Bitterly sour citrus. What types of mandarin hybrids exist

Citruses are evergreen shrubs or trees with thorns on their stems, dense leathery petiole leaves with glands containing essential oil, white or anthocyanin-colored flowers with five petals on the outside and a peculiar berry-like fruit of a spherical, pointed-elongated or flattened-spherical shape, covered with peel . The fruit is divided into segments filled with sacs with juicy pulp. Citrus seeds are elongated or oval.

Types of citrus plants

Lemon.

Lemon (lat. Citrus limon)- this is the name of a species of the genus Citrus, as well as the fruit of plants of this species. Lemons are native to China, India and the Pacific Islands with tropical climates. Most likely, the modern lemon is a natural hybrid that gradually developed as a separate species. The lemon was introduced into the culture in the 12th century in Pakistan and India, and from there the Arabs brought it to the Middle East and North Africa, Italy and Spain. Today, India and Mexico are considered the leaders in the cultivation of lemons. In the middle lane, lemon cultivation is possible only in a greenhouse or in a room culture.

Lemon is an evergreen tree no more than 8 m high with a pyramidal sprawling crown. Lemon lives up to 50 years. Its bark on old branches is gray, slightly fissured, and on young branches it is smooth, reddish-violet or green. Usually thorns grow on the branches of a lemon. The leaves are fragrant, leathery, entire, broadly oval or oblong-ovate, pointed at both ends, with venation, green and glossy on the upper side and lighter, dull on the lower side. The length of the leaves located on the petioles is 10-15, and the width is 5-8 cm. Lemon flowers, single or paired, axillary, no more than 3 cm in diameter, white or creamy on the inside, and pinkish or purple on the outside, also emit a delicate aroma. The fruit is a light yellow, narrowed to both ends oval or ovoid hesperidium up to 6 in diameter and up to 9 cm long. At the top of the fruit, the nipple, tuberculate or pitted crust is separated with great difficulty and contains many glands with essential oil. The fruit is divided into 9-10 spongy nests with overgrown endocarp cells - hairs filled with juice. The pulp of the fruit is yellow, greenish-yellow and sour in taste, also contains white or yellow-green seeds with a single embryo. Lemon blossoms in spring and bears fruit in autumn.

Lemon pulp contains citric and malic organic acids, pectins, sugars, phytoncides, carotene, vitamins (thiamine, ascorbic acid, riboflavin), flavonoids, rutin, galacturonic acid, coumarin derivatives and other valuable substances. Lemon seeds, leaves and branches also contain fatty oil, in addition, citronine glycoside was found in the lemon bark, and the bitter substance limonin and ascorbic acid were found in the leaves. The characteristic aroma of lemon is due to the presence of lemon essential oil in its various organs.

Lemon is eaten fresh, used for the manufacture of confectionery and various drinks, including alcoholic ones. It is a raw material for the perfume and cosmetic industries. For therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, lemon is used for beriberi, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, rheumatism, atherosclerosis, urolithiasis, scurvy, gout, tonsillitis, hypertension and mineral metabolism disorders.

In the middle lane, lemon is a houseplant, but this does not mean that its fruits do not correspond in composition to those grown in hot countries. Since the beginning of the 20th century, Pavlovsky lemon has been known in room culture - with proper care, 10-30 fruits per season can be harvested from each tree of this variety, although there have been cases when the harvest reached 200 fruits. In addition to Pavlovsky lemon, Ponderosa (or Skiernevitsky), Lisbon, Meyer, Genoa, Chinese dwarf, Lunario, Maikopsky, Novogruzinsky and others have proven themselves well in room culture. Lemons are propagated by grafting and cuttings, but if desired, you can grow a tree even from a lemon seed.

Orange.

Orange (lat. Citrus sinensis)- a species of the genus Citrus, a fruit tree, as well as the fruit of this tree. It is the most common citrus crop in the tropics and subtropics. There is an assumption that the orange is a hybrid of mandarin and pomelo. Orange has been cultivated as far back as 2500 BC. in China, and the Portuguese navigators brought it to Europe, where they began to cultivate it in special facilities - greenhouses (remember what the Europeans called the orange?). Today, orange trees grow throughout the Mediterranean, and in Central America they can be seen everywhere.

The orange tree is quite tall. Its leaves are whole, connected by a wide articulation with winged petioles. The flowers of the orange are white, collected six in a racemose inflorescence. The fruit is a multi-seeded and multi-celled hesperidium, covered with a thick two-layer peel. The pulp consists of many spindle-shaped sacs with juice. The outer layer of the fruit (flavedo) contains large translucent spherical glands containing essential oil. The inner white spongy layer (albedo) has a loose structure, so the peel is separated from the pulp much easier than that of a lemon. The most valuable in terms of taste are large, full-bodied, thin-skinned and juicy Maltese, Malaga, Sicilian (or Messinian) oranges. An orange tree lives for a long time - up to 100-150 years.

The composition of orange fruits includes monosaccharides, dietary fiber, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, calcium, copper, magnesium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E, K, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, saturated , fatty acids - monosaturated and polyunsaturated, as well as cholesterol. Due to the presence of so many valuable biological substances in oranges, they are a very popular product. They are recommended in the treatment of hypovitaminosis, scurvy, diseases of the liver, blood vessels and heart. Eating oranges improves digestion, enhances the motor function of the large intestine and suppresses putrefactive processes in it. Candied fruits, infusions, jams and liqueurs are made from the peel of oranges, and the most valuable orange oil is also extracted.

The leaders in growing oranges are countries such as Brazil, China, USA, India, Mexico, Iran, Egypt, Spain, Italy, Indonesia, Turkey and South Africa.

