Author Topic: Honeybell orange (Read 16145 times)

FloridaGreenMan · « **on:** January 27, 2012, 08:58:38 PM »

We are in the middle of winter so there are not very many delicious tropicals available. It is however citrus season and one of the best citrus fruits available in the sunshine state is the Honeybell orange. It is said to be a cross between a grapefruit and a tangelo, but it's much better than either. They are incredibly juicy and very sweet. Are these fruits readily available in the markets in other mainland states? Jeff Hagen and I have been feasting on these for the past 2 weeks. I eat as many as 3 per day!

Oscar
Do you have these in Hawaii?

bsbullie · « **Reply #1 on:** January 27, 2012, 09:19:22 PM »

A Honeybell is a Minneola tangelo, specifically a cross between a Duncan grapefruit and a Dancy tangerine. You are actually coming to the end of the actual season (though due to storage you will see them for a little while longer.

Squam256 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 27, 2012, 09:54:06 PM »

Every year I forget they are in season and by the time I remember, the season is basically over. Par the course.....

Tim · « **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2012, 10:00:37 PM »

It is such a slow winter... I only have these to eat

(last guava from my tree, season ended at least a month ago except this runt). First year fruiting, supposedly it's a vietnamese giant x unknown thai cultivar hybrid, my old man scored seeds from some breeder.

But on a serious note, do you recognize these citrus fruits? This was taken at the market on our Vietnam trip in '06. It's called Cam Sành (Citrus reticulata × maxima). Growth habit certainly that of the Pomelo from all the google images. Does anyone know what it's called in english or source of a grafted tree?

johnb51 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 27, 2012, 10:17:32 PM »

WAY BACK in the 70's when I lived in Hollywood, CA, in my twenties, there were some organic citrus growers in north San Diego County who grew THE BEST Minneola tangelos. Towards the end of the season, they were the sweetest, most flavorful citrus imaginable. We'd drive down from L.A. and bring back several boxes for all our friends. Good times!

Tim · « **Reply #5 on:** January 27, 2012, 10:19:25 PM »

Quote from: johnb51 on January 27, 2012, 10:17:32 PM

WAY BACK in the 70's when I lived in Hollywood, CA, in my twenties, there were some organic citrus growers in north San Diego County who grew THE BEST Minneola tangelos. Towards the end of the season, they were the sweetest, most flavorful citrus imaginable. We'd drive down from L.A. and bring back several boxes for all our friends. Good times!

Have you tried Dekopon yet?

johnb51 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 27, 2012, 10:25:01 PM »

What is Dekopon, Tim? (I moved to FL in '88.)
Also back in the 70's, Tim, Orton Englehardt, the inventor of the Rain Bird sprinkler system, and his wife Ann, had a ranch in Escondido, where they grew all kinds of amazing organic fruit. We'd buy whatever they had ripe and in season.

fruitlovers · « **Reply #7 on:** January 28, 2012, 02:24:22 AM »

Quote from: bsbullie on January 27, 2012, 09:19:22 PM

A Honeybell is a Minneola tangelo, specifically a cross between a Duncan grapefruit and a Dancy tangerine. You are actually coming to the end of the actual season (though due to storage you will see them for a little while longer.

Yes, looks like Minneola tangelo to me also. Have minneolas in my orchard, one of my favorite citrus. Very popular here. We do have another original grapefruit/tangerine cross called Tangee tangelo. It has a yellow color with decidedly grapefruit flavor tones, but very nice.

bsbullie · « **Reply #8 on:** January 28, 2012, 07:13:29 AM »

Quote from: fruitlovers on January 28, 2012, 02:24:22 AM

Quote from: bsbullie on January 27, 2012, 09:19:22 PM
A Honeybell is a Minneola tangelo, specifically a cross between a Duncan grapefruit and a Dancy tangerine. You are actually coming to the end of the actual season (though due to storage you will see them for a little while longer.

Yes, looks like Minneola tangelo to me also. Have minneolas in my orchard, one of my favorite citrus. Very popular here. We do have another original grapefruit/tangerine cross called Tangee tangelo. It has a yellow color with decidedly grapefruit flavor tones, but very nice.

