The Tangelo in a citrus fruit, hybrid between a mandarin and a grapefruit or an orange and its scientific name is Citrux x Tangelo, discovered around the year 1911.
The fruits that are marketed today correspond to the crosses made by farmers, seeking to intensify certain characteristics such as sweet taste similar to mandarin but without too much pulp, great juiciness and an extraordinary color.
Features
The mixture of these species is favored since both fruits are generically very similar and generally occur in climates and geographically similarIf fruit trees are located close enough together, the flowers can be pollinated effortlessly, and sometimes even spontaneously.
Tangelos usually have a fairly thin skin that comes off easily. It has a bright orange color and its pulp is yellow or orange. Another feature is that they usually have few seeds. In addition, the sweet taste of the mandarin combined with the bitter sourness of the grapefruit, it is usually pleasantly acid. Its sweetness may vary depending on the kind of Tangelo you are buying.
Variety of tangelos
Minneola Tangelos
This species is generally found in North America and Europe. It comes from the crossing of a Dancy mandarin and a Bowen grapefruit, being a fruit with a lot of juice and a little sweet taste.
Its shell is easy to removeIts flesh is orange, with small seeds and a green interior. For this fruit to grow properly, it needs to be planted in cool soil, with plenty of water, and adequate nutrition. This species exemplifies the characteristics farmers look for in their crops.
Tangelo nova
It first appeared around 1950, a sweeter-tasting fruit derived from the cross between a Clementine mandarin and the Minneola tangelo. Its main characteristics are its orange to red skin, dark orange flesh, and many seeds. Its trees are resistant to cold and adapts very well to different climates.
Tangelo ugli
It is believed that it was the cross between a tangerine and a grapefruit accidentally, having similar characteristics to the others, color between orange and light green, of moderate size, juicy flavor, without seeds and white inside.
Tangelo cultivation
Nowadays, food industries pay special attention to the production process. cultivation and harvest of the Tangelos, monitoring their flavor, color, size, and shelf life. Since the trees of this fruit are sterile, farmers must strive to create the best grafts that can maintain the characteristics of the various combinations over time.
Generally its trees bloom only once a year, taking into account that winter is when its fruits begin to ripen and remain fresh for several weeks after harvest. Its cultivation requires humid climates and deep, rock-free soils. They are usually large trees, with slightly sloping light green leaves.
Pests
Tangelos trees are often attacked by a diversity of pests such as whiteflies, fruit flies, mites, aphids, mealybugs and diseases such as gummosis, among others.
Uses
As the fruit peels easily, it is usually ideal as an aperitif, for a snack and even to make aromatic liqueurs. In gastronomy it can be used in any dish that can be combined with citrus flavors, being very common its use in sauces, dressings, salad dressings, juices, among others.
Because it is a citrus fruit, people with known citrus allergens should be especially careful when consuming this food. Likewise, if you take medications containing statins (like those used to control cholesterol), grapefruits are contraindicated as it reduces the action of the drug.