Orlando Tangelo Mandarin Budwood

Citrus x tangelo.

The tree is moderately vigorous and slightly more cold resistant than Minneola. The leaves of Orlando tend to be cupped, and the fruit is almost round or slightly flattened. The rind is orange, thin, slightly textured, and not easily peeled. The flesh is orange, juicy, and sweet. The season of maturity is early. As with Minneola, Orlando’s blossoms are self-incompatible, and must be pollinated by a suitable pollinator to ensure satisfactory fruit set. As with Minneola, cross-pollinated fruits are seedy.

Originally this variety was known as "Lake tangelo", but changed to "Orlando" many years ago. The size and shape are tangerine like with an average diameter of 2 3/4 to 3 inches, with the color and texture more closely the color of an orange. Seed number will vary depending on cross-pollination from a low of zero seeds in solid blocks to as many of 35 seeds per fruit in blocks of high pollination. The rind adheres firmly to the pulp and is not easily peeled by hand. Since this variety produces poorly in solid set blocks, it is recommended that cross-pollination with Temple, Robinson, or Sunburst be used to enhance yields. Commericial harvest season is from November to January. The tree will grow to a large size and the foliage is easily recognized by the characteristic cup-shaped leaves. This variety is recognized as being one of the more cold tolerant varieties.

Fruit medium-large, broadly oblate to subglobose; without neck; seedy.  Rind orange-colored; thin, slightly pebbled, and fairly tightly adherent (not free-peeling).  Segments numerous (12-14); axis small and hollow.  Flesh orange-colored; tender, very juicy; flavor mildly sweet.  Season of maturity early.

Tree somewhat similar to Minneola but with distinctively cupped leaves; somewhat more cold resistant; less vigorous; cross pollination recommended for regular and good production.  Dancy, Clementine, and Kinnow mandarins and Temple tangor are said to be good pollinators.  Minneola tangelo is cross-incompatible.

Orlando is of the same parentage as Minneola and Seminole—a hybrid of Duncan grapefruit and Dancy tangerine.  Originally it was named Lake, but it was later renamed to avoid confusion.  Its earliness of maturity, good shipping quality, and pleasant flavor made it the outstanding popular tangelo in Florida, where the annual production in 1965 exceeded a million boxes.  In the low elevation regions of Arizona and California, there is increasing interest in its culture.  Total plantings in 1964 consisted of 610 acres.

Rootstocks of accession:  Carrizo citrange, C-35 citrange, Cleopatra mandarin, Swingle citrumelo.

Season of ripeness in the climatic conditions of Riverside, California:  November to January.

Prepared by the Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection at The University of California Riverside.