Citrus Family - Rutaceae

Citron - Buddha's Hand

This mutation apparently originated in Northeastern India and is popular as a curiosity. It has no seeds and no or very little juiceless flesh. The rind is, as with other citrons, highly aromatic. In the West the fingers are used as peel would be, but also can be thinly sliced for salads and the like. The white pith is not bitter as it is in most citrus so can be included with the yellow zest. In Asia it is used to perfume rooms and personal items.   Details and Cooking.   Photo by Voyou Desoeuvre distributed under Creative Commons v2.0 license.

Citron

These fruits are fairly large and can grow up to 6 inches long, but the rind is very thick and what little flesh they may have is dry and full of seeds. Shape and skin texture varies greatly depending on where on the tree the fruit grew. The citron was known during Roman times, at first for medicinal purposes, to repel insects and as a perfume, but by the 2nd century CE was being used in cooking as well. The peel is candied for use in fruitcakes and other baked goods and is featured in the Hebrew holiday of Sukkot.   Details and Cooking.   Photo by Yankelowitz contributed to the public domain.

Kabosu

This Japanese citrus fruit is, like the Yuzu, thought to be a cross between a sour mandarin and an Ichang papeda (Ichang lemon, Citrus ichangensis). This fruit is very much like the Sudachi and very similarly used. It is generally sold when it is green and between 1-1/2 and 2 inches diameter.   Photo by B.K. Bullock contributed to the public domain.

Sudachi

This Japanese citrus fruit is, like the Yuzu, thought to be a cross between a sour mandarin and an Ichang papeda (Ichang lemon, Citrus ichangensis). The fruit is generally sold when it is green and between 1-1/2 and 2 inches diameter, when they are at the height of their flavor. A few are sold when ripe and bright yellow. These are most favored for their tart spicy juice but the zest is also used. They are used to flavor fish, soups and mushrooms, and used in ponzu blends. Some are now grown in Southern California and sold, in late summer and early fall, at the Beverly Hills and Santa Monica Farmer's markets, places I wouldn't go on a bet. High price Westside chefs scramble for them before the official opening times.   Photo by Lexicon contributed to the public domain.

Yuzu

Believed to be a cross between a sour mandarin and an Ichang papeda (Ichang lemon, Citrus ichangensis), this citrus native to East Asia is usually about 2-1/2 inches in diameter though can grow to almost 4 inches. It is relatively cold tolerant so able to be grown in Japan. The flavor is similar to grapefruit with hints of mandarin but it is seldom eaten. The zest is used as a garnish and the juice is used similarly to lemon juice, particularly in the Japanese sauce ponzu. Oil from the peel is marketed as a fragrance.   Photo by Titanium22 distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution v2.5.

Eureka & Lisbon Lemon

Meyer Lemon

Ponderosa Lemon

The giant of the lemon world, it's actually a cross between a lemon and a citron. This small tree is grown mainly as an ornamental but the fruit has good lemon flavor and produces a lot of juice. The fruit is roughly spherical with a thick bumpy skin and can weigh up to 2 pounds. The photo specimen was about 8 inches diameter.   Photo by Kowloonese placed in the Public Domain.

Preserved Lemon

An essential for the cuisine of Morocco and the rest of North Africa, with use extending through the Middle East, India and Cambodia. They were formerly used in England and North America, but improved transportation now brings fresh lemons. Their brine is still used in Bloody Marys and the like.

Preserved lemons can be found packed in jars in markets serving a North African or Levantine community, but are better made at home (see below). Those imported from Egypt are small, about 1-3/8 inches diameter, weighing 3/4 ounce. Those made in North America are quite a bit larger. The photo specimens, made from thin skinned Southern California "backyard" lemons were about 2-3/8 inches diameter. Details & Recipe.

Sweet Lemon

Ready to squeeze lemonade! There are several varieties of sweet lemon used in the Mediterranean and India, but as far as I can tell the Pomona variety (originating in Pomona, California) is the one sold commercially here. The flesh has a touch of the flavor of Kaffir Lime and even the skin is edible, not bitter as with most lemons. The photo specimens were typically 2-1/2 inches in diameter and weighed 4-1/2 ounces.

Dried Lemon

This entry is mainly to clarify that bags of "Dry Lemon" sold in markets serving Near or Middle Eastern communities are acutally limes (see Dry Limes). Dried Lemon Slices are a Euro-American aromatic flavoing, often floated in a glass of wine or similarly used.

