpieces.
Mandarin oranges are a small and sweet tangerine variety. They do have some seeds, which makes them a bit less desirable for snacking than seedless clementines. It is also a popular canned fruit, sold packed in juice. Slices are often used in salads.
Satsumas
The satsuma is a tangerine that is considered a variety of small mandarin oranges. It originally hails from Japan, where its status as one of the sweetest (and conveniently seedless) citrus fruits makes it an especially popular snack when harvested in the fall. Their skin is loosely attached to the fruit making them extremely easy to peel. Clementines and satsumas are often marketed and sold interchangeably, but you can
spot the difference easily because clementines have tight peels and satsumas have loose peels.
Tangelos are the product of super-sweet tangerines that have been crossbred with either pomelos or grapefruit. The result is a sweet, easy-to-peel treat that has the color of a tangerine, but a more mild sweetness.You can tell a tangelo from an orange by the telltale “knob” at the top that gives the fruit its nickname, “ honeybell.”
Dutchmans Tangelo
A KumWHAT?
The kumquat is the smallest commercially available variety of orange. A relatively common find here in south coastal Georgia, this olive-sized orange fruit, native to Southeast Asia is something of a contradiction. Unlike oranges and most other citrus fruits, you can eat an entire kumquat, peel and all, and it’s the skin that is the sweet part of the fruit, while the flesh packs a tart punch. The kumquat’s flavor is distinctly citrusy. While the fruit is slightly sweet, it’s overwhelming flavor is sour and tangy.
It’s unknown how long the fruit has been cultivated, but the earliest known reference to kumquats appeared in twelfth century China. Though it has been a staple for centuries in Southeast Asian countries, the kumquat wasn’t brought to Europe until the mid-1800s. By 1850, it was being cultivated in North America. The English name “kumquat” comes from a Cantonese word meaning “golden orange” or “golden tangerine.” While the kumquat tree can survive low temperatures, it produces larger and sweeter fruits in warm climates. The tree is ideal for growth here in our temperate coastal environment.
Because kumquats can keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator, you will have plenty of time to try out the many ways to enjoy them. The kumquat’s sweet-yet-sour flavor makes it perfect for marmalades. The pectin in the fruit’s seeds will make your marmalade has the extra bonus of making it extra thick. Kumquats are easy to preserve and they make great gifts or cocktail garnish when candied. You can cook them into soups and add them to meat and poultry dishes too. Don’t be afraid to be creative with these little gems!