Origin of the Honeybell Orange

The Honeybell orange is as famous for its fugacity as it is for its incredible taste. This rare tangelo is cultivated mainly in Florida and is available for a few short weeks in January. If it is a bumper crop, shipments may be sent in February, but that is rarely the case. As a result, Honeybell orange lovers across the nation get their orders in early.

What is a tangelo?

There are over six hundred distinct varieties of oranges, and tangelos are often included in the orange family, even though they are a hybrid fruit. That means that they are a cross between a member of the orange family and a close relative. In this case, the tangelo is a hybrid of a Dancy tangerine (a popular variety of Mandarin orange) and a Duncan grapefruit.

We know; the portmanteau word doesn’t make much sense. After all, there’s the “tang” from the tangerine and the “elo” that is obviously not from the grapefruit. Actually, the “elo” comes from the pomelo, which was the fruit the tangerine was originally crossed with back in Southeast Asia some 3500 years ago. But since the grapefruit is more popular in the States, the tangerine was paired with it and the result was the modern tangelo as we know and love it today.

The tangelo as an orange variety is both rare and sought after. Americans have always loved tangerines for a number of obvious reasons. For one thing, the tangerine has an incredibly thin, loose skin, which makes it easy to peel. If you have ever tried to peel a navel or a Valencia orange, you know that they take time. But tangerines can be skinned in a trice.

Tangelos offer the best of both ancestors, easy to peel skin along with the size and juiciness of the grapefruit. In fact, the Honeybell orange is far juicier than the average orange. Just two of these tasty tangelos produce a full glass of juice. They would make for the perfect juicing orange if only they were less sensitive to cold weather and there were more of them. Due to their thin skins, the Honeybell orange can only be cultivated for a few weeks each year. Some crops are good, other are disappointing.

Crops of Honeybells were first cultivated for commercial sale in 1931. Since that time, farmers have come to expect a good crop every other year. Fruit lovers place their orders months in advances, even in off years. They count themselves lucky if they receive even a small shipment of these prized tangelos.

There is no sure way to secure a shipment of Honeybell oranges. The best advice we can give you is to find a fruit orchard that sells directly to the public and place an order in the fall. If the crop is capacious and you put in your order early, you may receive it.

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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