The colorful history of the Indian River Citrus District goes back to 1807, when Captain Douglas Dummitt, sailing south along the Florida East Coast smelled the fragrance of orange trees and was determined to find these trees and to secure some for his, not yet established, homestead. On the East Bank of the Indian River, north of Titusville, Captain Dummitt and his family settled on what is known today as the “north end” of Merritt Island, Florida. Immediately after the cabin was built, and his family safely secured, Captain Dummitt left to find the trees with the fragrance he enjoyed so much. The orange trees that he found and planted at his homestead were to be the first-known citrus grove in what is today the “Indian River Citrus District.” Even now some of these original trees may be found at the original site of the Dummitt house.Pink and Red Grapefruit
There are several varieties of pink and red grapefruit from Indian River. These include Thompson Pink, Red and Ruby Red among others. All are essentially seedless, with the difference between the Thompson variety and the others being that the others are redder in color. The rind of the red varieties is often also blushed red. These very juicy varieties generally mature between November and May..
Indian River Oranges
Oranges are one of the world's most popular fruits. There are many varieties of oranges that mature at different times of the year. Originally from the Far East, orange trees do well in Florida's subtropical climate. They may be eaten fresh, squeezed for juice and may peeled or segmented for use in salads and other dishes.
White Seedless Grapefruit
The fruits of this tree are light-yellow in color and are seedless. These fruits are noticeably lighter in color than the pink and red grapefruit varieties. Originally identified around 1860 near Lakeland, FL, this variety soon became one of the most widely planted. This fruit is oblate to round, are medium in size and the peel is light-yellow in color. It is smooth and mildly aromatic. It matures medium to late in season and it extremely juicy and rich in flavor.
The Indian River Citrus League produces some of the world's finest quality citrus!