Oranges and Lemons Fun Facts

“Oranges and Lemons say the bells of St Clements”

Or so goes the eighteenth century nursery rhyme. Which at the very least gives us an idea how long these fruits have been popularly known in Britain. But it doesn’t tell us how long we’ve been eating and growing them. And, I don’t know about you, but I’m always curious for a bit of background on the fruits and vegetables we grow in our gardens. So I’ve put together some oranges and lemons fun facts, including citrus history, related botany and a few random itemsto share with you. Enjoy …

Firstly a Bevy of Botanical Facts

Citrus fruits are native to southern and eastern Asia. There are some 1200 species around today, but they come from only four main species of citrus. These are the citron, the pomelo, the mandarin and the papeda. And they themselves originated from one single common ancestor.

The botanical word for citrus peel is pericarp. It is divided into three parts: the exocarp, which we know as zest. The mesocarp, which is the white, spongy pith. Lastly the endocarp, which is the bit that clings to the fruit when you’ve peeled it.

Did you realise that the colour orange is named after the fruit, not the other way round? The word ‘orange’ is derived from the Sanskrit name ‘naranga’ for the fruit.

A handy lemon to have nearby? There is a form of the Citron known as ‘Buddha’s Hand’ where the fruit is shaped like a cluster of fingers. Its botanical name is Citrus medica var. digitata.

Earl Grey tea is not flavoured Bergamot flower, but with oranges and lemons. To be precise, Citrus bergamia. This produces an oil which has long been used as perfume and it gives Earl Grey tea its distinctive flavour.

Oranges and Lemons Fun Facts – A Whistlestop History Tour

The first mention of oranges is in poetical form, from c500BC. But the first book entirely written about oranges and lemons was by Han Yen-Chi “Chu lu” in 1178, with a detailed description of 28 different citrus fruits.

Of those four main citrus species, it was the citron which first travelled from China to India, Persia, Arabia and Palestine. Theophrastus, a Greek philosopher described the citron as growing in Persia and being used to sweeten breath and keep moths from clothes. By the middle of the first century CE, this hardy traveller was also being grown in southern Italy.

Sicily and Andalucía were both centres of citrus fruit growing by the eleventh century, thanks to Arabic agricultural knowledge. Their techniques included the terracing of slopes as well as preparing the soil, pruning and watering systems. These methods, combined with the climate, enabled the cultivation of citrus orchards on a large scale.

Queen Eleanor, wife of Edward I, hailed from Castile, which country adjoined Andalucía. She so missed the fruit of her childhood that a ship docked at Portsmouth in 1289 with a cargo including lemons, oranges and pomegranates especially for the homesick queen.

In the 15th century, lemons were considered exotic and their cost meant they were only enjoyed by the nobility.

Orange pies were enjoyed by the Tudor nobility. However, these pies were made with bitter oranges, similar to those we use for marmalade.

Sweet oranges probably arrived in Europe in the 15th century, but didn’t really become popular in Britain until the Reformation.

bitter oranges

Oranges and Lemons Fun Facts about Growing Them

Europe and the world’s, first ‘proper’ orangery was built at the new Botanic Garden in Padua, Italy in 1545. Prior to this, large wooden shelters had been used to protect citrus trees from the harsh northern European winters, with open fires burning during cold nights.

Although the oldest surviving example of an English orangery is at Ham House, built in the 1670s, this wasn’t the first. That was at Beddington, Sir Francis Carew’s estate, it was wooden and used stoves for heating. Carew and Lord Burghley at Hatfield grew the first orange trees in England.

However, for many rich owners, these orangeries were not just a greenhouse but a symbol of prestige and wealth. Citrus trees were not cheap to buy and certainly not cheap to keep healthy and productive.

The peak period for growing oranges and lemons in England was during the 17th to the 19th centuries.

Interestingly, whist we tend to say ‘Orangery’ to describe these citrus growing houses, and the term used in France is ‘Orangerie’, the Italians call theirs ‘Limonaia’. Possibly as their focus has been more on growing lemons!

If you wanted to grow your own orange or lemon tree from seed, be aware that it will probably tale about 6 years to get to fruiting maturity. And that the time scale depends on the type of citrus, some may take up to 15 years.

The citrus trees we buy are generally grafted onto a rootstock, a frequently used one is Trifoliata orange, or sour orange.

There are no commercial citrus orchards in the UK. The climate isn’t (currently!) warm enough for them to live outside year round, without protection. Plus the trees are too labour intensive for a successful commercial endeavour here. This may change if the mean temperature continues to rise…

And 3 Random facts

We add a slice of lemon to our gin and tonic to balance and enhance the flavour of botanicals. And possibly to reduce the ‘burn’ from the alcohol and also from quinine based tonic water.

The popular shrub, Philadelphus, is known as Mock Orange. And it is just that: no relation. But the fragrant blooms do resemble the scent of orange blossom, which is how it got its common name. Both large and small varieties of this deciduous shrub are available, to suit most sizes of garden. In flower it is a delight, out of flower less exciting, so surround with other plants to extend the interest.

You can make a battery by attaching electrodes to a lemon. Although you’d need quite a few lemons to power even a torch.

Back to our Nursery Rhyme: The lyrics for “Oranges and Lemons” were first published around 1744 in the “Pretty Song Book” by Tommy Thumb, although the song itself is older. They may refer to Henry VIII’s wives or to prisoners awaiting execution – or something completely different! There is a brass plaque inside the door commemorating the rhyme in St. Clement’s church, if you fancy a look.

And finally

This blog – oranges and lemons fun facts – was written to entertain you, and I hope I’ve succeeded. But you may have also been inspired to grow these citrus fruits for yourself. Helpfully, I’ve already written a blog on that – see below. And if you’d like a garden design created with pots of oranges and lemons on the terrace, do get in touch.

Or why not ask about our bespoke Gardening Lessons, where your classroom is actually your own garden? You could learn how to grow an orchard of citrus fruits in your conservatory. We can help with both gardening basics and more ‘expert tasks’, carry out worm and other experiments and for example, also show you how to plan a vegetable plot. Have a read through this pdf download for info. And if you prefer company, there are small group Gardening Workshops to come to.

For further gardening advice and inspiration, check out Plews Potting Shed blogs, including the selection below Plus we have a monthly Tipsheet You could come and find us on Instagram Pinterest and Facebook too.

Feeling nosey? You can have a peek at the progress of my garden renovation, Spitfires and Slow Worms, on Instagram and Facebook

You’ll get to see it in person if you come to the Plews Gardening Workshops Although later dates and topics still need to be finalised, there are already a few up on Eventbrite for you to book into. Follow for updates on topics and dates on Instagram, Eventbrite, Facebook