With your lack of cold weather I'd be curious to see how they far against an Indian River (Vero Beach, Florida area) Minneola. Its the cold spells here in Florida that really brings out the sweetness and flavor of our citrus.

zands · « **Reply #9 on:** January 28, 2012, 07:15:02 AM »

Honeybell trees need a pollinator tree like Dancy tangerine. I have a Honeybell planted next to Dancy tangerine and should be getting some good results. Got a few Honeybell this year. My favorite citrus along with good tangerines

Anyone have more information on pollinator trees for the Honeybell? All Honeybell groves have pollinator trees interspersed IIRC it was one pollinator for every five Honeybell

Here is a great tangerine, mandarins, tangelo resource http://www.rickharrison.com/texts/info/mandarins.html

zands · « **Reply #10 on:** January 28, 2012, 07:21:00 AM »

With your lack of cold weather I'd be curious to see how they far against an Indian River (Vero Beach, Florida area) Minneola. Its the cold spells here in Florida that really brings out the sweetness and flavor of our citrus.

Absolutely true. Later citrus is more sweet than early citrus. Indian River is a better place for prime citrus than South Florida. California citrus pales in comparison.

At least the Cali citrus that gets deported to the East Coast maybe the good ones are kept at home......

bsbullie · « **Reply #11 on:** January 28, 2012, 07:42:34 AM »

Quote from: zands on January 28, 2012, 07:15:02 AM

Honeybell trees need a pollinator tree like Dancy tangerine. I have a Honeybell planted next to Dancy tangerine and should be getting some good results. Got a few Honeybell this year. My favorite citrus along with good tangerines

Anyone have more information on pollinator trees for the Honeybell? All Honeybell groves have pollinator trees interspersed IIRC it was one pollinator for every five Honeybell

Here is a great tangerine, mandarins, tangelo resource http://www.rickharrison.com/texts/info/mandarins.html

The best pollenizers for a Minneola are the Sunburst tangerine and Temple tangor.

mangomandan · « **Reply #12 on:** January 28, 2012, 08:26:54 AM »

I've had Minneolas from west Broward that stacked up to the Indian River ones.
I think they are sweeter on some rootstocks than on others. I remember Cleopatra being favored in some areas.
My mother grew a Minneola in Michigan, inside in the winter of course. It actually fruited, so I don't think cross-pollination is an absolute requirement.
The fruit didn't have the sweetness of a Florida tangelo, though. Still it was cool, and amazed the meter reader.
I believe Harry mentioned the Page, which is also very sweet and delicious. It's smaller, and earlier in the season.

johnb51 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 28, 2012, 09:14:26 AM »

Back in 1950's and before when citrus was grown in Southern California--Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties--those oranges were so much better than Florida oranges. My produce-vendor neighbor when I was a kid used to call them "the best in the world."

zands · « **Reply #14 on:** January 28, 2012, 09:22:15 AM »

Quote

The best pollenizers for a Minneola are the Sunburst tangerine and Temple tangor.

Great idea.
I think I know where to get a Sunburst (a particular HD) and will go there today. Dancy is too chancy as far as blooming the same time for pollination purposes. Do you have any take on the Satsuma blooming at the same time as Honeybell and being a good pollinator?

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Fruit-718/2009/4/honey-bell-orange-tree.htm

zands · « **Reply #15 on:** January 28, 2012, 09:41:42 AM »

Quote from: mangomandan on January 28, 2012, 08:26:54 AM

I've had Minneolas from west Broward that stacked up to the Indian River ones.
I think they are sweeter on some rootstocks than on others. I remember Cleopatra being favored in some areas.
My mother grew a Minneola in Michigan, inside in the winter of course. It actually fruited, so I don't think cross-pollination is an absolute requirement.

