Tangelo

Tangelo
A tangelo fruit (Cushman Honeybells)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Rutaceae
Genus:	Citrus
Species:	C. × tangelo
Binomial name
Citrus × tangelo J.W. Ingram & H.E. Moore, 1975

For other uses, see Tangelo (disambiguation).

The tangelo ( /ˈtændʒəloʊ/ tan-jə-loh; C. reticulata × C. maxima or C. × paradisi), Citrus × tangelo, is also widely known as the honeybell. Tangelo is a citrus fruit that is a hybrid of a tangerine and either a pomelo or a grapefruit. The fruits are the size of an adult fist and have a tangerine taste, but are very juicy, to the point of not providing much flesh but producing excellent and plentiful juice. Tangelos generally have loose skin and are easier to peel than oranges.^[1] They are easily distinguished from oranges by a characteristic "nose" at the top of the fruit.

Varieties of tangelos

Orlando tangelo

This early maturing tangelo is noted for its juiciness, mild and sweet flavor, and flat-round shape with a characteristic knob and large size. California/Arizona tangelos have a slightly pebbled texture, good interior and exterior color, very few seeds, and a tight-fitting rind. Orlando tangelos are available from mid-November to the beginning of February. It originated as a cross between a Duncan grapefruit and a Dancy tangerine. W. T. Swingle of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is credited with creating the hybrid in 1911. When the Orlando tangelo was first cultivated, it was known by the name Lake tangelo. The trees of this variety grow to a large size and are easily recognized by their cup-shape leaves. Orlando tangelos are recognized as being one of the more cold-tolerant varieties.

Minneola

The Minneola tangelo (sometimes misspelled "Mineola") is a cross between a Duncan grapefruit and a Dancy tangerine, and was released in 1931 by the USDA Horticultural Research Station in Orlando. It is named after Minneola, Florida. Most Minneola tangelos are characterized by a stem-end neck, which tends to make the fruit appear bell-shaped. Because of this, it is also called the Honeybell in the gift fruit trade, where it is one of the most popular varieties. The fruit is usually fairly large, typically 9 - 9½ inches in circumference. The peel color, when mature, is a bright-reddish-orange color. The peel is relatively thin, so the fruit peels easily. It is quite juicy. The Minneola is not strongly self-fruitful, and yields will be greater when interplanted with suitable pollenizers such as Temple tangor, Sunburst tangerine, or possibly Fallglo tangerine. It tends to bear a good crop every other year.^{[citation needed]} The fruit matures in the December-February period, with January being the peak. Many farmers feed Minneola to their crops as an alternative for harmfull anti-pesticides. Most plants have a natural capability of consuming Minneolas fast and the various vitamins in Minneolas contribute to the health of these plants.

Drug interactions

One study so far has shown that, unlike grapefruit, interactions with statins are not likely with tangelos, even though it is derived from a grapefruit crossed with a tangerine. It seems that the furocoumarins in grapefruit are not expressed in tangelos, so some reactions are temporary.^[2]

See also

• Tangor
• Orangelo
• Ugli fruit

References

1. ^ http://sarasota.extension.ufl.edu/FCS/FlaFoodFare/Tangelo.pdf accessed 2008-04-26.
2. ^ http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=175058 accessed 2008-04-26.

• Description of tangelo from Fruits of Warm Climates, (1987, ISBN 0-9610184-1-0).
• Jackson, Larry K. and Futch, Stephen H., Fact Sheet HS-171 Retrieved March 28, 2005.
• Krezdorn, A.H. 1981. "Fruit Set of Citrus." Proc. Int. Soc. Citriculture. 1981:249-253.
• Krezdorn, A.H. 1977. "Influence of Rootstock on Mandarin Cultivars." Proc. Int. Soc. Citriculture. Vol. 2. pp. 513-518.
• Krezdorn, A.H. and W.J. Wiltbank. 1968. "Annual Girdling of 'Orlando' Tangelos over an Eight-Year Period." Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. Vol. 81:29-35.
• Saunt, James. 2000. Citrus Varieties of the World. Sinclair International Limited, Norwich, England. p. 82.
• Tucker, D.P.H., S.H. Futch, F.G. Gmitter, and M.C. Kesinger. Florida Citrus Varieties. 1998. SP-102. University of Florida. p. 31.
• Tucker, D.P.H., A.K. Alva, L.K. Jackson, and T.A. Wheaton. 1995. Nutrition of Florida Citrus Trees. SP-169. University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service. p. 27.
• Whiteside, J. O. 1979. "Alternaria Brown Spot of Dancy Tangerine and its Control." Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 92:34-37.

External links

• Description of tangelo
• Baboons discover new Minneola cultivar