Key Lime - Green

These are what limes are like in most of the world. This has caused considerable confusion in North America when foreign cookbooks say things like "a lump of tamarind the size of a lime". These are as found in most markets, picked and shipped very unripe for durability. They are not suited for Key Lime Pie - you might as well use larger Persian Limes instead. The photo specimens were typically 1.4 inches in diameter and weighed about 1 ounce.

Key Lime - Yellow

These are Key Limes properly ripened, aromatic and suitable for making Key Lime Pie - unless you're a purist who lives in the Florida Keys and insist on only yellow Key limes grown there. The photo specimens were typically 1.4 inches diameter and weighed 0.8 ounces each. The photo specimens were purchased at a Los Angeles (Montrose) Farmer's Market from a specialty grower at 2017 US $6 per pound.

Persian Lime

This large lime, probably a cross between a lime and a citron, is the primary lime grown in California. It found its way to the Mediterranean through Persia and to California through Tahiti. It's slightly less aromatic than the key lime but tests with key lime pies found little difference except the large Persians were a lot less work. The photo samples were typically 2-1/2 inches in diameter and weighed 5-3/4 ounces.

Makrut (Kaffir) Lime

Not really a lime, this fruit is native to Southeast Asia and used particularly in Thai Cuisine. The odd double leaves are most used, often in soups, but the rind of the fruit is used in Thai curry pastes. The rind is also used to flavor rum in Réunion and Madagascar. Many references say the juice is inedible but I do not find that the case, though there isn't a lot of juice in a kaffir lime.

The shrub makes a very nice and useful decorative which can be grown in a container, so many nurseries stock them. When fully ripe, the fruit turns just a touch yellowish and falls from the tree but it is generally used before that stage. Details and Cooking

Finger Lime

The shrubs that produce these limes grow wild in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia, but there is now some cultivation in that region. It is also now being grown on a small scale in California, because of demand from the fancy chef set.

This fruit is unique in several ways, other than its shape. The juice vesicles separate completely into tiny beads, described as "citrus caviar". This has become popular as a garnish in expensive restaurants. Finger limes come in a wide range of colors: green, yellow, orange, red, purple, pink, black and brown. The largest of the photo specimens was 2-3/4 inches long, 0.8 inch diameter and weighed 5/8 ounce.   Details and Cooking.

Limequat

A cross between a Kumquat and a Lime. Greenish yellow when mature, it has a sweet rind and slightly bitter pulp like a Kumquat but with a distinctly lime flavor. It is grown in small quantities in California and Florida and can sometimes be found during the autumn and winter months.  Photo released to the public domain.

Limetta / Sweet Lime

This small tree (to 25 feet) is native to Southeast Asia, but is now widely grown in the Mediterranean region, India, Iran and southern Mexico. It is low in acidity and lightly sweet, but retains a light lime flavor. The left photo specimen was 3-5/8 inches diameter, 2-7/8 inches high and weighed 10-7/8 ounces. American varieties tend to have a dimple at the flower end, as just visible in the photo, while those in South Asia (Mosambi cultivar) generally do not.

Juice of this fruit is the most common citrus juice in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, often sold freshly squeezed by street vendors and flavored with a dash of salty Chat Masala. It needs to be freshly squeezed because it fairly quickly turns bitter when exposed to air, but it freezes well.

Limetta is ripe when green-yellow, heavy in weight for its size, and a fingernail scratch produces aromatic oil from the rind. It will keep up to 2 weeks at a cool room temperature and 6 to 8 weeks refrigerated. The photo specimens were purchased from a large multi-ethnic grocery store in Los Angeles (Sunland), for 2015 US $0.99 / pound.

Desert Lime

The thorny shrubs that produce these limes are native to Queensland, New South Wales and southern Australia. It's tolerance for cold and drought have made it important to citrus breeders. It has also become important commercially, so domestication is in progress. A particular variety has been selected for development and named "Outback Lime". This lime is used for beverages and marmalades, and the peel is also candied.   Photo by Mark Marathon distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.

Dried Limes

These are an important item in the cuisines of Persia (Iran) and countries that have been under Persian influence. Limes are boiled in salt water, then sun dried. Used in lentil, rice or meat dishes they may be crushed or may simply be pierced and added whole to slow simmering dishes to provide tartness and a citrus fragrance. The hard outer shell contains mainly a dry black powder. Size may vary, and color may vary from tan to black.   Details and Cooking.

