| Laraha | |
|---|---|
| Species | Citrus × sinensis subsp. currassuviencis |
| Cultivar | 'Laraha' |
| Origin | Curaçao, south Caribbean |
Laraha (Citrus × aurantium subsp. currassuviencis),[1] or Curaçao orange (Citrus aurantium var. currassuviencis),[2] is the name of a citrus tree that grows on the island of Curaçao, and also the fruit of this tree. The name is cognate with Portuguese laranja for the orange. A descendant of the orange, the fruit of the laraha is too bitter and too fibrous to be considered edible.
History and use[edit]
Seville orange trees transplanted on Curaçao from Spain in 1527 did not thrive in the arid climate and soil of this Southern Caribbean island.[2] As the trees were then abandoned, the fruit evolved from a bright orange color into the green laraha. The dried peels of the laraha, however, were discovered to be pleasantly aromatic,[2] and experimentation with the extracts of these peels led to the creation of Curaçao liqueur.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Citrus sinensis xx currassuviencis". eol.org. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
- ^ a b c Carpenter, Dave (9 May 2015). "Orange Appeal". beerandbrewing.com. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
- Benjamin, Alan Fredric (2002). Jews of the Dutch Caribbean. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-27439-7.
- Gastmann, Albert (1978). Historical Dictionary of the French and Netherlands Antilles. Scarecrow Press. p. 110. ISBN 0-8108-1153-7.
