Orangelo
An orangelo (Spanish chironja – C. paradisi × C. sinensis) is a hybrid citrus fruit believed to have originated in Puerto Rico. The fruit, a cross between a grapefruit and an orange, had spontaneously appeared in the shade-providing trees grown on coffee plantations in the Puerto Rican highlands.
Orangelo | |
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Hybrid parentage | Citrus paradisi × Citrus sinensis |
Origin | Puerto Rico |
In 1956, Carlos G. Moscoso, from the Horticulture, Agricultural Extension Service of the University of Puerto Rico noticed trees that grew fruits that were larger and a brighter yellow than those of the other trees on the plantations.[1][2] Rootstock trials led to the development of the hybrid commonly known as the chironja. In Puerto Rican Spanish, the name is a portmanteau of orange (Puerto Rican Spanish: china) and grapefruit (toronja).
Orangelos are often eaten in the same manner as grapefruit (cut in half and eaten with a grapefruit spoon), but are sweeter and brighter in color than grapefruit, as well as being easier to peel.[1] They are round to pear-shaped, with 9–13 segments.[2]
References
- Morton, J. (1987). "Orangelo". hort.purdue.edu. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
- "Orangelo". fruitsinfo.com. Retrieved 17 January 2017.