Alabama actually has a citrus industry, specifically satsuma oranges, Citrusreticulata Blanco ssp. unshiu (Marcow.) D.Rivera Núñez et al., and this is where the town of Satsuma, Alabama, got its name. Interestingly satsumas are also called emerald oranges so I wonder if it is just a coincidence that Orange Beach, Alabama is on the Emerald Coast. Satsuma oranges are basically mandarin oranges or tangerines that are virtually seedless although I have planted a few seeds from some I have eaten. Mandarin oranges originated in China, but the satsumas were developed in Japan. Satsuma is the most cold hardy species of citrus where mature specimens can briefly tolerate 15oF, but the original orchards in Alabama were finally wiped out by cold weather in about 1938, which was ironically one of the hottest years on record, so much for the credulity of global warming. I have seen trees planted nearly as far north as Birmingham, Alabama although in each case there is a contingency plan in case of cold weather. The fruit ripens over a period of time in late autumn, but it does not keep well, lasting only about a month in room temperature storage, but I don't keep them around that for long. The last ones grown in Alabama that I had came from the local Walmart, but about a month before when in Gulf Shores the Walmart had mandarin oranges from California despite Satsuma oranges being available locally. Another name used for marketing is easy peel oranges.
The original species of citrus include:
C. aurantifloia, key lime
C. maxima, pummelo
C. medica, citron, which is referred to as goodly fruit in the Bible
C. reticulata, mandarin orange
From these as best as known came the following:
Lemon, Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f., unknown origin
Lime, Citrus latifolia (Yu. Tanaka) Tanaka, unknown origin
Grapefruit, Citrus × paradisi (C. maxima × C. × sinensis)
Tangelo, Citrus × tangelo (C. reticulata × C. maxima or C. × paradisi)
Sweet orange, Citrus × sinensis (probably C. maxima × C. × reticulata)
Bitter orange, C. aurantium, unknown origin, included Seville and Bergamont orange where the rind of the later is used to flavor Earl Gray tea