Despite the fact that orange trees can survive frosts down to -50 ºC, in the middle lane they are grown either in greenhouses or in room culture. You should also know that, unlike lemons, which give fragrant and healthy fruits even at home, an orange tree can only decorate your home, and nothing more - it is very difficult to achieve real fruiting in a cool climate. The best varieties of oranges are Washington Neville, Valencia, Trovita, Pavlovsky, Korolek, Gamlin, Parson Brown and others.

Lime.

Lime (lat. Citrus aurantiifolia)- a type of citrus plant originating from the island of Malacca and genetically close to lemon. Actually, lime is a hybrid of lemon and citron.

In Mediterranean culture, lime appeared a thousand years BC, but on an industrial scale it began to be grown in the Antilles in the 70s of the XIX century. Lime can grow in any area with a warm climate, even where lemons cannot grow due to high humidity. In Australia, such types of limes as finger, round and desert grow. But at temperatures below 0 ºC lime dies. Today, the largest lime importers are Egypt, Cuba, India, Mexico and the Antilles.

Lime is an evergreen tree or shrub from 1.5 to 5 m high with a dense crown and branches covered with thorns. Lime inflorescences are axillary, consisting of 1-7 flowers, blooming remontantly throughout the year, but lime blooms most intensively during the rainy season - in May-June. The fruits also ripen remontantly. The ovoid lime fruits, 3.5 to 6 cm in diameter, have greenish, juicy and very acidic flesh. Lime peel is thin, green or yellowish-green.

Lime fruits contain ascorbic acid, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, pectins, riboflavin, vitamin A and B vitamins. Lime consumption protects teeth from caries, prevents bleeding gums, helps eliminate toxic substances from the body and has a calming effect on the nervous system . Lime treats herpes, fever, reduces warts and papillomas. Juice is used as a wound healing and antiviral agent. Lime essential oil increases appetite and normalizes the digestion process. For the most part, limes are used fresh in juice, salads, and as an ingredient in cocktails. Citric acid is obtained from lime juice, and soft drinks are flavored with oil.

Lime is unpretentious to the composition of the soil - it grows even on stony soils, but light, well-drained loams are most suitable for the plant. However, lime is much more sensitive to adverse conditions than other citrus fruits. Low temperatures are especially detrimental to him. The most popular are the Mexican lime, Limetta, Rangpur and Sweet lime varieties.

Mandarin.

Mandarin (lat. Citrus reticulata)- an evergreen plant, a species of the genus Citrus. The name "tangerine" comes from Spanish and contains an indication that the fruit is easily peeled (se mondar - "easy to peel"). The plant comes from southern China, and it came to Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. In India, China, South Korea, Japan and the countries of Indochina, mandarin is the most common citrus fruit. Mandarin is cultivated throughout the Mediterranean, as well as in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Abkhazia, Brazil, Argentina and the USA.

Usually a mandarin does not exceed 4 m in height, but if the tree is older than 30 years, then it can be higher. Young shoots of mandarin are dark green in color, the leaves are small, elliptical or ovate, on winged petioles. Matte white flowers are arranged in the axils one or two. The fruits, like those of other citrus fruits, are multi-celled and multi-seeded, slightly flattened, 4-6 cm in diameter. They have a thin skin that separates easily from the yellow-orange flesh, which consists of many spindle-shaped sacs, which are hairs filled with juice. Mandarin pulp is sweeter than orange pulp. It is divided into 10-12 segments-nests, in each of which 1-2 seeds ripen. Mandarins ripen in November or December.

Mandarin fruits contain organic acids, sugars, vitamins A, D, K, B4, as well as riboflavin, thiamine, ascorbic acid, phytoncides, rutin, potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus and iron. The use of tangerine juice strengthens the body, stimulates the digestive processes. Juice is shown for dysentery and heavy menopausal bleeding. In folk medicine, alcohol tincture of tangerine skins in the treatment of diseases of the upper respiratory tract thins sputum. Infusions and decoctions of tangerine peel are used as an antipyretic, antiemetic and fixing agent.

In the middle lane, tangerines, like other citrus fruits, are grown in greenhouses or in room culture. All types of tangerines are divided into three groups:

• - noble tangerines - large fruits with a bumpy skin of light shades, growing on trees with large leaves;
• - tangerines, or Italian tangerines - varieties with medium-sized oval-shaped fruits with a pungent odor and a reddish or bright orange peel;
• - satsum, or unshiu - a group of Japanese winter-hardy varieties with thin light orange skin, sometimes with green spots. These varieties contain almost no seeds and are able to tolerate frosts down to -7 ºC, therefore they are popular on the Black Sea coast. The compact size of plants (up to 1.5 m in height) allows them to be kept indoors.

The most popular varieties of red tangerines are Tangor, Ellendale, Clementine, Minneola, Sunburst, Temple and Robinson. Of the yellow-fruited tangerines, Moroccan, Chinese, Israeli and Turkish varieties are in demand, as well as varieties of Honey, Batangas and Densi. And for growing at home, the Japanese dwarf varieties Unshiu, Emperor, Kovane-wasse, Imperial, Calamondin and Shiva-mikan are more suitable.

Pomelo.

Pomelo (lat. Citrus maxima), or shaddock, or sheddock- a species of the genus Citrus native to Southeast Asia, Malaysia, from the islands of Fiji and Tonga. In China, this fruit was cultivated a century before the beginning of our era, and the pomelo came to Europe in the 14th century with sailors. The name "sheddock" was given to the plant in honor of the captain who brought pomelo seeds to the West Indies in the 17th century.

