Citrus is the common name given to the fruit-bearing shrubs and trees that belong to the Rutaceae plant family. The genus is home to several well-known fruits, including grapefruits, lemons, limes, oranges, and limes, to mention just a few.

Even though numerous genetically modified species have been generated in other parts of the world, many of them are indigenous to Southeast Asia.

Citrus fruits are used in a wide variety of contexts, including but not limited to popsicles, frozen fruit snacks, refreshing beverages, and as a component in the preparation of diverse foods. Citrus fruits are a genuine gift from nature because of their unique flavor profile, which combines sweet and sour notes, and the numerous health advantages that they provide.

Primary Categories of Citrus Fruits

Since ancient times, citrus fruits have been grown. As a result, today’s markets are teeming with several types of bright and juicy oranges, lemons, and other tangy fruits.

However, when citrus fruits were first domesticated, there were just a few primary varieties available: mandarins, citrons, and pomelos. These primary species are the progenitors of all the other citrus varieties, including lemons, limes, grapefruits, and many more.

Mandarin

Scientific Name: Citrus Reticulata

One of the real types of citrus fruits, mandarin, sometimes known as mandarin orange or just mandarin for short, is a type of citrus. This species evolved in China, where it is accorded a high level of respect due to a variety of cultural and historical factors.

During the festivities that accompany the New Year’s holiday, it is a common practice among Chinese people to present mandarins to close friends and family members. The villagers believe that the fruit symbolizes hope and brings about good luck.

Mandarins are another emblem that is associated with the Chinese New Year. Additionally, in traditional Chinese medicine, the dried rind of mandarin oranges is utilized to cure a variety of ailments.

A mandarin’s diameter ranges from 4 to 8 centimeters, and its shape is spherical but slightly flattened. They have a predominantly sweet flavor with only a little tang to them.

Citron

Scientific Name: Citrus Medica

The citron is a large, aromatic, yellow fruit that is one of the natural (non-hybrid) types of citrus fruits. It is frequently employed in Asian cooking and has a distinct flavor. In many countries, it is also given as a religious gift and has medicinal properties.

Pomelo

Scientific Name: Citrus Maxima

The biggest member of the citrus family is the pomelo, commonly known as Jabong or shaddock. The diameter of the fruit ranges from six to ten inches, and its weight ranges from approximately one to two kilograms.

Pomelos have flesh that is pinkish-white in color and can have a sweet, sour, or a mix of the two flavors.

Hybridized Citrus Fruits

The aforementioned old varieties offer delectable flavors, but there was a catch: these plants only flourished in specific conditions. Thus they could not be grown elsewhere.

This finally prompted scientists to produce hybrids that are hardier so that people all around the world may enjoy citrus fruits that are fresh and delicious directly from the orchards.

Continue reading to learn about the hybrid citrus fruits that are the most widely consumed.

Clementine

Scientific Name: Citrus Clementina

Tangors, also known as clementines, are a sort of hybrid fruit that results from the cross between a sweet orange and a mandarin orange. The outer back of this citrus fruit has the impression of being fairly smooth and glossy overall, and it is a dark orange color.

Clementines are more popular than oranges because they are simpler to peel. They are far more juicy and sweet than oranges. Algeria served as the birthplace of this species somewhere in the 19th century.

Tangerine

Scientific Name: Citrus Tangerine

Tangerines are the result of a further cross between wide distinct varieties of mandarin orange. They were given their name after the city of Tangier, which is located in Morocco, where they first appeared.

Tangerines have sweeter flesh and a sweeter rind than traditional oranges, despite the fact that tangerines are smaller in size and less spherical in form than regular oranges. As a result of this, tangerine peels dipped in chocolate are a common delicacy that can be found in a variety of restaurants and dessert bars.

This plant has fruit in the spring and summer that is orange in color and is appropriate for cultivation in zones 9 and 10, despite its requirement that it be grown in full light. The fruits are juicy and delicious.

