Unusual Citrus

With so many kinds of citrus available, it is sometimes hard to choose. We can't tell what something tastes like just by looking at it. Here is the lowdown on some of the less common kinds. All of these aren't necessarily available in supermarkets. You may have to visit farmers' markets or specialty shops. Typically the specialty citrus are also a great choice for dooryard gardens and home orchards.

Citron is a very unusual kind of citrus. First of all, it is the only deciduous one for all the others are evergreen. This is grown commercially to a limited degree in California and Florida. This unusual fruit consists mostly of peel or rind, which is candied.

Tangors are often available in specialty shops. The tangor is really a hybrid of the tangerine and the orange. The most typical tangor is what we call the Temple orange, which isn't really an orange at all. The Temple is grown in the U.S. They are easy to peel, and contain lots of seeds. The taste is similar to that of an orange. The Temple was introduced from Jamaica at the end of the 1800's. Grown mostly in Florida, these resemble a rather large mandarin. Peeling very easy, they are sweet, juicy, and tender.

The Trifoliate orange is related to the orange, but is actually in a different genus. Very hardy, this thorny tree is deciduous. It can be grown as far north as Washington, D.C. The sour fruits aren't always available in the U.S. Elsewhere, they are the basis of marmalades and flavorings. Basically, in America the tree is used as a hedge plant and for rootstock for creating dwarf forms of citrus.

The Ugli fruit or Uniq fruit is usually available in stores. Native to Jamaica, this was first found in the wild in 1914. The tree is a natural hybrid of the tangerine and the grapefruit. Very large, the fruits are typically at least six inches across. It basically looks like a grapefruit, but the skin is thicker and looser.

The shaddock or pomelo is about the largest of the citrus fruits you will find, reaching about the size of a basketball. These were originally native to the Asia, and were brought to the Caribbean during the late 1700's. Some believe this was the ancestor of the grapefruit. The oversized fruit has a very thick rind with a minimal amount of pulp, which is pink or red. Because the shaddock has a somewhat bitter flavor, it is usually candied. This is grown to a limited extent in Florida and California.

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