20 Types of Oranges You Need To Know About

1. Mandarin Orange

Mandarin oranges are the most common types of oranges and can easily be found in any grocery store. This particular type of orange is smaller in size compared to others, flat in shape with loose skin that makes it easy to peel.

Falls under the sweeter variety, they are also seedless and easy to consume, people usually add this fruit into different vegetarian salads or have it fresh as a snack.

This seedless orange is native to China and is mostly found in tropical and subtropical regions. Different mandarin oranges varieties include Chinese honey, clementine and satsuma.

2. Tangerine Orange

Tangerine oranges are a variety of Mandarin and are easy to peel with a right proportion of sweet taste. Compared to other oranges, tangerines have a long growing season and are great for juicing, snacking, salads, and baking.

They have a comfortable aromatic scent and are known for their deep orange color.

Tangerine is cultivated in the subtropical regions, especially in southern Europe and the Southern United States, and their tree are smaller than other orange trees. Just like mandarin, it is thin-skinned and has a soft and pebbly appearance. 

3. Valencia Orange

Another sweet variety of orange, Valencia is named after the famous city that was the major producer of this orange, Valencia (Spain). They are a lot more juicier than other common types of oranges.

Valencia oranges are mainly harvested during the summer season and usually have a bright orange hue and can be green in color during the summer season.

They are grown widely across several parts of America but are most popular in California. Their sweet profile makes them ideal for juicing during hot summer days.

4. Navel Orange

The popular variety of orange, Navel is a winter orange that has thick skin with sweet fruit. They are seedless and comprises dozen of different sections held together by the orange's peel.

This particular orange is famous for its sweetness and high Vitamin C content. Native to Brazil, they are widely harvested in California and Florida from November through January.

They come in a medium to large size with slightly bumpy skin and bright orange in color. Named after the belly button of the human body, they taste wonderful if eaten fresh or used in dessert items.

5. Cara Cara Orange

Cara Cara oranges are a crossbreed of navel oranges and share the same bright orange color but with pinkish-red colored flesh. They taste sweet along with a hint of tangy when eaten fresh and are a little less acidic than other common types of oranges.

They are mostly harvested from December to April as that is the best time to consume this variety. Cara Cara are majorly popular in California and in the state because they are highly adaptable in different climates. People often like to incorporate this in their fruit salads or to make marinades.

6. Clementine Orange

Hybrid fruit between the mandarin orange and the typical sweet orange, Clementine oranges have thin, smooth skin and a bright refreshing taste.

This type of orange has few to no seeds and is easy to peel, this is also one of the main reasons for its popularity. Not only do they taste delicious, clementine also smells wonderful and is also quite lovely.

They are smaller in size with a bright orange color and have a flat spot on both the top and the bottom. These orange types are popular among kids and well known by the kid-friendly names such as Cuties and Sweeties.

7. Blood Orange

Blood orange is a must-have during the winter season and stands apart from other types of oranges because of it's distinct red flesh. This dark red flesh orange is extremely juicy, sweet, and tangy which resembles a mix of plump rip raspberries and tangy oranges.

Similarly, blood oranges are a brilliant complement to add on dessert or with fruit juice as they are one of the tastiest types of orange drinks.

They are harvested in California and Florida as this tree prefers a warm and temperate climate and are available from late fall through early winter.

8. Acid-less Orange

As the name suggest, acid-less oranges contains very little amount of acid and is also known as sweet oranges or Lima orange, but are not particularly flavorful. Unlike other oranges, this type of orange is rarely available in the market but are highly nutritious.

People generally prefer to consume this orange as raw snacking for baking or juicing as it has thick peels and contains quite a lot of seeds as well. However, most people like to have it because of their soft and tender texture and sweet taste.

9. Sumo Oranges

Sumo Oranges are basically oversized mandarin oranges, they aren't as well-known as compared to other oranges. However, they are quickly gaining popularity in the U.S. because of their sweetness profile as well as they are extremely easy-to-peel.

They have a big round body and a bumpy top. Sumo citrus oranges also have higher nutrient content than the average orange due to their massive size. Additionally, these oranges contains low-acid level which makes them ideal for those who don't tolerate highly acidic food.

10. Pera Orange

Pera orange is a common citrus fruit of Brazil and originated in Florida. This orange has a rough texture with a light orange shade and is quiet thin with well-colored pulps inside. They are smaller in size and contain 10 segments of juicy tender flesh.

This orange can be found year-round at farm markets as well as supermarkets. Compared to the orange ones, the greener ones yield a sweeter juice and can be eaten fresh or can be used in several culinary such as cakes, marmalades, and preserves.

