The Cara Cara navel orange, or red-fleshed navel orange, is an early-to-midseason navel orange noted for its pinkish-to-reddish-orange flesh. It is believed to have developed as a spontaneous bud mutation on a "standard" Washington navel orange tree. A botanical sport discovered at the Hacienda Caracara in

Valencia, Venezuela Valencia () is the capital city of Carabobo State and the third-largest city in Venezuela. The city is an economic hub that contains Venezuela's top industries and manufacturing companies. It is also the largest city in the Valencia-Maracay m ...

, in 1976, " ..discovered in 1976 as a mutation of
Washington navel orange
in Valencia, Venezuela." the cara cara appears to be of such uncertain parentage as to occasionally warrant the distinction of a ''mutation'', with only the tree on which it was found—the Washington navel—being an accepted progenitor. Cara Caras did not enter the U.S consumer produce market until the late 1980s and were carried only by specialty markets for many years thereafter.

Characteristics

This medium-sized navel is seedless, sweet and low in acid. It is characterized by little to no

pith Pith, or medulla, is a tissue in the stems of vascular plants. Pith is composed of soft, spongy parenchyma cells, which in some cases can store starch. In eudicotyledons, pith is located in the center of the stem. In monocotyledons, it ex ...

and easy, clean separation from the rind. Unlike in true

blood oranges Blood orange is a variety of orange with crimson, blood-colored flesh. Blood orange may also refer to: Film * Blood Orange (1953 film), ''Blood Orange'' (1953 film), starring Tom Conway, U.S. title ''Three Stops to Murder'' * Blood Orange (2016 f ...

, where the main pigmentation is due to

anthocyanins Anthocyanins (), also called anthocyans, are water-soluble vacuolar pigments that, depending on their pH, may appear red, purple, blue, or black. In 1835, the German pharmacist Ludwig Clamor Marquart named a chemical compound that gives flow ...

, pigmentation in Cara Cara oranges is due to

carotenoid Carotenoids () are yellow, orange, and red organic pigments that are produced by plants and algae, as well as several bacteria, archaea, and fungi. Carotenoids give the characteristic color to pumpkins, carrots, parsnips, corn, tomatoes, cana ...

s, such as

lycopene Lycopene is an organic compound classified as a tetraterpene and a carotene. Lycopene (from the Neo-Latin '' Lycopersicon'', the name of a former tomato genus) is a bright red carotenoid hydrocarbon found in tomatoes and other red fruits and ve ...

Season

From the major growing regions,

South American South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...

Cara Caras are ready for market starting in August, whereas Venezuelan fruits arrive in October and California fruits make their seasonal debut in late November and are available through April.

References

{{citrus Citrus Orange cultivars