Honeybell (sec. Cottin 2002)
Citrus x aurantium L., pro sp. [Tangelo Group] [=Citrus reticulata Blano X Citrus x aurantium L., pro sp. [Grapefruit Group]] (sensu Mabberley 1997, 2004); Citrus reticulata Blanco x Citrus paradisi Macfad. (sensu Swingle and Reece 1967); Citrus tangerina Yu. Tanaka x Citrus paradisi Macfad. (sec. NPGS/GRIN 2010)
Hodgson (1967) noted that: "Minneola is a hybrid of Duncan grapefruit and Dancy tangerine produced in Florida by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and named and released in 1931. Its attractive color, excellent flavor, and low seed content have popularized it in Florida where it is currently of limited commercial importance. There is increasing interest in its culture in the low elevation desert regions of Arizona and California, where total plantings were reported to be 594 acres in 1964."
The Chiefland Budwood Facility (2010) provided the following notes on the cultivar (clone F-60-5): "A tangelo originated from open pollinated seedlings at the Glen St. Mary Nursery in Dundee (Polk County)....Origin: Florida, Duncan x Dancy, USDA release 1931."
Crown compact or dense, not weeping. First-year twig surface pubescent; second- or third-year twig surface striate; thorns absent or not persistent; prickles absent or not persistent. Petiole pubescent, length short or medium; wings narrow, medium or wide, adjoining the blade. Leaflets one, margin entire (by misinterpretation) or bluntly toothed, shade leaflet blades flat or weakly conduplicate, sun leaflet blades weakly conduplicate. Scent of crushed leaflets mandarin-like. Fruit as broad as long or longer than broad; rind yellow-orange (11), orange (12), or red-orange (13); rind texture slightly rough (4-5) or medium rough (6-7); firmness leathery; navel absent; flesh orange; taste acidic-sweet.
Hodgson (1967) provided the following additional notes on the cultivar:
"Fruit large, oblate to obovate; neck usually fairly prominent; seeds comparatively few, with greenish cotyledons. Rind color deep reddish-orange; medium-thin, with smooth, finely pitted surface, and moderately adherent (not loose-skin). Segments 10 to 12 and axis small and hollow. Flesh orange-colored; tender, juicy, aromatic; flavor rich and tart. Medium late in maturity.
Tree vigorous and productive with large, long-pointed leaves. Less cold-resistant than Orlando. Cross-pollination recommended for regular and heavy production. Dancy, Clementine, and Kinnow mandarins appear to be satisfactory pollinators. Orlando tangelo is cross-incompatible."
The Chiefland Budwood Facility (2010) provided the following additional notes on the cultivar (clone F-60-5): "Typical traits generally associated with Minneola tangelos....Description: Pronounced neck at stem end, deep orange-red color, needs pollinator (Temple, Sunburst, Fallglo), 7-12 seeds, susceptible to alternaria, brown spot and scab. Season: Mid-late, December-February"
Chiefland Budwood Facility. 2010. 2010 Annual report July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010. Bureau of Citrus Budwood Registration, Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Winter Haven.
Cottin, R. 2002. Citrus of the World: A citrus directory. Version 2.0. France: SRA INRA-CIRAD.
Hodgson, R.W. 1967. Horticultural varieties of Citrus. In: Reuther, W., H.J. Webber, and L.D. Batchelor (eds.). The Citrus industry, rev. University of California Press. http://lib.ucr.edu/agnic/webber/Vol1/Chapter4.html.
Mabberley, D.J. 1997. A classification for edible Citrus (Rutaceae). Telopea 7: 167–172.
Mabberley, D.J. 2004. Citrus (Rutaceae): A review of recent advances in etymology, systematics and medical applications. Blumea 49: 481–498.
Swingle, W.T. and P.C. Reece. 1967. The botany of Citrus and its wild relatives. In: Reuther, W., H.J. Webber, and L.D. Batchelor (eds.). The Citrus industry. Ed. 2. Vol. I. University of California, Riverside. http://lib.ucr.edu/agnic/webber/Vol1/Chapter3.html.
Search for this cultivar in NCBI Entrez or NCBI Nucleotide
Additional information on this cultivar at University of California: Riverside Citrus Variety Collection
Citrus ID Edition 2
October, 2011
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