Tangerine

A tangerine is a small, bright orange citrus fruit. It is known for being sweeter and stronger than a standard orange. Most tangerines are also less sour than common oranges. Scientists have different ways to classify this fruit. Some see it as a specific variety of the mandarin orange, known as Citrus reticulata. Others view it as a separate species named Citrus tangerina. Many experts also consider it a hybrid. A hybrid is a plant created by mixing different species. In this case, it may involve mandarin oranges and pomelos.

The physical traits of a tangerine make it unique. A ripe fruit is firm or slightly soft to the touch. The skin is orange, thin, and pebbly. It does not have deep grooves on the surface. Under the skin, there is very little bitter white mesocarp. This mesocarp is the middle layer of the peel. Because the skin is thin, people often peel tangerines by hand. The peak season for these fruits lasts from autumn through spring. You can eat them fresh in salads or desserts. The peel can also be used as a spice or zest for baking.

The history of the name is tied to a specific place. The word tangerine originally meant "of Tangier." Tangier is a seaport in Morocco located on the Strait of Gibraltar. The name was used for fruit shipped from that port. A writer named Addison used the term in a work called The Tatler in 1710. During the 1800s, the fruit was known as Citrus nobilis var. tangeriana. This name reflected that the fruit grew in the Tangier region.

Cultivation in the Americas has a very specific history. A man named Major Atway first grew tangerines as a distinct crop in Palatka, Florida. He imported the plants from the port of Tangier in Morocco. In 1843, Atway sold his groves to N. H. Moragne. This led to the creation of the Moragne tangerine. This variety eventually produced a seedling called the Dancy tangerine. The Dancy is also known as the zipper-skin tangerine or kid-glove orange.

The Dancy tangerine was once very important in the United States. It was the most widely grown variety until the 1970s. Its popularity helped the word "tangerine" become a broad marketing name. Today, the Dancy is not grown much for big businesses. It is too delicate to handle or ship easily. It is also susceptible to a fungus called Alternaria. It also bears fruit heavily only in alternate years. However, people still grow it for personal use at home.

Florida grows many different tangerine hybrids today. Some of these are called tangors, which are mixes of tangerines and oranges. One important type is the murcott. This is a late-fruiting tangor often sold as a "honey tangerine." Another is the Sunburst, which is an early-fruiting hybrid. It mixes tangerine, orange, and grapefruit. There is also a three-way hybrid called the fallglo. Florida classifies many hybrid fruits as tangerines for sales and regulation.

Global production numbers show how important these fruits are. In 2021, the world produced 42 million tonnes of tangerines, mandarins, and clementines. China led the world by producing 60% of that total. The nutritional makeup of a tangerine is also quite specific. The fruit is 85% water and 13% carbohydrates. It contains almost no fat or protein. One serving provides about 30% of the Daily Value for vitamin C. This makes it a significant source of that micronutrient.