Had a chat with my neighbor who was wondering if the wonderful navel orange he used to enjoy in Majorca, Spain is available anywhere in the USA? He described it as a large navel orange, with loose skin that peels like a mandarin, has a very large navel almost like a second "orange in an orange", and very thin-membraned. And incredibly sweet and juicy. Anyone know whether or not this is available in the USA, or if UCR has the budwood? I'd love to to be able to find this for him. Thanks so much!

I don't think Majorca is the name of an orange, but it is the name of an area in Spain where there are many orange groves. - (Millet 367 ABO-)

In all the old books I've found online, it refers to this navel orange as "Majorca" or "Mallorca" navel orange. They're famously grown in Soller. I'm hoping that maybe one of our list members might be able to identify the actual name? And if I'm very very lucky, UCR had budwood. I'd love to find this for my neighbor if at all possible, even if I have to graft to get it.

Majorca is the main island of the balearic islands:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majorca

http://www.seemallorca.com/food-and-drink/local-produce/mallorcan-oranges-and-lemons.html

Exactly, Sylvain. My neighbor lived in Spain with his family for about a year or two while he was in high school. He was originally from the S. California beach area and was a surfer. He traveled the coast of Spain surfing, and went over to Majorca to surf as well. When he would visit Majorca, he said he would have the most incredible oranges there. They were this navel orange that peeled like a mandarin, had extremely thin membranes and a really large twin or navel. He was hoping I could find out the name of this navel orange, and see if we have them available here in the US, and more specifically in California. I was hoping that maybe we had a Spanish forum member who might know the name of this variety. I am hoping to be able to go to the UCR Citrus Day coming up here in a couple of weeks, so I will be asking the folks at UCR if they know of this particular navel orange.

How about trying to contact someone in Majorca. If it is a variety from Soller, it shouldnt be too hard to find out. On the other hand there are probably hundreds of navel orange vars at USDA, and they still may not have it.

That's what I think I'm going to do, pagnr. There is a lovely resort in Soller that grows these navel oranges - you can even adopt a navel orange tree in exchange for fruit, marmalade, etc. They may be able to give me the exact name. Love to be able to adopt a tree, but alas, I'd never be able to receive fruit, sigh.

Patty S.

Oops. Forgot to include the link to the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rT0maDo1Cc

The gentlemen on your video, may or may not, have the navel orange you are interested in, as his grove was recently re-planted with new trees. The variety of navels grown in Majorca are more than likely, one of the varieties listed under Navel Oranges on the CCPP web site. - Millet (355 ABO-)

Yes, but figured he might know. And, not able to find any other growers' web sites to ask. That was the only grower I could find on the Internet. And, went through all the navel oranges at the UCR Citrus Variety web site, and none really sounded like "the one". A few from Spain, but that's not quite the same as Majorca. But, if I end up gaining a spot to attend Citrus Day at UC Riverside, I'll be sure to ask about it And, if there is budwood available. If I can't buy it, I'll have to graft it, then.

List of navel orange varieties in IVIA (Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias) germoplasm bank in Spain.:

ADRIAN IVIA - 229
APOPKA IVIA - 201
BARNFIELD (R)(E) IVIA - 351
BERMAR IVIA - 163
BONANZA IVIA - 67
CARA CARA IVIA - 300
CELIA IVIA - 156
CHISLETT (R)(E) IVIA - 454
CRAM IVIA - 211
DREAM IVIA - 213
FISHER IVIA - 199
FUKUMOTO-1 (E) IVIA - 364
GODAYLA (PR) IVIA - 272
LANE LATE IVIA - 198
LANE LATE NUCELAR IVIA - 458
LENG IVIA - 216
MAS BARO IVIA - 232
MONCAR IVIA - 159
MORITA IVIA - 324
NAVEL CON SEMILLAS IVIA - 467
NAVELATE AM IVIA - 72
NAVELATE BURRIUM IVIA - 160
NAVELATE GIRONA IVIA - 5
NAVELATE NUCELAR IVIA - 456
NAVELATE P-2 IVIA - 2
NAVELATE PIQUER IVIA - 157
NAVELINA ENL-1 IVIA - 293
NAVELINA NUCELAR IVIA C 457
NAVELINA RICART IVIA - 7
NAVELINA TORRENTE IVIA - 56
NEGRA IVIA - 442
NEWHALL IVIA - 55
PINALATE (R) IVIA - 266
POWELL (R)(E) IVIA - 352
PRIMAVERA GIL IVIA - 329
RICALATE (R) IVIA - 231
ROHDE SUMMER (R)(E) IVIA - 357
SANGRE IVIA - 153
SWEET IVIA - 269
TARAZONA IVIA - 252
TARDIA PEGO IVIA - 133
THOMSON IVIA - 538
WASHINGTON FOYOS IVIA - 45
WASHINGTON FROST IVIA - 222
WASHINGTON PARENT IVIA - 123
WASHINGTON PRECOZ IVIA - 6
WORKMAN IVIA - 174

Thanks, Radoslav. Now, to figure out which of the 47 varieties might be the one mostly grown in Majorca with the previously listed characteristics.
I could try contacting IVIA and ask them, perhaps. Time to brush up my Spanish.