Pomelo is an evergreen tree up to 15 m high, with a spherical crown, large leaves and white flowers 3-7 cm in diameter, single or collected in an inflorescence. The large fruit of the plant, divided into slices and covered with a thick peel, can reach a diameter of 30 cm, and in weight - 10 kg. Inside each lobule, separated from the others by a rigid partition, there are seeds. The color of the fruits is from light green to yellow, they are larger than grapefruit, their fibers are more rigid and elastic. Pomelo pulp is not as juicy as other citrus fruits. The fruits of the plant contain potassium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, vitamins C, F, B1, B2, B5, fiber, organic acids and essential oils. The use of pomelo fruits in food is recommended for lowering blood pressure, preventing blood clots, fighting bacteria and viruses in the autumn-spring period. Cosmetic masks containing pomelo fruit pulp moisturize and nourish the skin. In Thai cuisine, pomelo is an additive to many dishes, and in China, on New Year's Eve, people give each other a pomelo fruit as a wish for well-being and prosperity.

In the modern world, pomelo is cultivated in the south of China and Japan, in Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Indonesia, India, Israel and Tahiti. The best plant varieties are Khao Horn, Khao namfang, Khao fuang and Tongdi.

Grapefruit.

Grapefruit (lat. Citrus paradisi)- an evergreen plant from the subtropics, an accidental hybrid between a pomelo and an orange. The world first heard about the grapefruit in 1750 - it was then that the Welsh priest-botanist Griffiths Hughes called the grapefruit the “forbidden fruit”. Then it was called a small sheddok, because it looked like a medium-sized pomelo fruit, and in 1814 merchants in Jamaica gave it its current name - grapefruit. From the end of the 19th century, grapefruit began to be grown on an industrial scale, first in the United States, and then in Brazil, the Caribbean, Israel and South Africa, and in the 20th century this fruit took one of the leading places on the world market. Today, the leaders in the cultivation of grapefruit are such countries as China, the USA, Mexico, South Africa and Israel.

The grapefruit tree grows to a height of 5-6 m, but may be higher. Its leaves are thin and long, dark green in color. Flowers with 4-5 white petals reach a diameter of 5 cm. The grapefruit fruit looks like very large orange fruits: up to 15 cm in diameter, with sour ruby-red or yellow flesh, divided into slices. The peel of the fruit is yellow, while in varieties with red flesh it is reddish.

The fruit pulp is rich in vitamins A, PP, C, D, B1, B2, B9, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, iodine, fluorine, zinc, iron, manganese, copper, cobalt, fiber, antioxidants and carotenoids. Grapefruit is a dietary product that is indicated for obesity. It normalizes the level of cholesterol in the blood, speeds up the process of digestion, increases the acidity of gastric juice, lowers blood pressure, normalizes sleep, reduces headaches, relieves swelling and is used to prevent atherosclerosis. Grapefruit seed extract has strong antifungal and antimicrobial activity. In cosmetology, grapefruit is used to prepare cleansing and whitening masks.

Grapefruit varieties, of which there are about 20, are divided into white (yellow) and red. The red varieties are sweeter than the white ones. The first red variety of the Ruby grapefruit was patented in 1952, from which all red varieties originate. Of the white varieties, the most famous are Duncan, Marsh, White, and of the red ones - Ruby, Red, Flame and others.

Citron.

Citron, or cedrat (lat. Citrus medica) is a species of perennial plants of the genus Citrus. In ancient times, citron was cultivated in Western Asia, Western India and the Mediterranean. Citron was the first citrus plant that came to Europe long before the beginning of our era. Now it grows in many countries with a warm climate, although it occupies very small areas.

Citron is a small tree up to 3 m high or a shrub with single axillary spines on the branches. Its leaves are oblong-oval, dense, large, on short winged petioles: the upper ones are purple on young shoots, and dark green on mature shoots. Single or collected in inflorescences, large white citron flowers have a reddish tint. The fruits of the citron are the largest of all citrus crops - from 12 to 40 cm in length and from 8 to 28 cm in diameter. They have an oblong-rounded shape and a very thick yellow or orange peel. The pulp of the citron is low-juicy, so it is not used fresh.

The citron pulp contains phosphorus, calcium and iron, vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B5, phytoncides, glycosides, flavonoids, and the peel contains coumarins and essential oils. Since ancient times, citron has been taken as a medicine for colds, indigestion, lung diseases, nausea and motion sickness, constipation and other bowel diseases. It was used as an antidote for the bite of poisonous insects and snakes. In Africa, citron was used to treat rheumatism, and in China it was used as an expectorant and bactericidal agent.

In the middle lane, citron, like other citrus fruits, is grown in room culture. Of the subspecies of citron, the most famous are finger (Buddha's hand) and Etrog (Greek), which do not have varieties, as well as a polymorphic variety of common citron, the best varieties of which are Pavlovsky, Mir, Bicolor and others.

In addition to the citrus plants described in more or less detail by us, the following are grown in the culture:

• - agli - a hybrid of mandarin and grapefruit;
• - Gayanima - Indian citrus, the peel of which smells like eucalyptus and ginger at the same time;
• - karna - this species is grown for rootstocks;
• - calamondin, or citrofortunella - an ornamental plant;
• - natsudaidai - a Japanese hybrid of pomelo and sour orange (orange);
• - oranzhelo, or chironha - a hybrid of sweet orange and grapefruit from Puerto Rico;
• - orange - a fruit similar to an orange, the fruit of which is inedible;
• - sweetie, or oroblanco - a hybrid of white grapefruit and pomelo with sweet pulp;
• - pike perch - a citrus plant with inedible fruits that are used instead of vinegar;
• - tangelo - a hybrid plant with a sour taste;
• Hussaku is a Japanese hybrid of mandarin and grapefruit.