Salt Pickled Limes

Small limes are packed in glass containers with lots of salt and set out in the sun to pickle. The resulting limes are used as a flavoring for beverages: nuóc chanh muói if with plain water and sugar, soda chanh muói if with carbonated water and sugar. A small piece of the lime is placed in a glass and crushed. The other ingredients are then added, usually with ice. The lime is often eaten after the drink is finished. This concoction is also served hot as a treatment for the common cold. The photo specimens were 2-1/2 inches diameter, purchased from a large Vietnamese / Chinese market in Los Angeles (San Gabriel)

Bitter Orange

A native of Southeast Asia, this was the only type of orange known in Europe until after 1500 and now grows cultivated or wild in most subtropical areas of the world. A large portion of the crop is shipped to England and Scotland for the manufacture of marmalade. Peel and oil also find extensive use in flavorings for liquors, candies and the like. It is a popular herbal remedy, said to provide a "safe" form of Ephedrine, but this safety is not medically proven.

The most available variety in the U.S. and Europe is the Seville Orange which has a lumpy rind and very tart flesh. It's less sour than a lemon and has a distinctly orangy flavor, but it isn't something most people would want to eat out of hand. In Florida they are used for making pies.   Details & Cooking

Blood Orange

There are a number of red fleshed "blood" oranges but the Moro variety, possibly of Sicilian descent, is the most commonly grown in California and has the deepest color. Blood oranges are currently an "in item" and in good supply when in season, which runs from January to May. The color, caused by anthocyanin pigments (the same as in grapes and red cabbage) deepens as the season progresses. The photo specimens were typically 2-5/8 inch diameter and weighed 5 ounces.

Bergamot Orange

This citrus fruit is thought to be a cross between the Bitter Orange and Limetta. It is grown mainly for aromatic oils extracted from the peel, used for flavoring Earl Grey and Lady Grey teas, some liqueurs and Turkish Delight confections. A marmalade is made from the peel in Syria, and possibly other places. The fruit pulp is not considered edible, but the juice is used in some local areas.

This is the orange from which Orange Blossom Water, much used in Mediterranean cuisines, is made. It takes 7 pounds of blossoms to make a gallon of fragrant water. 80% of the entire commercial crop is grown in Calabria, Italy. Some is grown in southern France, Ivory Coast, Africa, and in southern Turkey, but the quality of the essential oil is not as good due to soil differences.   Photo by Leslie Seaton distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic.

Cara Cara Orange

This Navel Orange first appeared in Valencia, Venezuela in 1976. It was found on a Washington Navel Orange tree and is thought to be a bud mutation. The flesh has coloration similar to a pink grapefruit, which is caused by carotenoids, not anthocyanins as in the Blood Orange. The flavor is just a little more complex than that of a regular Navel Orange.

The photo specimens peeles quite easily, and the segments separated very easily. These oranges are in season here in Southern California in February and March. The photo specimens were typically 3.3 inches diameter and weighed 9-1/4 ounces. Putchased from a multi-ethnic market in Los Angeles (Sunland) for 2021 US $0.69 / pound.

Cam Xanh

This Orange Mandarin hybrid is the most popular orange in Vietnam. It has deep green skin and sweet, dark orange flesh, but grown in cooler climates the skin will be orange. Fruit have an average weight of 7 ounces.   Photo by Hoc Tri Thuc contributed to the Public Domain .

Navel Orange

This orange was discovered in Brazil and brought to California where it is a major crop variety. The distinguishing feature is a second, partially developed orange embedded in the flower end of the fruit. This causes an indentation or projection resembling a human navel at the flower end. This is large orange with a thick easily peeled rind, no seeds and the segments separate very easily making it a desirable eating orange. Older trees produce fruit with a thicker pith layer in the rind. Navels are not used for juice because the juice turns bitter if not used right away. The photo sample was 4-1/4 inches in diameter and weighed 1 pound 3 ounces (I have bought them up to 2 pounds). Available from November to around April.

Seville Orange

Valencia Orange

The most widely grown varieties of orange in the U.S. and accounting for about half of all oranges grown. Florida Valencias are mainly juice varieties but California Valencias tend to be larger and more peelable so they can substitute for navel oranges when those are out of season. Valencias are available most of the year. The photo specimens, from Texas and sold as juice oranges, were typically 3-1/4 inches diameter and weighed 8-1/2 ounces. They tasted exactly like orange juice.