Kaffir Lime

Scientific Name: Citrus Hystrix

The Kaffir lime is a kind of citrus fruit that is native to the tropical regions of Southern China. This fruit is also known as the Makrut lime and the Mauritius papeda.

Kaffir lime is a key component in a variety of recipes from Southeast Asia.

This can refer to either the fruit or the leaves of the lime. The leaves of this plant are frequently used in Thai, Indonesian, and Vietnamese cooking, while the fruit is frequently juiced for use in the preparation of revitalizing beverages, oils for aromatherapy, and shampoos for treating skin disorders and head lice.

Lemon

Scientific Name: Citrus Limon

The lemon is a very adaptable citrus fruit that has tremendous value in a number of different industries. Some of these industries include the food and beverage industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the cleaning industry, and others.

Refreshing drinks and delectable sweets may be made using lemon juice and lemon peel. Thanks to the widespread usage of lemons in the culinary industry across the world.

On the other hand, this is the same thing that the cosmetics business employs to prepare a variety of different beauty goods, such as essential oils and other perfumes.

Lemons provide a multitude of health benefits, including protection against stroke, cancer, and asthma, to name just a few of those advantages.

Orange

Scientific Name: Citrus Sinensis

Oranges are a hybrid fruit that was created by crossing mandarins with pomelos. Their unique orange color, along with their sweet flavor and sharp lemony aroma, has made them famous.

In order to differentiate them from bitter oranges, they are also sometimes referred to as sweet oranges (Citrus Aurantium). Oranges are said to have been first cultivated in ancient China about the year 300 BC.

Orange trees are among the most frequently planted fruit trees in the world as their annual yield is over 80 million tons, making them one of the most profitable citrus crops. This fruit is delicious when eaten fresh and may also be employed in the preparation of sweet dishes.

Orange peel is another ingredient that frequently goes through processing for usage in the perfume industry.

Key Lime

Scientific Name: Citrus Aurantiifolia

The Mexican Lime, the West Indian Lime, and the Bartender’s Lime are some of the numerous names for the Key Lime.

This fruit is the result of a genetic hybrid between the citrus Micrantha and the citrus Medica trees, and it may be found throughout Southeast Asia. It has a very acidic flavor and aroma and is fairly seedy.

In addition to having a thin peel, the fruit of the Key Lime tree is just around one to two inches in diameter, yet it is highly prized due to the unique flavor it possesses in comparison to other kinds of limes.

This assortment of citrus fruits is used in a traditional recipe for making the delicious and well-known Key Lime Pie, which originates from the United States.

Blood Orange

Scientific Name: Citrus Sinensis

The term “blood orange” very well gives away the fact that this particular kind of orange is a member of the citrus Sinensis family.

The skin of this fruit, which is a bright orange color, is similar to the skin of a regular orange; however, the flesh within has a dark red tint. This is because these citrus fruits contain unique antioxidants known as anthocyanins, which are not present in any other variety of citrus fruit.

Because they contain this flavonoid, which is a plant compound, blood oranges have the potential to be utilized as a treatment for infections that affect the urinary system.

This variety can be distinguished from all other citruses by its characteristic red color, which also makes it an excellent choice for embellishing exotic dishes and liquids. Blood oranges taste slightly like sour raspberries.

Health Benefits of Citrus Fruits

• Consuming a suitable number of citrus fruits every day, as shown by a study, reduces the chance of developing several classes of cancer, including stomach, pancreatic, and esophageal cancer.
• They are an excellent way to get your daily dose of fiber. Fiber is advantageous to the digestive system, and it also helps lower levels of “bad” cholesterol and makes a person less likely to gain weight.
• They include a variety of plant compounds that can act as natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents without posing any danger to the body.
• Citrus fruits are rich in a variety of minerals, which not only contribute to the regulation of blood sugar and blood pressure levels but also help preserve the health of the bones.
• They are a fantastic source of vitamin C, which is necessary for bolstering one’s immune system and warding off several viruses, including the common cold, the flu, and others.