Kinds of Citrus Fruits

According to Google Books' "Food and Nutrition Encyclopedia," China grew the first citrus fruit crops 4,000 years ago. Currently, the world's production of all kinds of citrus fruit is 50 million metric tons. The United States provides 1/4 of that amount. Eating citrus fruits in original form offers nutritional benefits and vitamins. Citrus fruit can also be processed and made into drinks, flavorings, liqueur and more.

Citron

Citron

"Citrus Fruit," a Google book by Milind S. Ladaniya, states that citrons look like lemons in shape and color. However, the citron has more seeds and is larger than a lemon. The skin of a lemon is smoother than a citron. The skin of a citron is thicker, rough to the touch and bumpy. Another type of citron grown in Israel is called the Ethrog citron. It is a smaller type that is used in the Jewish religion during "Feast of Tabernacles." Another type of citron has elongated growths that resemble the shape of fingers. Commonly called Buddha's Hand or fingered citron, it is very popular in China and Japan as symbol of good luck. Its features that differ from other citron fruits are a white nonpulpy seedless interior, a very fragrant skin at maturity and the aforementioned "finger" appearance.

Acid Lime

Green Lime

Acid limes range in size from small to medium, and have a yellowish-green color. The varieties of limes vary in the thickness of their rinds from very thin to very thick with a smooth texture. Some varieties have seeds and some do not. Limes are usually believed to always be green but this is a misconception as they can range from green to yellow. The flesh of the fruit is a greenish-yellow color.

Navel Orange

Navel Orange

Navel oranges are a versatile citrus fruit. They are eaten alone or can be used in salads and other recipes. The oil made from these oranges is used as flavorings and in aromatherapy. The rinds repel slugs in gardens. This popular orange is called a navel orange because of the small indentation that resembles a human navel. The indentation is caused by the blossom on the orange as it grows. Underneath the peel of this navel is a small mini orange partially formed with the fully formed orange around it.

Grapefruit

Red Grapefruit

Grapefruits are available in numerous varieties around the world. One well-known type is the pink/red grapefruit. According to citrus.com, the most popular of the many varieties of the pink/red grapefruits is the Ruby Red. This kind of grapefruit is the most widely grown anywhere. The Ruby Red may taste sweet and tart in one grapefruit and bitter or acidic in another or sometimes both because the taste varies.

Tangerine

Tangerines

Tangerines are a type of orange. They are also known as mandarin oranges. Tangerines are smaller than navel oranges and have a red-orange color with a very thin rind. There are three main kinds of tangerines: Sunburst, Robinson and Honey tangerines. The Robinson tangerine is one of the most important crops in Florida.

Resources

• Citrus.com
• Purdue Lecture on Citrus
• Unusual Citrus Fruits