The orange plant is believed to be native to Southeast Asia, mainly to the southeast and northeast India, Southern China, and Vietnam. The name 'orange' is presumably derived from the Sanskrit word, 'Nāraṅgaḥ' and the Telugu word 'Naringa', which after moving through different languages, ultimately became 'orange' in English.
✧ Different varieties of orange were grown in both southeast and northeast regions of India, dating back to around 7000 years ago. The fruit was used in various dishes, for the excellent flavor it imparts. In China, the cultivation of oranges was believed to begin in around 2500 BC.
✧ Many historians are of the opinion that the farmers of China established orange orchards by the beginning of the 1st century millennium, i.e., around 1000 AD. Soon, the nobility grew fond of this delightful fruit. This unleashed a competition among the cultivators to produce larger and tastier oranges, in order to please the nobility.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/history-of-orange-fruit.html