Honeybell (Mineola) will produce without a pollinator tree but not nearly as much when you do have a cross pollination tree. I got a few Honeybell this season without a pollinator tree. But now I have a Dancy planted next to it and will be getting a Sunburst or Temple Tangor to increase pollination probabilities

Tim · « **Reply #16 on:** January 28, 2012, 01:02:22 PM »

Quote from: johnb51 on January 27, 2012, 10:25:01 PM

What is Dekopon, Tim? (I moved to FL in '88.)
Also back in the 70's, Tim, Orton Englehardt, the inventor of the Rain Bird sprinkler system, and his wife Ann, had a ranch in Escondido, where they grew all kinds of amazing organic fruit. We'd buy whatever they had ripe and in season.

John,

Dekopon is LEMON ZEST of the citrus world

it's a mandarin developed by Japan back in the early 70s and supposed to remain a secret in house but here we are 40years later. It went on sale for the 1st time last year here in the states, entire crop only lasted a bit more than 1month on the market - short season. Here are some links you can check out

wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dekopon
LA Times article http://articles.latimes.com/2011/feb/17/food/la-fo-dekopon-20110217
the only group of growers I know http://www.sumocitrus.com/Default.aspx

johnb51 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 28, 2012, 02:15:58 PM »

Thanks for the info and links, Tim. Interesting that it looks like an ugly, rough-skinned Minneola ("Honeybell"). Minus all the hype I wonder how much better than the Minneola it could actually be and how well it would do in FL. Any idea when retail nurseries will have the tree for home gardeners? If the ones grown in the Central Valley taste great, grown in Escondido (or SoCal) it should be off the charts!

zands · « **Reply #18 on:** January 28, 2012, 03:04:36 PM »

Citrus Trees that Require Cross-Pollination
for Fruit Production

Stephen H. Brown
Lee County Extension

Most citrus cultivars are self-fertile they set fruit through self-pollination. Self-fertile tangerine cultivars include
Dancy, Ponkan, Satsuma, Temple, Fallglo and Murcott. However, some tangerine hybrid cultivars are not self-
fertile and require cross pollination to produce a good crop. Pollenizer cultivars must have four qualities to be
potentially successful cross-pollenizer including a bloom period that overlaps with the main cultivar; consistent
annual production of a good crop of flowers; the same cold hardiness as the main cultivar; and the capacity to
be self-fruitful. No sweet orange or grapefruit cultivar is considered a satisfactory pollenizer for tangerine
hybrids, even though some seedy cultivars of oranges are slightly effective.

chart is in PDF format over here-->>> http://lee.ifas.ufl.edu/Hort/GardenPubsAZ/CitrusTree_Pollenizer_modified_Mongi.pdf

and shows that best pollinators for Honeybell (Mineola) are Sunburst and Temple Tangor AKA Temple Orange

lycheeluva · « **Reply #19 on:** January 28, 2012, 03:08:04 PM »

they had some honeybell samples at robert is here- very underwhelming. i much preferred the guava samples they had,

HMHausman · « **Reply #20 on:** January 28, 2012, 03:28:54 PM »

Yikes....guava over honeybell.....somethings wrong with that picture.

Harry

lycheeluva · « **Reply #21 on:** January 28, 2012, 03:40:43 PM »

well i love really fragrant fruit, hence my love of guava, passion fruit, and mauritius lychee.
and robert is here may have had mediocre honeybells

Squam256 · « **Reply #22 on:** January 28, 2012, 07:05:22 PM »

Sometimes at the major grocery stores they have California grown honeybells that totally suck.

fruitlovers · « **Reply #23 on:** January 28, 2012, 07:59:02 PM »

Quote from: johnb51 on January 28, 2012, 09:14:26 AM

Back in 1950's and before when citrus was grown in Southern California--Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties--those oranges were so much better than Florida oranges. My produce-vendor neighbor when I was a kid used to call them "the best in the world."

