Navel oranges get their name from a small navel formation on the blossom end which protrudes slightly and resembles a human navel. Their widespread distribution and long growing season makes them very popular. They are easy to peel and separate in segments because of their thick skin. Their flavor is rich and juicy, and usually seedless. They are available mid October to late June.
The Valencia orange was planted in Santa Ana, California. Its name comes from the city of Valencia, Spain, known through history for its sweet orange trees. Valencias are the most widely grown variety, able to adapt to all citrus growing areas. Since they are juicier, don’t turn bitter during storage, and harder to peel than navels, they are usually juiced.Their skin is thin and tough to peel, and have anywhere from 0 to 7seeds per fruit. Valencias are very sweet and have a vibrant colored juice that other citrus fruit doesn’t have. They are a late season fruit and only variety of orange in season during the summer. They are available February to November, but their peak harvesting time is May to July.
This orange is a cross between two different types of navels. A Washington navel and the Brazilian Bahia navel. They were discovered in Hacienda Cara Cara in Venezuela, and then brought to Florida and later to California. The medium sized navel is sweet tasting with hints of cherry. It has a distinct pinkish red interior and tend to have very few, if any, seeds. They are available in late November to April.
The Tangerine is a smaller citrus fruit compared to oranges and is also referred to as a Mandarin orange. They are easier to peel and split into segments. Most of them have seeds. They are also sweet and less sour or tart than oranges. Tangerines are in season from October to March, and since there are so many varieties of tangerines, it can vary.
Tangelos are a citrus fruit hybrid between mandarins and grapefruit. The most popular variety is the Minneola. Tangelos tend to be a winter fruit and are available December to April. Tangelos are the size of an adult fist and can be distinguished by the “nipple” characteristic at the stem. They have a bright orange peel that is easy to remove, and the fruit is juicy but mildly sweet.
Clementines are a variety of mandarin orange and the smallest orange in the mandarin family. They were named in 1902 and was introduced into California commercial agriculture in 1914. Their exterior is a deep orange color with a smooth glossy appearance. They are easy to peel and almost always seedless. Clementines are sweet and juicy with less acid than oranges. They are available mid November to January.
This large fruit comes in many varieties, from white, blush pink, and red, due to the pigment in their rind. The main white varieties include Sweetie, Marsh, and Oroblanco. The most common with a pink blush is, Thompson and Ruby Red. For the deep red is, Rioand Star Ruby. They are very juicy and their flavors varies from sweet to tart as well as some having seeds and others seedless, and typically their peels are golden yellow. Grapefruit season is exceptionally long and can be year round in certain climates.
Oroblanco is also called Sweetie. It Is a cross between a white grapefruit and an acidless pummelo. They are completely seedless when grown in isolation and few seeds when pollinated. Early in the season they have a bright green exterior. As the season progresses, green fades into golden yellow. Oroblancos are as big or bigger than a medium sized grapefruit, and have a slightly thicker rind and smaller interior than a grapefruit. The most noteworthy element of an Oroblanco, is the flavor. It’s sweet and lacks the bitterness of a grapefruit. Available November through mid April.
Another name the Pummelo is referred to by is, Shaddock or Chinese grapefruit, and botanically known as Citrus Grandis. This is the largest of all citrus fruit and closely resembles a grapefruit. They can grow as big or bigger than a grapefruit, have thicker green to yellow skin, firm flesh, and 16 to 18 segments compared to the grapefruit which has about 12 segments. Interior color varies from white to deep pink. They are available November through early April.