Tangerines: Finding Your Favorites

It probably won’t come as much of a surprise to learn that tangerines are named after Tangiers which was the big producer in ancient history. These luscious little orbs have been enjoyed by people around the globe for centuries and are still an exceptionally popular citrus fruit. Sweet, easy to peel and healthy to eat, their popularity is easy to understand.

But this little fruit has undergone a bunch of changes, some subtle some not so much. It’s like everyone wants their own variety to suit their own particular taste. And of course every time a new variety is bred, the breeder wants the honor to name it. There are some towns in Utah that have fewer names in the phone book than there are names for tangerine varieties.

So how many names are there? Well there are over 100. And that’s not the worse of it. Some of the names, like the Pixie which is a small delicious tangerine that ripens late in the season, are then marketed by another name like “Cutie”. Unless you’re a close personal friend of the Pixie you may not recognize it if your grocer is calling it by its nick name Cutie.

And guess what. There are more new names coming as this great tasting citrus continues to be crossbred to meet what is perceived as even better marketability. Much of the enthusiasm for crossbreeding can be attributed to the University of California Citrus Research Center who seem to have made its primary mission in life to develop mor types of tangerines.

So what does this all mean to you the consumer? You probably don’t get a subscription to Tangerine monthly so you probably are not current on what’s new in tangerine names. You only want to go to the store and buy tangerines and expect them to taste pretty much the same each time you buy them.

But that’s not always the case is it. Some are sweeter, some have more seeds, some are smaller and some cost way more than others. One way, albeit a little time consuming, to make sure that you are purchasing what you think you are, is to buy just one, taste it, and if it’s what you want, buy more. The other important part of this strategy is to ask the produce manager what the variety is named.

Armed with the name or names of your favorites, you can be assured that what you buy is what you expect.

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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