Arrived in California in 1963 and i remember citrus all along the freeways in Orange county, very close to Disneyland. Didn't last long!
Oscar

FloridaGreenMan · « **Reply #24 on:** January 28, 2012, 08:03:18 PM »

I have been buying incredible large Honeybells at the local market at 35cts each! The are not "#1 grade "beauty fruits" but very delicious. This place also sells sugar apples, Mamey sapote, rambutans, guavas, sapodillas and all kinds of other local stuff in the summertime and it's so close I can go there on my bike.

zands · « **Reply #25 on:** January 28, 2012, 08:58:28 PM »

Quote from: FloridaGreenMan on January 28, 2012, 08:03:18 PM

I have been buying incredible large Honeybells at the local market at 35cts each! The are not "#1 grade "beauty fruits" but very delicious. This place also sells sugar apples, Mamey sapote, rambutans, guavas, sapodillas and all kinds of other local stuff in the summertime and it's so close I can go there on my bike.

What place would that be?

JF · « **Reply #26 on:** January 28, 2012, 10:49:52 PM »

[Absolutely true. Later citrus is more sweet than early citrus. Indian River is a better place for prime citrus than South Florida. California citrus pales in comparison.

At least the Cali citrus that gets deported to the East Coast maybe the good ones are kept at home......
[/quote]

I don't see how that can be....

JF

FloridaGreenMan · « **Reply #27 on:** January 29, 2012, 08:27:17 PM »

The local place where I buy my fruit is called Doris Italian Market. Located in several locations in Broward & Palm Beach counties, they carry a nice assortment of Homestead grown fruits-veggies most of the year. During July, they sell some awesome Guatemalan grown Rambutans for $7lb.

mangomandan · « **Reply #28 on:** January 29, 2012, 09:12:23 PM »

Quote from: FloridaGreenMan on January 29, 2012, 08:27:17 PM

The local place where I buy my fruit is called Doris Italian Market. Located in several locations in Broward & Palm Beach counties, they carry a nice assortment of Homestead grown fruits-veggies most of the year. During July, they sell some awesome Guatemalan grown Rambutans for $7lb.

Good to know! BTW, does Doris make a good cannoli?

bsbullie · « **Reply #29 on:** January 29, 2012, 10:18:43 PM »

Quote from: mangomandan on January 29, 2012, 09:12:23 PM

Quote from: FloridaGreenMan on January 29, 2012, 08:27:17 PM
The local place where I buy my fruit is called Doris Italian Market. Located in several locations in Broward & Palm Beach counties, they carry a nice assortment of Homestead grown fruits-veggies most of the year. During July, they sell some awesome Guatemalan grown Rambutans for $7lb.

Good to know! BTW, does Doris make a good cannoli?

NO

Tomas · « **Reply #30 on:** January 30, 2012, 12:48:09 PM »

Yeah, I have also been gobbling Honeybells lately. I am waiting for the Golden Nugget mandarins to hit the market. That's my favorite. If I remember right it should be soon.

Tomas

zands · « **Reply #31 on:** January 30, 2012, 04:13:35 PM »

Quote from: FloridaGreenMan on January 29, 2012, 08:27:17 PM

The local place where I buy my fruit is called Doris Italian Market. Located in several locations in Broward & Palm Beach counties, they carry a nice assortment of Homestead grown fruits-veggies most of the year. During July, they sell some awesome Guatemalan grown Rambutans for $7lb.

Thanks! I know the exact location in Coral Springs and have been in there.... I did not look close enough. Stiles Mkt on Oakland Park Blvd one mile west of 441 is very well stocked with connections to Florida farmers. The huge Swap Shop flea market is always good with backyard produce and Florida produce

zands · « **Reply #32 on:** February 03, 2012, 03:28:03 AM »

Quote from: FloridaGreenMan on January 29, 2012, 08:27:17 PM

The local place where I buy my fruit is called Doris Italian Market. Located in several locations in Broward & Palm Beach counties, they carry a nice assortment of Homestead grown fruits-veggies most of the year. During July, they sell some awesome Guatemalan grown Rambutans for $7lb.

Was just there today at Doris Coral Springs location and bought some limes @2/dollar which you would think is expensive. But they were so enormous I bought a few. They were so ugly they must be local grown. Z
Stiles Mkt on Oakland Pk Blvd goes very very local w lots of Florida in season suppliers
Swap Shop is even better with backyard suppliers (some at least) During a mango drought year I went there and found lotsa backyard mangoes

News:

Author Topic: Honeybell orange (Read 16145 times)