Properties of citrus plants

All citrus plants are evergreen - their leaves are a storehouse of nutrients for plants during the winter dormancy. Therefore, a true indicator of the health of a citrus is a large number of fresh leaves. The change of leaves on citrus fruits occurs gradually. As for the roots, they lack the suction root hairs that most plants have. Instead of hairs at the ends of their thin roots, mycorrhiza are formed - thickenings from the threads of soil fungi, which transfer nutrients to the plant from the soil. But in conditions of poor water and air permeability, as well as at temperatures below -5 and above 50 ºC, mycorrhiza die. Citrus flower buds are formed throughout the year, but the most active flowering period, as usual, is in the spring. Citrus flowers have a delicate aroma, reminiscent of the smell of jasmine or white acacia.

Citrus plants - growing features

When growing citrus fruits, the composition of the soil is not as important as the conditions for keeping plants - lighting, temperature and air humidity. There are several important rules that must be observed in order for citrus fruits to be comfortable in your apartment:

• - the flowerpot should not be too large. Excess soil, not occupied by roots, often rots and turns sour, causing the plant to shed its leaves and begin to wither. In addition, citrus plants require good drainage. When choosing a flowerpot, you should be aware that ceramic containers let air through, but quickly release moisture, plastic flowerpots retain moisture longer, but do not let air through. Wooden containers in this respect are better than all others, but, unfortunately, they are short-lived;
• - Excessive watering is detrimental to citrus plants. Let the top layer of soil dry out between waterings. It is better to moisten young plants by the method of bottom watering, immersing the flowerpot with the plant in a container of water. When watering large plants, you need to pour water under the walls of the flowerpot to saturate the peripheral roots with moisture. Excess water must be poured out of the pan. But it is better to moisten a large plant by pouring water into the pan until the plant absorbs it. As soon as the citrus has stopped absorbing water, pour the rest of it out of the pan;
• - citrus fruits at home need daily spraying. But even if you have chronically violated this rule, and the plant has dropped all the leaves, do not rush to get rid of it: put a transparent plastic bag on it, sprinkled with water from the inside, and very soon you will see young leaves on your citrus;
• - when choosing a place for citrus, remember that it needs light and warmth, but in winter it is advisable to cover the batteries with something, otherwise they will dry out the air a lot. If you have the opportunity, buy a humidifier. At an air temperature within 22-24 ºC, the humidity should be at the level of 60-70%, and in winter, at a temperature of 8-10 ºC, the required air humidity is 40-50%.

7. Tangor is the result of crossing tangerine and sweet orange. Rather, it is considered so. In fact, everything is a little more complicated. The most famous tangor is Temple (Temple, Temple, Temple). Its origin is not completely clear.
8. Clementine. And this is a hybrid of mandarin and king orange, created by the French missionary and breeder Father Clement (Clement Rodier) in Algeria in 1902. Actually, if you buy a tangerine, and it is somehow too sweet for a tangerine, it is quite possible that it is actually a clementine.
9. The natural tangor of the East is tankan. This culture has been cultivated since time immemorial in the south of China, on the island of Formosa (Taiwan) and in the Japanese prefecture of Kagoshima. The tree on which the tankan grows is indistinguishable from a tangerine, but the fruits make one suspect that this citrus is a hybrid with an orange.
10. Ortanique - also probably a natural tangor. It was also found in Jamaica, but already in 1920. Since tangerine and orange trees grew nearby, they decided that this was their hybrid. The name was collected from the world by thread - or (ange) + tan (gerine) + (un) ique.
11. Royal mandarin (Citrus nobilis, kunenbo, Cambodian mandarin). His appearance is quite memorable, it rarely happens in our stores and is sold simply as a tangerine
12. Markot is also a famous tangor. Also of unknown origin. Marcotes are called Florida tangors, about the parental varieties / species of which nothing is known for certain. The first tree was found in 1922 and built in good hands.


13. Satsumy (inshiu, Citrus unshiu) Moroccan. According to one version, all satsums are a hybrid of citron and lime; the second is a hybrid of orange and lime.
14. Yemeni citron - an independent species.
15. Citron "Fingers (hand) of the Buddha" is similar to Cthulhu;)
16. Corsican citron. Please note - all these varieties have almost no pulp - one zest.


17. Kaffir lime (Kaffir lime, kaffir lime, Citrus hystrix, Kaffir lime, porcupine citrus)
18. Etrog
19. Persian (Tahitian) lime
20. Limetta (limette, Citrus limetta, Italian lime, sweet lime)
21. Mexican lime (West Indian lime, sour lime). It is the Mexican lime that is usually painted on bottles and cans with all sorts of lime drinks.
22. Indian lime (aka Palestinian, Palestinian sweet lime, Colombian lime) has long been considered a hybrid of lime and lime, but attempts to cross these plants did not result in anything similar.


