The white inflorescence of the bitter orange tree, a relative of the sweet orange and lemon trees, is native to India and China but has been cultivated for centuries in sunny regions.
National Orange Blossom Day is annually observed on June 27 in honour of this magnificent white flower. The orange blossom imparts a delightful citrusy scent to products used in food, perfumes, and a variety of other global applications.
The white inflorescence of the bitter orange tree, a relative of the sweet orange and lemon trees, is native to India and China but has been cultivated for centuries in sunny regions. It is now widespread throughout the Mediterranean Sea, from Italy to Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia.
According to mythology, the orange tree represents paradise and love, its white blossoms represent purity, and its fruit represents fertility. According to reports, this flower’s popularity spread throughout the Islamic empire and reached Spain in the ninth century. Three centuries later, the Crusaders introduced this aromatic plant to Sicily and then to Provence. Due to a nobleman’s wife, who wore orange blossom essence everywhere in Rome, its popularity grew significantly. This fragrance quickly became fashionable and diffused throughout the French Court. King Louis XIV, who was obsessed with fragrances from an early age, suffered from severe headaches. Only the delicate fragrance of orange blossoms calmed him; all other scents were overpowering. By the time the orange blossom reached England, its aroma had already captivated the entire world. Legends had spread across the continent of brides adorning their tresses with a bridal wreath of fresh orange blossoms. This resulted in the phrase ‘to gather orange blossoms,’ which meant ‘to pursue a wife.’
Since Queen Victoria wore an orange blossom wreath as a symbol of chastity at her wedding, the orange blossom has been associated with regal brides. It was rumoured that Queen Victoria was so enamoured with this flower that her husband, Prince Albert, gave her numerous valuable jewellery pieces shaped like this flower over the years. This affection inspired many other royal brides, including Queen Elizabeth, to incorporate orange blossoms into the design of their wedding dresses. There is even a Royal Albert English china pattern named ‘Orange Blossom.’ This orange blossom motif quickly spread to wedding bands, other china patterns, and even furniture. Popular sheet music included “Orange Blossoms Waltz” by G. Ludovic, “Orange Blossom Time is June” by George Spink and W.R. Williams, and “When It’s Orange Blossom Time in Loveland, I’ll Be Waiting at the Church for You” by Jeff Branen and Arthur Lange.
In the sixteenth century, the Spanish brought orange blossoms to Florida, in the state of Florida. Citrus plants have been essential to Florida’s economy ever since the climate there was suitable for their cultivation. At the same time that the orange blossom craze dominated nineteenth-century aristocratic brides, citrus was being grown throughout the United States.
Even today, this flower is associated with good fortune and is frequently used in wedding arrangements and wreaths, in addition to its many other applications.
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Only the state flower of Florida is used to create perfume.
Anne-Marie Orsini, the wife of Flavio Orsini, Prince of Nerola and Duke of Bracciano, added orange essence to her bathwater and mittens.
Orange blossoms are gathered at dawn, when they contain the highest concentration of odorous compounds.
This oil effectively cuts through grease, which is why it is popular in some commercial cleansers.
Beekeepers place their hives in citrus groves when the tiny flowers begin to blossom; the resulting flavour is distinctive and makes this delicacy highly desirable.
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | June 27 | Tuesday |
| 2024 | June 27 | Thursday |
| 2025 | June 27 | Friday |
| 2026 | June 27 | Saturday |
| 2027 | June 27 | Sunday |
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