The evergreen orange trees grow up to 10 meters high with a short trunk and compact crown. They produce flowers and fruits at the same time - the combination of the dark green foliage, the small white flowers, which are fragrant for a long way, and the bright orange fruits is particularly attractive. The green fruits turn vivid orange only when night temperatures drop below 17 °C.

The name orange, commonly used in northern Germany, indicates the origin of the orange: it means "apple from China". There it probably originated from a cross between grapefruit and tangerine. Around 1500, the Portuguese brought the sweet oranges from the Orient for the first time. Today it is grown worldwide in countries with subtropical climates; because it does not tolerate drought, a good water supply is crucial. The main producers are Brazil, California, Florida and China; in Europe, Spain and Italy are the leaders. The bulk of the harvest is processed into orange juice.

During juice production, orange peels accumulate in large quantities. The essential oil is cold-pressed from them and purified by subsequent distillation. With over 15,000 tons per year, the thin-bodied and yellow-orange orange oil is by far the most common essential oil. It is used as an additive to cosmetic products and for flavoring foodstuffs. It lends a pleasant fragrance to cleaning agents, where its fat-dissolving properties also come into play. Orange oil consists of over 90 percent limonene, which is responsible for the orange scent and also has an insecticidal effect.