Rosy Red Valencia Oranges
Estimated Inventory, 88 ct : 10.44
This item was last sold on : 07/02/25
Description/Taste
Rosy Red Valencia oranges often vary in appearance but are similar in size to a conventional Valencia orange, averaging 6.5 to 7.7 centimeters in length and 7.4 to 8.5 centimeters in diameter. The variety typically weighs between 182.6 and 294.6 grams at harvest and has a round, oblate, or ellipsoid shape with blunt, curved edges. The rind is smooth, semi-thin, and tightly adhered to the flesh, featuring tiny oil glands across the surface, giving it a slightly pebbled consistency. Rosy Red Valencia oranges are distinguished by their variegated rind coloring and signature blush. Each fruit will be unique in its marbling of orange, yellow, and red hues, and some fruits bear defined striping. Rosy Red Valencia oranges develop a darker blush later in the season, and occasionally select fruits may also re-green, meaning green hues will appear on the surface, regardless of maturity. Underneath the surface, the flesh also showcases pink, red, and orange hues, and this pigmented coloring extends into the pith, which is primarily white in other orange cultivars. The flesh is comprised of elongated vesicles of variable length. Vesicles are the membranous sacs that hold the juice in the flesh, giving the fruits their notably aqueous, tender, and succulent nature. The flesh also has a firm consistency, divided into 10 to 11 segments, and is lightly seeded, containing 0 to 3 seeds per fruit. Rosy Red Valencia oranges are edible raw once ripe and average around 12 Brix, a unit of measurement for sugar in the flesh. The variety has a balanced sugar-to-acid ratio, creating a delicate, refreshing, sweet, and subtly tangy taste.
Seasons/Availability
Rosy Red Valencia oranges are available in California from May through August, with a peak season in June and July.
Current Facts
Rosy Red Valencia oranges, botanically classified as Citrus sinensis, are a sweet orange variety belonging to the Rutaceae or citrus family. The pigmented cultivar is a natural mutation of an Olinda Valencia orange and was discovered growing from a distinct branch on an Olinda tree in the Central Valley of California in the early 21st century. Rosy Red Valencia oranges were chosen as a new commercial variety for their pink-red blushed rind, juice, and flesh. The oranges are sometimes called a blush pink type of Valencia orange and are also patented under Lange Rosy Red Valencia, Lange being the last name of their discoverer and grower, Nancy B. Lange. Rosy Red Valencia oranges develop on moderately vigorous trees averaging around 2.4 meters in height and are grown on Rich 16 and Carrizo rootstocks. The fruits are positioned for fresh market sales and juice production and are promoted as a summer citrus. It is important to note that Rosy Red Valencia oranges and Cara Cara oranges are often compared, but are different varieties. Rosy Red Valencia oranges arrive at markets in the summer, while Cara Cara oranges are primarily found in the winter through late spring. Rosy Red Valencia oranges also have a pigmented pith, or the albedo, and a blushed exterior. When in season, Rosy Red Valencia oranges are a specialty variety currently only planted by commercial growers. Production is expanding, and the fruits are sold as a seasonal, fresh-eating delicacy.
Nutritional Value
Rosy Red Valencia oranges are noted for their beta-carotene and lycopene content, which are antioxidants with properties to protect overall bodily health and act as an anti-inflammatory. Unlike blood oranges, which are pigmented by anthocyanins, Rosy Red Valencia oranges are solely colored by beta-carotene and lycopene, distinguishing them from other blushed orange varieties. Outside of their pigmented nature, Rosy Red Valencia oranges have not been extensively studied for their vitamin and mineral content. Valencia-type oranges, in general, are sources of vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, fiber to aid in digestion, and potassium to help the body balance fluid levels. Oranges also provide calcium and phosphorus to support bone and teeth development, magnesium to control nerve functions, and copper to assist in producing connective tissues.