Trifoliate Orange

This large shrub or small tree is native to Korea and northern China. It is a matter of argument as to whether it should be in it's own genus Poncirus, because of it's differences from other citrus. The fruit has a light fuzz, the leaves are in triplets and there are other minor differences. The fruit, up to 1.6 inches diameter, is very bitter, but is made into marmalade and dried and powdered for use as a condiment. This plant has very nasty thorns, and Oklahoma State University has deployed the dwarf "Flying Dragon" cultivar for student-proof hedges.   Photo by BS Thurner Hof distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike v3.0 Unported Attribution Required.

Grapefruit

This cross between a Pomelo and an Orange, originally found in Barbados, is named from the way the fruit clusters on the branches. The grapefruit is now grown primarily in Florida and Texas and in many varieties within three broad categories: white, pink and red. The whites tend to be very sour, even a little bitter while the reds tend to be quite sweet and the pinks somewhere in between - but there are exceptions. Grapefruits are mainly used as a breakfast fruit and as juice, often mixed with other juices. Caution: grapefruit can greatly speed up absorption of certain drugs resulting in unexpected overdose. The photo example, a sweet red grapefruit, was 4-1/4 inches in diameter and weighed 1 pound 1 ounce.

Cocktail Grapefruit

Not actually a grapefruit, this double hybrid is across between a Siamese Pomelo and a Frua mandarin (Dancy mandarin x King tangor). The fruit is smallish, has lots of seeds and is very sweet, tasting like a Pomelo with a hint of Mandarin. They are quite juicy but the membranes are fragile and the flesh soft so if you try to eat one with a grapefruit spoon it will break up. My favorite way to eat them is cut them into wedges. The seeds are then easily removed and I just eat the pulp off the rind. They are often squeezed for juice. Mandelos may be dark green with a yellow blush, or can be entirely yellow. The photo specimens were typically 3.5 inches diameter and weighed 11-5/8 ounces. They were purchased from a large Asian market in Los Angeles (San Gabriel) for 2018 US $1.39 / pound. They were labeled as "Coctail Orange", and Cam Xanh, neither of which is correct.

Melogold

A cross between a Siamese Sweet Pomelo and a white grapefruit developed at the University of California, Riverside at the same time as Oroblanco, but released a few years later. It is heavier than Oroblanco due to its thinner rind, which can be peeled like an orange. The membranes are not as bitter, and the taste is more pomelo than grapefruit. The photo specimens were purchased at a large Asian market in Los Angles (San Gabriel) for 2016 US $0.99 each. The sign said "Oroblanco", but the grower's sticker said "California Melogold". The photo specimens were 4-7/8 inch diameter and weighed 1 pound 5 ounces each.

Oroblanco

A cross between a Siamese Sweet Pomelo and a white grapefruit developed at the University of California, Riverside. Early versions were green and didn't sell well. The market from which I bought the photo specimens called them "Pomelo Grapefruit". They have sweet flesh but the thick rind and membranes have a bitterness inherited from the pomelo. The photo specimen was 5-5/8 inches diameter and weighed 15-1/4 ounces.

Pomelo

Native to Southeast Asia, the Pomelo is now grown in tropical and subtropical areas all over Asia and the Pacific Islands, as well as in California and Florida. The flesh may be pale yellow to red depending on variety. Pale yellow dominates in Southern California, but pink is sometimes seen. Pomelo tastes like a very mild sweet grapefruit. The rind tends to be very thick, and both the rind and membrane tend to vary in bitterness from almost none to distinctly bitter. It is a large fruit. The larger photo specimen was 5-1/2 inches diameter, 4-3/4 inches high and weighed 2 pounds each, but they can be over 9 inches diameter and nearly 4-1/2 pounds.   Details and Cooking.

Pomelo, Chinese

This pomelo differes little from other pale yellow pomelos except for elongated shape, smaller size, thicker rind, and unusually firm flesh. The photo specimens were typically 5-1/2 inches long, 4-1/8 inch diameter and weighed 1 pound 2 ounces.   Details and Cooking.

Sweetie / Jaffa Sweetie

A cross between a Pomelo and a Grapefruit very similar to the Oroblanco but developed independently in Israel. It remains dark green even when fully ripe and sweet. In Israel they've marketed green as a feature. It's sweeter than a grapefruit, not from more sugar, but from less acid. It has the pomelo's thick rind. Photo by Yotam distributed under Creative Commons v2.5 license.

