Orange is a vibrant and energetic color that is found abundantly in nature. From fruits and vegetables to animals, flowers, and minerals, many natural objects feature the striking hue. In this article, we will explore some of the most notable naturally occurring orange items and examine what causes them to take on this bright pigment.
Fruits and Vegetables
Many of the most popular fruits and vegetables are orange. This is because they contain carotenoids, pigments that absorb certain wavelengths of light and reflect orange and yellow hues. Some of the most common orange produce includes:
| Oranges | Carrots |
| Mangoes | Sweet Potatoes |
| Apricots | Pumpkins |
| Peaches | Butternut Squash |
| Papayas | Cantaloupe |
Oranges are perhaps the quintessential orange fruit. Their peel contains carotenoids like beta-cryptoxanthin and beta-carotene, the same pigments that color their juicy flesh. Mangoes also contain these pigments in their pulpy flesh and fibrous peel. Peaches are orange because their flesh and skin harbor carotenoids.
Carrots are one of the most common orange vegetables. They accumulate a type of carotenoid called beta-carotene in their root tissues as they grow. Sweet potatoes also build up massive amounts of beta-carotene in their tuberous roots, giving them their vivid orange color. Pumpkins, butternut squash, and cantaloupe melons also owe their orange hues to carotenoids like beta-carotene.
Animals
Many animals also exhibit orange coloration. Some of the most striking examples include:
| Monarch Butterflies | Goldfish |
| Clownfish | Caribbean Spiny Lobsters |
| Orange Baboons | Orangutans |
Butterflies like monarchs contain carotenoid pigments similar to those found in many plants. The vibrant, burnt orange coloring acts as a warning to potential predators that the monarch is toxic or distasteful.
Goldfish and clownfish also exhibit orange hues due to carotenoid accumulation in their skin and scales. The lobsters obtain their reddish-orange tint from a pigment called astaxanthin bound to their exoskeletons. This pigment acts as a shield against the sun’s ultraviolet radiation.
Certain primates are orange, as well. Orange baboons have fur containing a mixture of the melanin pheomelanin, which gives a reddish-orange color, and brown/black eumelanin. Orangutans have orange fur for similar reasons, containing both pheomelanin and small amounts of eumelanin.
Plants and Flowers
Many striking flowers and plants also display vibrant orange tones. Examples include:
| Marigolds | California Poppies |
| Daylilies | Bird of Paradise |
| Trumpet Vine | Crocosmias |
Marigolds contain carotenoid pigments in their petals, especially lutein. This gives them their sunny orange and yellow colors. California poppies also harbor carotenoids like betalain in their delicate petals.
Daylilies exhibit a stunning display of orange tones from light peach to deep crimson. These perennial flowers build up high levels of carotenoids like beta-carotene in their petals as they bloom. The flowers of birds of paradise similarly contain beta-carotene and other carotenoids.
Trumpet vines and Crocosmia owe their brilliant reddish-orange hues to anthocyanins, pigments that reflect red to purple light. These pigments act as sunscreens for the plant tissues they color.
Geological Formations
Interestingly, geological processes can also create natural orange formations and minerals. Examples include:
| Bixbite | Amber |
| Iron Oxide | Jasper |
Bixbite, also known as red beryl, is a rare, brilliantly colored mineral made of beryllium, aluminum, silicon, and oxygen. Trace amounts of manganese impart its vivid reddish-orange hue. Bixbite forms through volcanic processes and is found in certain granite pegmatites.
Amber is fossilized tree resin, often containing preserved insects and plant matter. As the resin ages over millions of years, chemical changes result in its warm orange color. Iron oxide compounds like hematite and limonite can also lend orange hues to geological sediments and soils. These form when iron chemically interacts with air, water, or clay.
Jasper is an opaque and patterned variety of quartz formed through volcanic processes. Impurities of iron oxides create its reddish and orange tints.
Food Dyes and Pigments
Many common food items also appear orange because manufacturers add coloring agents like dyes and natural pigments:
| Orange Juice | Cheese |
| Sodas | Cereals |
| Candy | Margarine |
The vibrant color of orange juice comes mainly from added compounds. Grocery store orange juice is often formulated with food dyes like Yellow 6 to boost color. Natural pigments like annatto and paprika extract also add orange tones.
Cheese makers add annatto extract during production to give many cheddars and other cheeses an orange hue. Sodas like orange Fanta use Yellow 6 along with burnt sugar for an orangey tang. Many candies, cereals, and spreads also contain artificial dyes to mimic natural orange tones.
Conclusion
Orange is truly a versatile color that nature produces through various chemical and biological processes. From the carotenoids in plants, fruits, and animals to the iron oxides of minerals and rocks, many natural compounds can generate vivid shades of orange. Human-made additives like annatto and food dyes also mimic these natural tones in common grocery store foods. So the next time you come across something orange, take a closer look and consider what might be creating its lively color.
