Minneola Tangelo

The Minneola tangelo is a cross between a Duncan grapefruit and a Dancy tangerine, and was released in 1931 by the USDA Horticultural Research Station in Orlando. It is named after Minneola, Florida. Most Minneola tangelos are characterized by a stem-end neck, which tends to make the fruit appear bell-shaped. Because of this, it is also called the Honeybell in the gift fruit trade, where it is one of the most popular varieties. A true Honeybell Tangelo is a hybrid-cross between Thompson tangerine and a pomelo , hence the name Tangelo released by the USDA. Both Minneolas and Honeybells are usually fairly large, typically 9–9½ inches in circumference; the Honeybells tend to be larger and sweeter. The peel color, when mature, is a bright-reddish-orange color. The rind of the Minneola is relatively thin, while the rind of the Honeybell is slightly thicker. Both the Minneola and Honeybell Tangelo peel rather easily. Both are very juicy. Both the Minneola and the Honeybell are not strongly self-fruitful, and yields will be greater when interplanted with suitable pollenizers such as Temple tangor, Sunburst tangerine, or possibly Fallglo tangerine. It tends to bear a good crop every other year. In the Northern Hemisphere the fruit matures in the December–February period, with January being the peak.