23. Australian finger lime (finger lime). It is also called citrus caviar.
24. He is. There are many varieties of them, with pulp of different colors. The origin is also unclear. The fruits are similar to multi-colored cucumbers. Australian chefs use the pulp of finger limes as a side dish, add it to salads and soups, and decorate fish and meat dishes with it.
25. Limandarins (lemons) - the results of crossing tangerines with limes or lemons. Limandarins have been bred in China since time immemorial. It is believed that the first Limandarin was the result of a cross between a Cantonese lemon and a Cantonese mandarin. The Chinese red lemons that appear on our shelves are typical lemons.
26. Rangpur - Indian hybrid of mandarin and lime


27. Otahite (Sweet Rangpur, Otahite Rangpur, Tahitian Orange). This is also a limandarin, also believed to be from India. It was opened in 1813 in Tahiti, from where the Europeans took it around the world.
28. Rough lemon or citronella. It comes from Northern India and is a hybrid of mandarin and citron.
29. Pomelo. It is also Citrus maxima, Citrus grandis, pummela and sheddock - in honor of Captain Sheddock, who brought pomelo seeds to the West Indies (to Barbados) from the Malay Archipelago in the 17th century. Huge round or pear-shaped fruits with a rather thick rind, a lot of juicy pulp, rough, easily detachable membranes. One of the original citrus fruits, from which all their variety is gone. The zest of a pomelo is yellow, green, and the flesh is yellow, green, red.
30. Pomelo with lime.
31. Hybrid - Duncan grapefruit, a variety bred in Florida, in 1830
32. Also a hybrid - grapefruit Hudson


33. A very famous pomelo hybrid in our country is Oroblanco. It is the result of crossing Siamese sweet pomelo and Marsh grapefruit.
34. Sweety - a hybrid grapefruit from Israel
35. New Zealand grapefruit. It is called grapefruit, but it is believed that it is either a natural tangelo or a hybrid of pomelo and grapefruit. The place of origin is also unclear - either China or Australia. Significantly sweeter than most grapefruits.
36. Chironha is a citrus fruit that is about the size of a grapefruit and tastes more like an orange.


37. Calamondin (a.k.a. golden lime, Panama orange, calamansi, musky lime), the result of crossing sour mandarin (sunky) and kumquat
38. Yuzu (ichandrin, young) - the result of crossing sunki and ichang-papeda (ichang lime)
39. Kumquat. These are such small, with the extreme phalanx of the thumb of an adult male, yellow or orange fruits, similar in shape to reduced lemons. Sold, as a rule, in large grocery stores, in laminated foam trays. They appeared in Russia relatively recently, only a few years ago. At first they were hellishly expensive, but today they have fallen in price. Well, if you haven't tried them yet, you've probably seen them.
40. Limequat Eustis (a hybrid of Mexican lime and round kumquat)
41. Mandarinquat Indio
42. Lemonquats (lemon + kumquat) and orangequats (orange or tripoliata + kumquat). And here, attention, faustreme is a hybrid of Eustice limequat and Australian finger lime


43. Sevillano, Seville bitter orange. In Seville they produce 17 thousand tons per year. Bitter oranges are not eaten fresh, juices are not made from them, but they are used in the hybridization of citrus fruits, used to make orange bitters, to give an orange flavor to liqueurs, and also as a seasoning for fish and as a raw material for obtaining aromatic oils.
44. Citranzhquat - a hybrid of citrange (which in turn is a hybrid of orange and trifoliates, aka poncirus) and kumquat.
45. Bitter orange kikudaidai (Japanese citrus, canaliculata) is a purely ornamental plant. In Japan, it is grown to admire
46. ​​Bergamot (bergamot lemon, bergamot sour orange) - a variety of bitter orange with a very bright recognizable smell - used in perfumery
47. Sweet orange Citrus sinensis - Chinese citrus.
48. A hybrid of sour orange and pomelo - natsudaidai or natsumikan


49. Citrus sinensis - from within.
50. Red oranges. Their Russian name is korolki. Americans call them blood oranges - bloody oranges. The bloodiest sanguinelli...
51. ...and sanguinelli


52. The fruit of papeda ichang. Use papeds for hybridization
53. Ponciruses - an independent genus of the subfamily of the orange family of the rue family, including one single species - trifoliata or three-leafed poncirus.
54. Citremon - a hybrid of trifoliata and lemon
55. Kabusu (kabosu) - Chinese, but especially popular in Japan, a hybrid of papeda and orange


56. Eremocitruses or Australian dessert limes. This is also a separate subgenus of citrus fruits. Eremocitrus has a drop dead shaggy tree and small green fruits
57. Murrays are a separate genus of the rue family, not citruses. But their fruits are similar to citrus fruits, and therefore everyone who is engaged in breeding, studying and hybridizing citrus fruits is also interested in murrays. Murray is also known as orange jasmine.


58. Severinia is also close to citrus fruits
59. Afrocitrus or citropsis. They are African cherry oranges. These are trees with small edible fruits that vaguely resemble citrus fruits.
60. Lemon feronia, sour limon or Indian wood apple. Indian wild-growing rue with very sour (although they say that there are also sweet) edible fruits with an almost wooden peel.
61. Ceylon Orangester. Orangester fruits are very bitter, but the leaves, if rubbed, broken, have a strong lemon flavor.

Mandarin, kumquat, and then? In this article we will talk about the most famous citrus varieties that are sold with us, how they differ from each other and what useful properties they have. By the way, citrus fruits have been crossed with each other many times over the past 200 years, and among their many species it is already difficult to say "where the beginning and the end are." Interesting fact: In Costa Rica, citrus fruits are excellently used by capuchin monkeys as a balm against insect bites and as an antifungal agent.

. One of the most acidic citrus varieties. The fruit is usually small in size, round, slightly elongated, bright yellow in color (often confused with lime, which has a green color). The pulp is most often squeezed for juice, which has a sour taste, but is extremely healthy and is used as a medicine in many cultures. The zest is more often rubbed and used as part of various medicines. There are several subspecies of lemon, the main difference between which is taste (lemons are more sour and less sour).

Another favorite type of citrus fruit. Orange is a round fruit of bright orange (rarely reddish) color, slightly larger than a lemon. Orange is one of the most commonly consumed citrus fruits in the world, along with lemon, lime and grapefruit. Oranges are eaten on their own or added to a variety of dishes and drinks. Oranges are an excellent way to cleanse the body and remove toxins and other harmful substances from it. Oranges also have an extremely beneficial effect on human blood, making it less viscous. The orange also has several subspecies, the best known of which is "blood orange" those. orange with reddish flesh. It tastes sweeter than an ordinary orange, but otherwise it is not much different from its counterpart.