Applications
Rosy Red Valencia oranges have a delicate, sweet, and tangy flavor suited for raw and cooked preparations. The variety is primarily promoted as a fresh eating fruit and is enjoyed out of hand or in slices as a refreshing snack. Rosy Red Valencia oranges are also tossed into salads, added to fruit medleys, or diced and served as a topping over seafood. The fruit’s peel is sometimes used as a garnish for its variegated coloring, and it can be zested into sweet and savory dishes. The flesh is also added to parfaits, diced into salsa, or incorporated into crunchy slaws. Beyond fresh eating, the second most popular use of Rosy Red Valencia oranges is as a juice. The variety develops a well-balanced pink-red juice that remains pigmented for extended periods. This makes the juice ideal for cocktails, frozen beverages, and other drinks. Rosy Red Valencia orange juice can also be simmered into glazes and sauces for roasted meats, or cooked into marmalades, preserves, and syrups. Try adding Rosy Red Valencia oranges to desserts calling for common commercial oranges. The pigmented fruits add color and flavor to scones, cookies, cakes, and other baked goods. Rosy Red Valencia oranges pair well with herbs like cilantro, parsley, thyme, and mint, meats such as duck, pork, and poultry, and spices, including cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and anise. Whole, unopened Rosy Red Valencia oranges can be kept at room temperature for a few days or stored in the refrigerator for a few weeks.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Rosy Red Valencia oranges have several distinct characteristics that help define them as a separate variety from Olinda Valencia oranges beyond their pigmented flesh. The original mutated branch bore unusual foliage, producing pointed, variegated leaves. The leaves are initially pale and become greener with time, remaining lighter than the other leaves on the Olinda Valencia tree. This characteristic is present on all the cultivated Rosy Red Valencia trees, giving them an easy-to-recognize nature. Rosy Red Valencia oranges also produce chimeras, a common genetic mutation that gives the fruits distinct striping. Chimeras are naturally occurring, and on Rosy Red Valencia oranges, portions of the rind do not develop a pigmented blush, giving them a two-toned or striped appearance. These genetic mutations do not affect the quality or flavor of the fruit and are valued as a natural method of adding diversity to oranges for fresh markets.
Geography/History
Rosy Red Valencia oranges were discovered in the San Joaquin Valley of California in 2009. Grower Nancy B. Lange was notified by a fieldman that one of the Olinda Valencia orange trees in her orchard had produced a spontaneous mutation on a branch. The entire branch was distinct from the rest of the tree, including the leaves and fruits, and Lange sent portions of the tree to be tested through the California Department of Food and Agriculture, or CDFA, to be registered with the State of California. The tree was later approved for registration, and in 2012, buds were taken and successfully grafted, creating sixteen daughter trees from the original mutated branch. These sixteen trees were eventually used to produce four hundred trees in 2014, and the first experimental blocks of the new variety were established. In 2015, budwood was tested and approved by the California Clonal Protection Program at the University of California, Riverside, allowing it to be licensed to commercial nurseries. By 2018, the new variety was granted a plant patent under the name Lange Rosy Red Valencia, and in 2019, the first commercial planting occurred. Production expanded in 2023, and the first commercial harvest was recorded on July 15th, 2023. The second harvest occurred in 2024, and TreeSource Nursery has an exclusive contract to propagate and sell the variety in the state of California. Today, Rosy Red Valencia oranges are available in limited quantities as a specialty citrus and are primarily found through select wholesalers and retailers in California.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| Salt & Whiskey | San Diego CA | 619-544-1886 |
| The Roxy Encinitas | Encinitas CA | 760-230-2899 |
| Ridgeview Health Center | San Diego CA | 858-293-3950 |
| Paradisaea Restaurant | La Jolla CA | 732-915-6669 |
| Born & Raised | San Diego CA | 619-944-1631 |
| Paradisaea Bar | La Jolla CA | 732-915-6669 |
| The Guild Hotel | San Diego CA | 619-764-5108 |
| Mission Ave Bar and Grill | Oceanside CA | 760-717-5899 |
| Berry Good Food Foundation | La Jolla CA | 619-666-1633 |
| Piatti | San Diego CA | 858-454-1589 |
| La Costa Resort & Spa Main Kitchen | Carlsbad CA | 760-930-7063 |
| Gold Finch | San Diego CA | 619-804-2051 |
| Fresh Sushi Catering | Carlsbad CA | 858-344-7098 |
| Vertex - Merryfield Row | San Diego CA | 619-405-8950 |
| Wolf In the Woods | San Diego CA | 619-851-7275 |
| Georges at the Cove | San Diego CA | 858-454-4244 |
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