11. Hamlin Orange

Hamlin Oranges are a special kind of orange that gains its sweetness only during cold weather. They first originated in Florida and later became one of the most demanded orange varieties.

Hamlin has a thin skin with a delicious sweet and tangy taste. The orange juice resembles the taste of lemon water in some instances. This popular orange is often harvested from October to January in Florida. Hamlin contains smooth skin, and juicy flesh with dark yellow color and is low in acidic level.

12. Kumquats Orange

Kumquats oranges also known as golden oranges are perfect little adorable fruits with oval shapes and are smaller in nature. They come in a sour taste with high citrus content. These oranges are perfect to add to salads, cocktails, and marmalade.

These ancient fruits originated from Southern China, but are now available in several different parts of the world. Kumquats are about the size of an olive and have a distinct citrus flavor. Surprisingly, the peel of this orange is the sweetest part of the fruit, and is advised to eat it without peeling.

13. Pineapple Orange

Pineapple orange is one of the oldest types of Florida-based orange. This rare fruit is a hybrid between a tangerine and an orange, it's unique flavor resembles pineapples which makes it an incredibly unique experience. 

With a slightly acidic flavor, pineapple oranges have sweet and tart undertones. They are available in different sizes from medium to large and are considered great for juicing. Additionally, these oranges are slightly oval in shape and have bumpy orange peels.

14. Trifoliate Orange

Trifoliate is a special type of orange that has a pleasantly bitter flavor. The tree of this orange is tall and has thorns all over its body but produces beautiful and aromatic white flowers. The flavor of these fruits reminisces the taste of lemon and grapefruit but with a note of bitterness.

This particular type of orange has a high acidity content which gives a kick of sourness. Trifolate are harvested in the middle of spring and are quite small in size with a dull yellow skin with many seeds inside. People usually incorporate this in juice or making marmalade or sweet treats.

15. Seville Oranges

Another bitter type of orange, Seville is a combination of mandarin and pomelo orange and has an intense sourness. Native to the Iberian Peninsula, this oranges are often used for making marmalade. They are small, round in shape with a yellowish orange color skin.

Seville orange contains around 10 to 11 segments wrapped by a thin layer of white membrane similar to other sweet oranges. There oranges are extensively known for their powerful tartness with a hint of bitter taste. This can also be used for fruit juicing and zesting for savoy recipes.

16. Bergamot Orange

Due to high acid levels, bergamot oranges are extremely sour and are not meant to be eaten fresh. The peel of these oranges are the main part people use to complement their dish as the peel has a unique aroma that is popular in teas and flavoring. 

Bergamot oranges are actually a bright yellow color when fully ripe with medium-sized rind and pale yellow flesh. The skin of this orange is smooth which hides a fragrant aroma bitter taste. They are available in early fall through winter mainly in Italy.

17. Jaffa Orange

Jaffa orange also known as Shamoti orange is native to Jaffa, Israel. These oranges have thick skin and are much sweeter with slightly juicy flesh which makes them an excellent snacking orange. They are harvested in season between November and March.

Due to its thick skin, it has a long shelf life. These oranges are often eaten fresh or can be added to some sweet or savory dish. However, Jaffa is not an ideal orange for juicing as it contains low juice content.

18. Kishus Orange

Origated from Japan, Kishus are small oranges, known to peel easier than other fruits. They have a mild sweet taste with hardly any seeds. These oranges are low in acidity level and you'll love its crisp texture, beautiful fragrance, and delightful flavor when consumed.

Their peel is thin and most people often consume it due to its nutritional properties. Kishus are widely available around Florida or California and are almost impossible to find anywhere else. These oranges can be used to make delicious jams or juicers or can be added to baked food.

19. Tangelo Orange

A unique type of orange created by the cross between tangerine and pomela, Tangelo are sweet as well as sour variety of orange.

They can be oval, round, or bell-like shapes with an orange color outside and juicy orange segments inside. They also contain loose skin that makes it easy to peel.

Harvested in Florida they are mostly grown in humid and tropical climates. The sour taste of this orange makes it a great ingredient for cocktails, salads, and marinade.

20. Parson Brown Orange

Originating in Florida, Parson Brown orange is hard to find outside Florida, not even in the States. These variety of oranges are known for their sweetness but contain more seeds. They have a delicate sweet flavor that is best for juicing and preserving for later use.

Parson Brown Orange is harvested from October to January, these oranges mature very early forming a firm and juicy flesh with quiet bumpy skin. They become light yellow in color when ripe and are rich in several vitamins such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin B5.