Grapefruit. Grapefruit is much larger than lemon and orange and has a slightly bitter taste. The peel of this type of citrus fruit is usually pale yellow with a reddish or green tint, the flesh is red, white or pink, depending on the variety, but the color of the pulp is only a “decoration”, it does not affect the taste of grapefruit. Grapefruit is a great way to “throw off” everything superfluous, including kilograms and toxins, the main thing is not to abuse it. It is not recommended to eat more than one grapefruit per day.

Mandarin. Everyone's favorite "New Year's" citrus. Mandarin looks like an orange, only a little smaller and its shape is more “flattened”, and the taste is sweeter. This citrus variety has a very pleasant aroma, but its biggest plus is that it is very easy to peel. Tangerine and tangerine juice is an excellent remedy for SARS and flu. Varieties include mandarin, juicy honey tangerine, satsuma, sweet and tiny clementines, and orange-scented tangerines.

Lime. This variety of citrus fruits is often confused with lemon, but their tastes are very different. Green lime fruits do resemble lemons in shape, but they have a more pungent, sour taste and a special unique aroma. Lime, like lemon, is rarely eaten raw, most often juice is made from lime, which is then seasoned with salad or added to drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Few people know about it, but lime is extremely good for teeth! The variety of lime varieties includes Mexican lime, kaffir lime (used in Thai cuisine as a condiment), musky lime and some other varieties.

Pomelo. Pomelo is a type of citrus fruit, very similar to grapefruit, both in appearance and in taste (slightly sweeter than grapefruit). This citrus has a very thick skin, so you will have to work hard to peel it. Pomelo is an excellent source of energy for the whole day, a pomelo eaten in the morning will more than replace the most hearty breakfast and help you stay in good shape until the evening. Also, this citrus, along with tangerines, perfectly helps to cure various colds and strengthen the immune system.

Kumquat. A kumquat can be described as an orange the size of a grape. Unlike most citrus fruits, kumquats are eaten whole, including the skin. Slightly sour in taste, but very aromatic. In China, this citrus variety is considered a symbol of good luck and prosperity.

Buddha fingers. The last type of citrus - Buddha Fingers or finger citron - is a very fragrant fruit of the original form, reminiscent of fingers. This citron has practically no flesh, but consists only of the skin. It is most often used to make candied fruit or marmalade, and is also used as a condiment in some cuisines around the world.

Here, perhaps, are the main types of citrus that can be found on sale. There are many more varieties, but all of them are either subspecies of those already listed above (for example, bergamot, he is also a bergamot orange), or their own hybrids. Among the common hybrids, for example, tangelo- a hybrid between a mandarin and any other citrus, or coalfruit- a hybrid of mandarin and grapefruit. A mineola, which is often brought into stores, is a type of tangelo.

All of them differ from each other in appearance and in their taste, however, the “set” of useful properties for all citrus fruits is approximately the same. All varieties of citrus fruits are a valuable source of vitamin C, as well as other beneficial trace elements and nutrients. In cooking, citruses are used in their entirety, from juice, pulp and ending with zest and peel.

From fruit peel fragrant oil is obtained, a variety of dishes are seasoned with zest and juice, and the pulp of some citrus fruits is eaten as an independent dessert. When choosing a particular citrus, you should first of all focus on how you will use it (as an independent dish or as a seasoning), since the taste of some citrus varieties may not be very pleasant. However, there is a simple rule, if citrus cannot be eaten, then juice can be squeezed out of it, which will be almost more useful than the fruit itself. Bon appetit!

Svetlana Shakhova

Many people love tangerines, but did you know that there are many hybrids of these citrus fruits with various fruits? Breeders did their best and brought out a lot of unusual citrus fruits, each type of which has its own unique taste. For example, there is a hybrid of mandarin and pomelo (or grapefruit) called tangelo. There are even oranges crossed with pomegranate (blood orange). It is in this article that we will tell you what mandarin hybrids are and how they differ from each other.

This is the name of a hybrid of mandarin and king orange, which was obtained more than a hundred years ago in Algeria. They named it in honor of the creator - the French breeder, priest Pierre Clement. Sometimes it happens that clementines are mistaken for tangerines, but they taste much sweeter than their citrus counterparts.

In fact, outwardly they also differ, although in form they are very similar to each other. The peel of clementine is much brighter - it is painted in a rich orange color. They tolerate cold very well and are unusually rich in vitamins A and C. Clementine juice is often used to make marinade. An unusual citrus is grown on the Mediterranean coast, from where it is exported to European countries.

Calamondin

The now popular tangerine tree, the fruit of which is a sour tangerine crossed with a kumquat. The fruits themselves taste very sour, but due to the sweetish and very thin crust, they can be eaten. By the way, you can eat these fruits only if calamondin was grown on your own: when you buy such a tree in a store, keep in mind that it is treated with a lot of chemicals. They are often used in combination with other products due to their very unusual taste.

Calamondins are very convenient to grow, as it is possible even on the windowsill in your own apartment. Although, of course, in most cases it is just a beautiful ornamental tree, since many people buy it in flower shops, and do not grow it on their own.

