Quality Valencia Oranges

It is commonly assumed, perhaps understandably considering the name, that the valencia is of spanish origin. However, the variety first became of interest in the azores and is almost certainly of old portuguese origin.no other citrus variety has more fascinating and improbable history than that of the valencia, which is now the world's most important orange. Sent from the azores in the early 1860's to thomas rivers, a nurseryman at sawbridgeworth, england, it was first named excelsior. Rivers had recognised it's late maturing characteristics and believed it suitable for growing in containers in the fashionable orengeries of country houses. He sent trees of the excelsior and other varieties to s.b. Parsons, long island, usa, in 1870, who in turn supplied both a.b. Chapman of san gabriel, california, in 1876 and f.h. Hart, federal point, florida, the following year. Chapman named the variety rivers late, while hart's trees were initially designated as hart's tardif (or hart late).in 1887 rivers late was renamed valencia late at the suggestion of a spanish citrus expert visiting california who believed that it bore great similarity to a late maturing orange grown in the valencia region. It was a decade or so later that authorities recognized that the hart late and valencia late were in fact the same variety.its outstanding equalities were soon recognized and the valencia orange was to change the face of citrus production on a world scale so that today it is the leading variety in may citrus producing countries and an important one in others. There is no other citrus variety more widely grown and on such an extensive scale. The valencia leads production in argentina, australia, california, florida, morocco, southern africa, uruguay and other countries and is an important variety in brazil, israel and elsewhere. Traditionally spain showed little interest in valencia but since the 1970's production increased, reaching higher priority has been given to late maturing navel