Versatile Honeybells: The Florida Honeybell Orange (Honeybell Tangelo)

Honeybells, or the Honeybell orange, is a special, much in demand citrus fruit that is only available in January and February. A tangerine-grapefruit hybrid also known as a tangelo, or Minneola tangelo, the Honeybell orange has a deep orange color, smooth to pebbly skin with a dome or crown at its blossom end and very few seeds inside. Although a snap to peel and eat, the Honeybell orange is known for being so sweet and juicy you might actually need a bib and lots of napkins to eat it without too much mess. Some people even advise eating it over the sink!

Around 1930, a horticultural researcher in Florida happened to be along the shores of the Indian River and got an inspiration. He took a bud each from the twigs of a Dancy tangerine and a Duncan grapefruit tree and implanted them inside the trunk of a young orange tree. After a few weeks, the unique new life which came to be known as the Honeybell orange sprouted and the word spread quickly. Supplies of this rare, delicious fruit are very limited because of how difficult it is to grow with only a handful of special groves on the Indian River capable of producing Honeybell oranges.

The taste of a Honeybell orange has been described by growers as being a combination of orange, grapefruit, strawberry and peach with just a whiff of honey. Honeybell oranges have only 70 calories and like all citrus fruit members of the orange family have tremendous health benefits. One of the main nutritional ingredients of Honeybells is vitamin C, an antioxidant which helps keep the human immune system strong, heal wounds and prevent heart disease.

Honeybell oranges also have a high fiber content which can help improve cholesterol ratios in the body, which is essential in controlling diabetes. Another antioxidant found in Honeybell oranges is beta-carotene which helps prevent cell damage. Other vitamins and minerals found in Honeybell oranges are vitamin B6, calcium, potassium and magnesium.

But Honeybell oranges aren’t just for juicing or eating out of hand — although that is perhaps the best way to get their full nutritional value. Honeybell oranges, both raw and cooked, are important ingredients to many delicious dishes, whether breakfast, lunch or dinner, or whether salad, side dish, entr?e or dessert. The choice of many top chefs for the preparation of marmalade is the Honeybell orange. As well, the peel and oil extract from the Honeybell orange is a great favorite in the fragrance industry and used in a variety of ways, from scenting a room to aromatherapy – even to keeping away some garden pests!

Taste the Sunshine with Hale Groves

At Hale Groves, we believe the best gifts come from the land, not a factory. For generations, our fruit has been grown slowly under the Florida sun, picked at its peak, and delivered fresh to your door. From sweet Navel Oranges to rare Honeybells, every gift shares the simple joy of real flavor—perfect for holidays, milestones, or everyday moments worth celebrating.

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