Tangerine

Tangerine is a mandarin with a thin skin and deep orange flesh. Outwardly, they practically do not differ from ordinary tangerines, although they have a “nose” more characteristic of a lemon. Therefore, if you come across a seedless fruit, easily divided into small slices and incredibly sweet in taste, most likely you have purchased a tangerine. It can be used both fresh and used for a variety of preparations. This unusual sweet fruit is grown in China and Morocco, it can also be found in Sicily. In addition to excellent taste, tangerines also contain a large amount of vitamins in their juicy pulp. In addition, essential oils are often made from them and their aroma is even recognized as an excellent sleeping pill.

Tangor

Tangor was obtained by crossing sweet orange and no less sweet tangerine. Outwardly, it is very similar to a tangerine, although it differs from the fruits that are familiar to us in larger sizes. In appearance, the fruits of tangor are quite round, slightly flattened. Inside, under a thick peel, you can find an unusually juicy and sweet pulp, which contains a huge amount of seeds. Some note that in the taste of tangor you can feel the notes of mango. A huge disadvantage of this hybrid is its rather low frost resistance.

Sunki

Sunki is a very sour tangerine. It was he who was crossed with kumquat in order to subsequently obtain calamondin, a tangerine tree known to many, which is easy to grow on your windowsill. The rind of sunka is very dense, and the flesh has a bitter taste with noticeable sour notes. As you can guess from the name, this fruit is grown in China. Due to its bitter taste, sunki is not used in cooking, but it has been used in cosmetology - it can be used to obtain nourishing oil.

Cosmetics containing tangerine oil have long gained popularity all over the world.

Citrandarine

Citrandarine in the eyes of our compatriots looks very strange, which is no wonder, because breeders got it by crossing a lemon with a tangerine. In appearance, it looks more like a lemon - its fruits are elongated, although the skin color is orange, like that of a tangerine. At the same time, the fruit itself is quite convex to the touch. The taste of citrandarine is sour, which is not surprising, because it “inherited” these sour notes from lemon.

Ichandarin

Such a fruit with an unusual name can be obtained by crossing a mandarin with an exotic citrus ichang. In size, ichandarin is very small (but not as small as calamondin). Its taste is not very impressive - it is rather sour. It is for this reason that ichandarin is not eaten, but is grown specifically for industrial processing.

Among all fruits, a special place is occupied by the fruits of citrus plants. They differ not only in their taste and benefits, but also in their great variety. To better understand the fruits, it is worth studying the list of citrus fruits with their features and specific characteristics.

General characteristics of citrus fruits

Before analyzing the issue with varieties of citrus fruits, it is necessary to determine the place of these plants in the biological system. It is also worth identifying common features that unite citrus fruits, determine the characteristic properties of trees and fruits.

fruit tree properties

Citrus - a rank in biological systematics that unites flowering woody plants of the Rut family. Numerous citrus fruits are grouped under the genus Citrus.

This is a family of evergreen trees and shrubs. The name of citrus plants and fruits comes from the Latin word "citrus". In Latin, it means "lemon tree".

Features of the structure of trees:

1. They are distinguished by a well-developed, lush and beautiful crown. The attractive appearance makes citrus trees a popular ornamental plant for home growing.
2. The life expectancy of a culture is several decades.
3. In most cases, they have spines or thorns on the stems.
4. The leaves are dense, containing essential oil. Most citrus leaves are medium to large in size. The shape of the leaves is elongated, with a pointed end.
5. The flowers are white, less often with a slight shade of pink.
6. Poorly tolerate cold, non-frost-resistant plants.
7. Plants are demanding on moisture, but do not like excessive moisture.
8. For normal development, they need a lot of sunlight, but it should not be direct.

fruit properties

Citrus fruits are called hesperidia. This term refers to a berry-like fruit with a specific structure.

1. The outer layer forms the peel. It can be single layer, double layer or multilayer. The outer tough shell, usually shiny, contains glands with essential oil and carotenoids. Under the shell is the inner dry layer of the peel, which has a spongy and loose structure. It provides a bunch of peel with pulp. The difficulty of separating the pulp depends on the structural features of the inner layer of the peel.
2. The pulp often consists of several slices. Each slice in its structure contains sacs that are filled with juice.
3. The pulp contains seeds. Their number and size vary depending on the type of citrus.

The fruits of most citrus plants are very healthy and contain a large amount of vitamins, nutrients and trace elements.

Criteria for distinction

All citrus plants, in addition to common features, have features. They allow you to distinguish fruits and highlight each species from the whole variety.

Varieties differ in the growth of trees. Some plants are large. So, an orange can reach a height of up to 15 m. Other citrus fruits are of medium height. Most types of citrus grow up to 5-6 m. There are also plants that are undersized and do not reach 2-2.5 m.

An important criterion for difference is the maturation time. Citrus trees are evergreens. Under optimal conditions, they can flower and bear fruit all year round, with multiple harvests throughout the year. Each citrus has a specific ripening period, which fits in the period from mid or late autumn to late winter. More precise dates depend on the type of citrus and its variety. There are early, mid-season and late-ripening varieties.

Criteria for distinguishing fruits:

1. Form. Most citrus fruits are round or oval in shape. But there are species with a pear-shaped or even bizarre shape.
2. Size. Types of citrus fruits are very diverse in terms of fruit size. Fruits are large, medium or small. They can be from 3-5 cm to 25-30 cm.
3. Taste. The taste of fruits is also very diverse. Most of them contain sugar and acids, so the taste is sweetish-sour. The intensity depends on the specific content and proportions of the compounds. In some species, a sweetish aftertaste prevails. Lemon is sour. Some hesperidia have a bitter taste of varying intensity.
4. Fruits differ in the thickness of the peel, the structure of the pulp and seeds. Species with a thin crust and juicy pulp are of the greatest value.
5. Fruits differ in the color of the constituent elements of hesperidium. The predominant colors are orange and yellow. Available colors are red, green and white.

