You might see this rare citrus fruit on sale in some grocery stores, but do you know where the tangelo comes from? It is actually a hybrid, a cross between the tangerine and either a grapefruit or a pomelo. The first crosses were made in 1898 by Dr. Herbert Webber in California. The resulting fruit is about the size of an orange, tastes more like a tangerine, but is large and juicy like a grapefruit. Today, they come in many varieties, but characteristically have a very loose rind and a tell-tale “nipple” at the end of the stem. They are hardy to about 20 degrees and need to be cross pollinated with another citrus tree in order to produce fruit. Like all citrus, tangelos are in the family Rutaceae, known for being evergreen and somewhat tropical. The U of A has only one on campus and it’s doing swell!