There are much different varieties of citrus fruits, each with there own flavor, season, and growing requirement. In order to determine which type of citrus fruit to grow, it is first important to gain an understanding of the different varieties of citrus fruits. The following guide will describe the various type of citrus fruits so that each reader can determine which type of citrus fruit to grow according to you’re taste and growing conditions.
Oranges are a common form of citrus fruit, and oranges comes in various categories depending upon the way in which individuals are to consume the oranges. Navel oranges are a variety of orange that contains no seed and is easy to peel. Navel oranges are typically sweetly in flavor and are available between late fall and spring.
Different Citrus Fruits and How to Grow Them
Valencia oranges are another variety of orange that is often used for juicing. Valencia oranges have thin skin and contain little seed within the orange. Additionally, Valencia oranges contain a great deal of juice and are available throughout the summer month.
Blood oranges contain red flesh within the orange and contain a flavor that is both sweet and tart. Moro blood oranges contain deep red flesh and have strong flavor of orange. These oranges are available during the winter.
Cara Cara oranges are a type of navel orange, but contain pink flesh and have a sweeter flavor than navel oranges. Additionally, the low acid content and pink flesh contains antioxidants like lycopene. Most citrus fruits contain antioxidants, but those with red or pink flesh have higher level of the antioxidant lycopene.
Mandarins are a group of citrus fruits that is smaller than oranges. Clementines are mandarins that are easy to peel and contain few seed within the orange. Tangerines are mandarins that have a more intense flavor than clementines.
Pixie mandarins have a sweetness to their flavor that is reminiscent of honey. Satsuma mandarins have a higher tolerance to cold temperature and can be harvested earlier in the growing season. In addition to oranges, lemons and limes are the most common citrus fruits to contain tartness in recipe.
Eureka lemons are a common variety of lemon that can be found year-round. People use these citrus fruits to make lemonade and marinades. Lisbon lemons have a higher tolerance to cold temperatures than Eureka lemons and contain more juice within the lemon.
Meyer lemons are a type of lemon made by cross breeding a lemon and a mandarin. The fruits have a sweet and tart flavor and thin skin. Persian limes and Bearss limes are two type of limes that do not contain seeds.
You can grow these types of limes throughout the year. Key limes are a type of small lime with a strong aroma. They are often used in pies.
Kaffir limes have bumpy skin with high amount of oil, but they have a bitter flavor. Grapefruits are a type of citrus fruit that is large and can be either sweet or bitter in flavor. Ruby Red grapefruits are pink in color in the flesh and are typically sweeter than white grapefruits.
White Marsh grapefruits have white flesh and have a bitter flavor. Oroblanco is a type of grapefruit that is milder in flavor than a typical grapefruit because it is a hybrid of grapefruits and pomelos. Pomelos are large citrus fruit that are the ancestors of grapefruits.
The pomelos have thick skin and are mildly sweet in flavor. Exotic citrus fruits include kumquats, yuzu, finger limes, and Ugli fruit. Kumquats are citrus fruits that can be eaten in their entirety since the skin of the fruit is sweet.
Yuzu is a citrus fruit that has a floral and tart flavor. Finger limes are small citrus fruits that contain juice pearls. Ugli fruit is a citrus fruit that has a wrinkled rind and is mildly sweet in flavor.
If you desire to grow citrus fruit for your homes gardens, you must consider the growing environment for those fruits. Most citrus fruits grow best in USDA zone 9 to 11. However, some citrus fruits, like Satsuma mandarins and kumquats, grow best in zone 8.
Most citrus fruits require full sun exposure and should be protected from frost. You can grow citrus fruits in containers by using dwarf variety of citrus trees. The containers should be at least 15 gallon in size and have drainage holes to prevent the roots of the citrus trees from rotting.
These citrus fruits grow best in slightly acidic sandy loam soil. You should apply citrus fertilizer three times a year, with more nitrogen given to the citrus plants during the spring growing season. Citrus fruits should be watered deep but infrequently and should be covered in mulch to hold the moisture in the soil.
To determine when citrus fruits are ripe, observe the color of the citrus fruits and feel the texture of the fruit. Once the citrus fruit reaches the peak of its ripeness, you should harvest it. Citrus fruits can be stored at room temperature for a short period.
For longer storage, you should place citrus fruits in the refrigerator. Citrus fruit juice can also be frozen in cube for easy use in cooking throughout the year.