Common types

It is problematic to list and characterize all types of citrus fruits. Therefore, we highlight the most common and interesting options. For each of the above species, we note the specific properties and characteristics.

Citron

The hesperidium of the citron is the largest of all citrus fruits.

• The length of the fruit can reach 40 cm.
• Diameter - up to 29 cm.
• The shape is elongated.
• Skin color is yellow.
• Thick peel up to 5 cm.
• The inner flesh is low juicy.
• Taste - sour or sour-sweet, with bitterness.
• It has no nutritional value.

An interesting and exotic variety is the Hand of the Buddha. A feature of this plant is the appearance of hesperidium. It is divided into several parts extending from the base. Reminds me of human fingers. Each "finger" has a thick rind and a small amount of sap-containing tissue. The fruits of the Buddha Hand variety are distinguished by a strong aroma.

Lemon

Natural hybrid of citron and sour orange. The fruit is elongated from the base to the top. Diameter - about 6 cm, length - about 9 cm. The peel is thick, up to 40% of the total weight of the fruit, difficult to separate, the surface is ribbed. Color - light yellow. The taste is sour. The specific aroma is due to the presence of essential (lemon) oil in all elements of the plant.

Common varieties of lemon suitable:

• for cultivation at home - Pavlovsky, Panderose, Genoa, Meyer, Lisbon, Lunario, etc .;
• for food purposes - Lisbon, Villa Franca, Meyer.

Grapefruit

Random hybrid of pomelo and orange. The fruit is large, diameter is about 12-14 cm. The taste is sweetish with sourness and hints of bitterness. The intensity of the red hue indicates the concentration of sugar. The higher the concentration, the sweeter the fruit. The color of the pulp is from light yellow to red-ruby. The surface is yellow with a reddish tinge.

There are about two dozen varieties of this fruit. They are divided into two large groups according to the color of the pulp:

• white;
• red.

Popular varieties: Rio Red, Star Ruby, Flame.

Orange

The most common citrus crop. A cross between a pomelo and a mandarin. But not all researchers share this view. 100% "parent" orange plants have not been established.

Hesperidium has a medium or large size, about 10-13 cm. The peel is of medium thickness, it is separated from the flesh with effort. The skin color is bright orange or orange with a yellow tint. The pulp is juicy. The taste is sweet with sourness.

Mandarin

The most common types of citrus fruits in Asian countries in the south and southeast of the continent. The fruits are thin and easy to separate from the pulp. In addition to the taste and useful elements contained, this is one of the benefits of the fruit. The size of the fruit is small, about 5-6 cm in diameter. The shape is rounded, slightly flattened at the base. The pulp has a yellow-orange color. The slices are easily separated from each other. The fruit in question has a strong specific and recognizable aroma. The pulp is sweet.

pomelo

Other names for the fruit are Pompelmus, Sheddock. The shape of the fruit is round or pear-shaped. Hesperidium is covered with a thick skin. The color of ripe fruits is from light green to yellow. The fruit is the second largest among citrus fruits. The diameter is about 30 cm. There are pomelo weighing about 10 kg. Differs in large-sized juice fibers and drier pulp, relative to other citrus fruits. The taste is pleasant, sour-sweet with slight hints of bitterness.

Common varieties of pomelo: Khao Horn, Khao Namfung, Khao Pen, Khao Fuang, Tongdi.

Pomeranian

Other names for the fruit are kinotto or bigaradiya. A hybrid of mandarin and pomelo. The fruit is small in size, dark bright orange in color. Hesperidium is small, about 5-6 cm in diameter. The peel is thick, with pronounced irregularities, easily separated. The pulp is sour with a bitter taste.

Lime

Origin from India. Fruit up to 6 cm in diameter. The Mexican lime is a product of the domestication of citrus and the citrus micrania. The shape is ovoid. The pulp is juicy, light green with a yellowish tint. The taste is very sour. The peel is very thin, green or yellow. Specific aroma, different from lemon.

Trifoliata

Another name for poncirus three-leafed. Hesperidium is small, about 50 mm in diameter. The peel is soft, densely covered with a velvety fluff, golden yellow in color. The pulp is bitter-sour, inedible. The most frost-resistant type of citrus, can withstand temperatures down to -20 ° C.

hybrids

Citrus fruit trees and shrubs interact well with each other. The facts of natural crossing are known, as a result of which magnificent varieties were obtained. To develop fruits with new properties, various hybrids are also being actively created using artificial, directional crossing.

Citrus fruits resulting from hybridization:

1. Rangpur (the Japanese name for the fruit is "heim", the Brazilian name is "kravo") is the result of crossing a mandarin and a lemon. The fruit is dark orange. It has a very sour taste. The size is small, about 50 mm.
2. Clementine - came from the hybridization of mandarin and orange Kinglet. The clementine fruit is similar in appearance to the tangerine, but has a sweeter flavor. They are valued not only for their taste, but also for the content of a large amount of ascorbic acid. There are three main types of clementine - Corsican, Spanish and Montreal.
3. Sweety (oroblanco or pomelit) is a hybrid of pomelo and white grapefruit. The skin is thick and green. It has a sweet taste. Medium sized fruit. It is an excellent antidepressant and normalizes blood pressure.
4. Thomasville (citranzhquat) is a hybrid of citrange and kumquat.
5. Tangelo is the result of crossing a tangerine and a grapefruit. The fruit is large, 10-15 cm, with a small growth at the base. Taste is sour.
6. Calamandin (citrofontunella) is a hybrid of mandarin and kumquat (fortunella). The fruit is small.

After reviewing the general list of fruits of citrus plants, it is easier to determine which fruits are healthy, taste good, or are undesirable for eating.