"Oneco" Mandarin has never produced good tasting fruit - Is this normal?

[nighthawk0911@yahoo.com]

About 15 years ago my highly experienced citrus guy recommended that I try growing an "Oneco" mandarin.  It's an old variety that was developed in Oneco, Florida in the 1800's.  90% of the fruit the tree has ever produced has been very dry & pithy or watery & flavorless.   HOWEVER, on certain RARE occasions the tree has produced a few fruit that were sweet and excellent and tasted like "Sunny Delight" and were equal to or better than a Dancy.  Also "old" nursery descriptions of the fruit describe it as "the flavor is not surpassed by any other mandarin".

Is there anyone else who has grown "Oneco's" and if so what was your experience with them?

Thanks!! 

[Citradia]

I'm originally from Bradenton,FL, and remember that Reasoners produced the "Oneco" grapefruit, and learned that in Spanish, oneco means grapefruit. I don't remember mandarins being popular in Bradenton, and know that it doesn't get very cold there, rarely freezing at all. From what I've learned studying cold-hardy citrus, mandarins and satsumas used to be grown in northern FL, so maybe the Oneco mandarin needs more cold weather to sweeten the fruit. Grandma said the freeze in January made the oranges and tangelos sweeter.