14 Types of Citrus Fruits, and Why the Pineapple Isn’t One of Them
Most citrus fruits we know of are hybrids. They were made through the natural or artificial mixing of basic types of citrus: mandarins, citrons, and pomelos. 5-Minute Crafts will tell you about them and why they differ.
1. Mandarin
Mandarins are one of the basic non-hybrid kinds of citrus. They are believed to have come from China. They’re a bit flat, ranging from 1.5 inches to 3.14 inches (4 cm to 8 cm) in diameter, sweet, and slightly sour.
2. Citron
Citrons are big yellow fruits with thick skin that come from India. They’re usually long or egg-shaped and can reach up to 11.8 inches (30 cm) in length. They aren’t very juicy and have almost no taste, but the skin is used in Asian cuisine. Together with mandarins and pomelos, citrons are one of the basic citruses that gave birth to all the others.
3. Pomelo
The pomelo is the biggest citrus fruit and can be anywhere from 5.9 inches to 9.84 inches (15 cm to 25 cm) in diameter and 4.4 pounds (2 kg). Their skin color is light green or yellow, and their pulp can be white or pink. They taste sweet — not bitter at all.
4. Lime
Limes are fruits that usually have green or yellow-green skin and yellow-green pulp. Depending on the fruit, they can be from 0.98 inches to 2.36 inches (2.5 cm to 6 cm) in diameter and 3.14 inches (8 cm) long. They may or may not have seeds inside. They’re even more bitter and sour than lemons.
5. Lemon
Lemons are one of the more well-known citrus fruits. They’re small, yellow, and sour. Thanks to their good properties, lemons are used in food, the cosmetic industry, and aromatherapy.
6. Orange
The orange is loved by many, and it’s a mix of the pomelo and mandarin. They’re sweet but can sometimes be a little sour. The pulp is usually orange, but there are also variations with red.
7. Bitter orange
Bitter oranges taste bitter — so much so that some people can’t even eat them. Their skin is much thicker than their ordinary counterparts.
8. Grapefruit
Grapefruits are a mix of pomelo and sweet orange. They’re usually sweet and sour, quite big, ranging from 3.93 inches to 5.90 inches (10 cm to 15 cm) in diameter, looking a little bit like squashed balls. The skin is yellow-orange, but the pulp can be white, pink, or red, depending on the type.
9. Kumquat
Kumquats look like tiny, plum-like oranges, and mean “golden orange” in Chinese. They come round or slightly elongated in shape and taste sour, typically eaten with their skin still on.
10. Clementine
Clementines are a lot like mandarins but they’re smaller and have no seeds. They’re honey-sweet and could be a little sour; more so than an orange but sweeter than mandarins.
11. Bergamot orange
The bergamot is a citrus fruit that is yellow-green and about the size of an orange. It has a bright flavor and could be both sour and a bit bitter. They appear as a mix of lemon and bitter orange.
12. Oroblanco
Oroblanco (sweetie) is a mix of pomelo and grapefruit. The fruit is green and has a sweet taste and a round shape. Sweeties have much thicker skin than grapefruits, but, like grapefruits, they have bitter walls between the wedges.
13. Tangelo
The tangelo is a juicy citrus mix of mandarin and grapefruit or mandarin and pomelo. It has bright red skin and is the size of an orange. The skin is easy to peel.
14. Yuzu
The yuzu, or Japanese citron, is popular in Japan and Korea. They range from 2.16 inches to 2.95 inches (5.5 cm to 7.5 cm) in diameter. Its taste is reminiscent of grapefruit and mandarin.
Bonus: why pineapples aren’t considered citrus, and how to know if they’re ripe
The pineapple belongs to the pineapple family and is a juicy, large, tangy fruit that grows in tropical climates. Although it has a lot in common with citrus fruits, as it’s rich in vitamin C, it’s not one. Close to their skin, they have little black, dark seeds inside. They don’t actually grow from these seeds, however, but in soil. An easy way to grow one is to cut off its crown (the leafy green top) and plant it.
Picking a ripe pineapple can be challenging. To do it right, follow these steps:
- Tug the leaves. Pull a leaf from the top of the pineapple. If the pineapple leaves can be plucked easily, it means it’s ripe. If the leaf breaks off too quickly, it may be overripe and rotten. A pineapple generally has 30-40 pointy dark green leaves firmly fixed into it. Its color changes as it ripens.
- Smell the bottom. Pineapples are very fragrant. Sniffing one from its stems (bottom) is one of the best ways to find out whether it’s ripe or not. The pineapple is ripe if you a smell sweet, rich, and pleasant aroma. If the pineapple doesn’t smell at all, it may be unripe. If the pineapple smells acidic, it may be overripened.
- Check for yellow. Color is one of the giveaways of its ripeness. Green pineapples are underripe. But if it’s turned yellowish, it’s ripe and ready. It’s better not to consume it until it has lost most of its green.