(Tangelos can be a bit less lunchbox-friendly than tangelos because their juiciness makes them a bit messier to peel and eat, but the flavor is worth it!) If They’re So Great, Why Haven’t You Seen Tangelos in Stores? Some people who prefer the slightly tangier flavor or a Washington navel orange over a tangerine may find they love tangelos, which combine the sweet-tangy flavor of navels with the easy-to-peel quality of a tangerine. Tangelos retain some of the tangerine’s honey-sweetness, but the grapefruit in their genetic makeup adds a wonderful tang that gives tangelo fruit its unique flavor.

What’s part of what contributes to the tangelo’s other name, the “honeybell.” The “honey” part of the name probably comes from “ Honey Tangerine” – tangerine types are lower in acid than other citrus fruits, giving them a sweeter flavor than, say, the Classic Navel Orange. The tangelo has a rather unique characteristic – a kind of knob at the stem end of the fruit that gives it something of a bell shape. The two fruits are also very different when it comes to shape – like a clementine, tangerines are round and slightly squashy. The mandarin tangerine is about half the size of your average tangelo. Their peels are a rich, reddish-orange in color, for one thing for another, they both have easy-to-peel “zipper” skins, which makes them great take-along fruits. Tangelos have a couple of things in common with tangerines.

They’re also known as Minneola Oranges and Honeybells. The similarity of the name “tangelo” to “ tangerine” is no mistake – tangelo oranges are a cross between a Dancy tangerine and a Duncan grapefruit (the “lo” part of “tangelo” comes from “pomelo,” the fruit from which grapefruit originated). But who can blame us? With a zesty fragrance and a sweet-and-tangy flavor that bursts over your tastes buds the moment you bite into it, these juicy, bell-shaped beauties are citrus perfection – virtually seedless, easy to peel, and amazingly snackable!Ĭan it be possible that you’ve never tasted a tangelo? If so, you’re in for a treat! Allow us to introduce you to this increasingly popular citrus hybrid. Some of us look forward to the time of year when tangelos are in season with a passion that just may border on fanatical.

Tangerines vs oranges