California Mandarin

This fruit is a definite winner, but not common in stores because of it's small size, and that some have seeds. It is very sweet with excellent flavor. The skin is thin, but peels easily, and the segments separate very easily. The photo specimens were typically 1-7/8 inches diameter and weighed 1-1/2 ounces.

Clementine

The world's most popular tangerine, mostly grown in Spain and North Africa (particularly Morocco), is now planted in California and Florida. Clementines are somewhat flattened in shape, easy to peel and have medium sweet juicy flesh in easy to separate segments. If Clementine trees are pollinated by other citrus varieties yield is greatly increased but the fruit will have seeds. The photo specimens were typically 2-3/8 inches diameter and weighed 2-1/2 ounces each.

In California mandarins are simply sold loose and unprocessed, except Clementines. These are coated with wax or resin to extend shelf life and packed in bags and boxes sold at a fixed weight (usually 5 pounds) for a fixed price, usually a rather high fixed price. I presume this packaging makes them easier and more profitable to export to the East Coast.

Daisy Mandarin

This is considered one of the very best mandarins developed, but it is not heavily planted. The reason is, it has seeds, though not a lot of them. As the seedless watermelon proved conclusively, given the choice between best flavor and a less flavorful seedless version at a higher price, American consumers will select seedless almost every time. A low seed version of Daisy has been developed and effort is under way to develop a seedless version.

These mandarins are a cross between Fortune and Fremont mandarins. Grown in California, they average about 2-7/8 inches diameter and weigh about 5-1/2 ounces each. They peel easily, the segments separate easily, the flesh is sweet and juicy with excellent flavor, and even the peel is quite edible. The photo specimens were purchased from a large multi-ethnic market in Los Angeles for 2016 US $1.49 / pound.

Dekopon

This fruit, developed in Japan, is a cross between a Satsuma Mandarin and a California sweet orange. It is fairly sweet, with a flavor that is an interesting, almost spicy, mix of Mandarin and Orange. It peels very easily and the segments separate very easily without losing any of their juice. The photo specimens were quite large at 2-5/8 inches diameter and 2-1/2 inches high, weighing 10.7 ounces each. This fruit has become very popular in Japan and Korea as a "gift citrus", and sells for as much as 2018 US $8.00 each in Tokyo.

Dekopons are still uncommon in North America, but are now grown by some family farms in California - avilable February to May. I bought the photo specimens as "Sumo Citrus" from a Yuppie oriented outlet in Los Angeles (Montrose) for 2018 US $1.99 each, or $2.98 / pound. More recently, in 2023, I've purchased them as "Dekopon" from a multi-ethnic market in Los Angeles (Sunland) for 2023 US $0.79 / pound.

Ellendale Tangor

This Australian variety shows up in California stores in the second half of September. It has a loose easy to peel skin, segments separate easily and it is very sweet and juicy. It does have a moderate number of seeds. The photo specimens were typically 3-5/8 inches diameter and weighed 10-3/4 ounces.

Fairchild Mandarin

Fallglo Tangarine

This variety, typically grown in Florida, starts to appear in stores in mid October and reaches optimum flavor near the end of November. The tight peel is 1/8 to 3/16 inch thick, very smooth with a distinctive red-orange color. It is moderately easy to peel, particularly if you start from the stem end. The segments are easy to separate. This tangarine is sweet-tart and very juicy, similar to an orange, but with some tangarine flavor. It often, but not always, has a distinct navel, as shown to the right in the photo, and typically has between 20 and 40 seeds. This is a new variety released by the USDA Horticultural Station in 1989. It is thought to be 5/8 tangerine, 1/4 orange and 1/8 grapefruit. The photo specimens, purchased in early October, were typically 2.7 inches in diameter and weighed 5-1/2 ounces, though they can get up to 3-1/8 inches and 7-1/2 ounces, depending on the tree. 2014 US $0.99/#.

Gold Nugget Mandarin

This mandarin was developed by the University of California Riverside, and released around 2000. It's season is late February to early June. This seedless mandarin has a loose rind that peels very easily, and segments that separate just as easily. It is juicy, very sweet and of outstanding flavor - judged by professional taste panels to be one of the best flavored citrus in the world. The photo specimens, purchased in Los Angeles in mid March, 2017, were typically 3-1/8 inches in diameter and 2-1/4 inches high, weighing 6-1/2 ounces - 2017 US $0.79 / pound.

