Sweet orange, sold in India as mosambi and in Tamil Nadu as sathukudi, is a hybrid of pomelo and mandarin and the most widely grown citrus in the world. Mosambi takes its name from Mozambique, through Portuguese traders, and sathukudi from Sathgudi in Andhra Pradesh. Its juice is sold at stalls across India. The Nagpur orange and kinnow are mandarins, not sweet oranges.
- Botanical name
- Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck
- Family
- Rutaceae
- Tamil
- Sathukudi
- Hindi
- Mausambi-santara
- Sanskrit
- Nāraṅga
- Parts used
- Fruit
- Habit
- Sweet orange; mosambi and sathukudi in Indian markets
- Last updated
- 2026-10-27
How to recognise Sathukudi
It is an evergreen tree with a rounded crown and small thorns or none.
The leaves are glossy and oval, with narrow wings on the leaf stalk.
Fragrant white flowers grow singly or in small clusters.
The fruit is round, with a thin, tight skin that is hard to peel and green to orange in India.
Mandarins have loose, easy-peeling skin.
Traditional use of Sathukudi
Kitchen
Mosambi juice is pressed fresh at roadside stalls and given to people recovering from illness.
Indian food practice
Farming
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and the Marathwada region of Maharashtra are the main Indian growing areas.
Indian horticultural practice
Modern notes on Sathukudi
Sweet oranges are rich in vitamin C and supply folate and potassium.
Brazil is the largest producer, mostly for juice.
Citrus greening disease, spread by a tiny insect, has devastated orange groves in Florida and threatens Indian orchards.
In tropical India the skin often stays green when ripe because nights are not cold enough to break down chlorophyll.
Sathukudi safety
Oranges are a safe fruit. Fresh juice has much less fibre than the whole fruit and is high in sugar, so whole fruit is a better everyday choice.
Ecology and sourcing
It arose in southern China and North-east India from crosses of pomelo and mandarin.
Bees visit the fragrant flowers.
Orchard trees are grafted, so seedlings are rarely planted.
Related plants
Also in Rutaceae
Questions about Sathukudi
Is mosambi an orange?
Yes. It is a sweet orange.
Is Nagpur orange a sweet orange?
No. It is a mandarin.
Why is Indian mosambi green?
Warm nights keep the skin green even when ripe.
What does sathukudi mean?
It is named after Sathgudi in Andhra Pradesh.
Is juice as good as the fruit of Sathukudi?
The whole fruit has more fibre.
Sources
- Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q3355098 (Citrus sinensis)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.