Orangelo
Citrus fruit and plant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An orangelo (Spanish chironja – C. paradisi × C. sinensis) is a hybrid citrus fruit 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 | |
|---|---|
An orangelo (right) compared to a smaller orange (left). | |
| 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]