Kinnow

The peel has a fair amount of oil so it's good to use where tangarine peel is needed and it dries well. This is an excellent all-around cooking and eating mandarin. The California crop becomes available in January and runs until April. The photo specimens were about 2-7/8 inches diameter and weighed 5-1/2 ounces.

Minneola Tangelo

A cross between the Duncan grapefruit and Dancy mandarin, this tangelo presents a hint of the tartness of it's grapefruit parent, especially early in its season. The skin is thin and tight, but it is peelable and segments separate easily. It is juicy with rich flavor and very sweet near the end of its season - mid-December through April. Cross pollination produces higher yields than unpollinated trees but then there will be seeds in the fruit. The largest of the photo specimens was 3-1/8 inches diameter and weighed 8-3/4 ounces. The photo specimens were purchased in Los Angeles in mid-March for 2017 US $0.69 / pound, and were very sweet.

Murcott Mandarin

Grown in Florida under the "Honey Tangerine" name, it is also grown in California under its real name, Murcott. It's origin is unknown but it's thought to be a cross between a tangerine and a sweet orange, first grown by the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) around 1916. This very sweet Tangor is a slightly flattened sphere. The skin is smooth and often loose, peeling very easily to reasonably easily (variable within a batch), and the segments separate very easily. Most will be seedless but others will have a few seeds. The largest in the photo (back right) was 3 inches diameter, 2-1/4 inches high and weighed 5-3/8 ounces. The photo specimens were purchased in Los Angeles in mid March for 2017 US $0.79 / pound.

Orlando Tangelo

This tangelo is a cross between a Duncan grapefruit and a Dancy mandarin. These will have a few seeds and the skin is tight - peelable but with more difficulty than others in this category. They are available from November through January.

Royal Mandarin

These fairly large tangors have a thin, somewhat loose fitting skin that peels easily and the segments separate fairly easily, but they can be so juicy some escapes. The skin is slightly pebbled and and slightly depressed at the flower end, flavor is quite sweet, almost spicy, and they have few or no seeds. Found in Jamaica as a naturally occurring tangor, they are grown in Florida and in the warmest inland valleys of California - available from mid January through February. The leafy photo specimen was 3-1/3 inches in diameter and weighed 9 ounces, but they can be quite a bit smaller.

Ruby Tango Mandarin

These Mandarins are a deliberate cross between a Clemenules clementine (or Nules) and a Blood Orange. The result is a fairly large fruit, though size varies, that has flesh from orange to red to purple. Amount of red varies from fruit to fruit and is uneven in the segments. The skin is quite smooth and tight fitting, but is fairly easy to peel off, and the segments separate quite easily. It is very juicy with distinctive tart-sweet flavor. They are grown in California and available from February through March. The large photo specimens weighed 6-7/8 ounces and were 2-3/8 inches high and 3 inches diameter. The photo specimens were purchased from a large multi-ethnic market in Los Angeles (Altadena) for 2018 US $1.29 / pound.

Satsuma Mandarin

This variety was originally found in China but brought to the U.S. from Japan. Most grown in China now are also varieties brought back from Japan. There are many varieties grown in the U.S. but the Owari Satsuma is the most common. They have a very loose skin and are extremely easy to peel but the flesh is easily bruised and the loose skin may conceal damage. These mandarins are juicy with good sweet flavor and ease of peeling makes them particularly desirable so efforts are being made to extend their short season of availability.

The largest of the photo specimens was 3.0 inches in diameter and weighed 6-1/4 ounces, but size varies quite a bit. They are available from mid October through December.The photo specimens were purchased from a large multi-ethnic market in Los Angeles (Altadena) in early December for 2018 US $0.99 / pound.

Satsuma Mandarin - Green

Shasta Mandarin

Ugli Fruit

A tangelo, a cross between a tangerine and a pomello or grapefruit, found growing wild in Jamaica, where it is now cultivated. This is a large fruit, a little smaller than a grapefruit, and has a rough, blotchy rind, and is at is peak when the green blotches turn mostly orange. The rind is loose and the flesh juicy and sweet, more like a tangerine than a grapefruit. They are in season from December to April when they are exported to the US and Europe. I've never seen one in California, which isn't surprising considering the citrus import restrictions here (designed to protect the huge California citrus industry from imported bugs and diseases).   Photo copyright i0088.