Minneola Tangelo

A tangelo is a variety of mandarin orange, and a Minneola is one type of tangelo. It is a hybrid fruit that is a cross between a grapefruit and a Dancy tangerine or a pumello and a tangerine. Larger in size than the small tangerines, a Minneola is oval in shape with a bright reddish-orange outer skin and inner flesh. Generally, this orange will range in size from 3 to 4 inches in diameter. Most of the Minneola oranges have a protruding nose at the stem end of the fruit that makes it distinctive in appearance and recognizable as a Minneola. The flesh is very sweet and often seedless, depending on the type of tree bearing the fruit. The Minneola Tangelo is the most common tangelo and is generally only available in January. It is also referred to as Mineola Tangelo or Honeybell Tangelo.

When selecting, choose fruits that have a good colored glossy skin and feel heavy for their size, because they typically will have more juice. Fruits with damaged or broken skins should be avoided.