9a

A garden citrus tree bearing yellow fruit

Bloomsweet Grapefruit, Kinkoji

Kinkoji (Citrus obovoidea), sold in Texas as Bloomsweet grapefruit, is an old Japanese citrus of unknown parentage, most likely a pummelo × mandarin hybrid. Growers report that mature trees survive about 14 to 15°F (−10 to −9°C), which makes it one of the more cold-tolerant grapefruit-type citrus, though its hardiness has never been measured in a published trial. The vigorous tree reaches 10 to 13 ft (3 to 4 m). Its large, yellow-orange fruit, round to slightly pear-shaped with a thick rind, ripens from late fall into winter; the juicy flesh is mildly acidic and not bitter, with 10 to 15 seeds. Good fresh, juiced or made into marmalade. Best suited to USDA zones 8b and 9 on a trifoliate-type rootstock.

A whole and partly peeled rough yellow-orange citrus fruit

Ugli Tangelo (Ugly)

Origin: Ugly, or ‘Ugli fruit’, is the commercial name of the Jamaican tangelo. Discovered growing wild around 1917, it is […]

A yellow citrus fruit hanging among narrow leaves

Pearl Tangelo

Origin: Pearl tangelo is a hybrid created in California by Howard B. Frost in 1915. It comes from a cross […]

Two orange citrus fruit hanging in a garden

Orlando Tangelo

Origin: Orlando tangelo is the brother of Minneola tangelo. Obtained in 1911 by W.T. Swingle in Florida, it comes from […]

Large green citrus fruit hanging among leaves

Minneola Tangelo

Minneola tangelo (Citrus × tangelo ‘Minneola’) is a hybrid between the Duncan grapefruit and the Dancy mandarin created in Florida in 1931, famous for its characteristic pear shape with a prominence at the top (the ‘neck’). Its hardiness reaches 16°F (−9°C) on the tree, making it suitable for in-ground growing in USDA zones 8b and 9a. The vigorous tree reaches 10 to 16 ft (3 to 5 m) with a spreading habit, evergreen foliage, and fragrant white flowers. Its deep red-orange fruits, large (9 to 12 oz, or 250 to 350 g), with thin, easy-to-peel skin, seedless or nearly so, ripen in January to March and offer very juicy, sweet, slightly tart flesh with a complex aroma between mandarin and grapefruit. Excellent fresh, as juice, and in salads. Graft onto Poncirus trifoliata for hardiness, plant against a south wall, well-drained soil and winter mulching.

Whole and halved pale yellow citrus fruit on a kitchen board

Wekiwa Tangelo

Origin: Wekiwa (or Wekiwa Tangelo) is a complex cross obtained by the USDA in Florida in 1909. It is in […]

Large yellow citrus fruit hanging among leaves

Enzo Grapefruit

Origin: Enzo grapefruit is a more recent selected variety, often offered by specialist nurseries in the Mediterranean. It belongs to […]

A potted citrus tree bearing yellow fruit beside a wall

Citrus Lemonade

Origin: Originating in New Zealand (discovered in the 1980s), Citrus Lemonade is a natural hybrid, probably a cross between a […]

Whole and halved yellow citrus fruit on a pale background

Dioscuria Lemon

Origin: Dioscuria is a lemon cultivar offered by French specialist nurseries, which describe it as an original lemon halfway between […]

Whole and halved dark red-fleshed citrus fruit on a kitchen board

Amoa 8

Origin: Amoa 8 is an exceptional Italian hybrid developed by the CRA-ACM research center in Acireale, Sicily. It comes from […]

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