Although studying the genetics of citrus gives interesting results, I don't think it is necessarily relevant for everyday use. To me, if something looks like an orange and tastes like an orange, then I call it an orange, and it is an orange. Same for a tangelo. They may genetically have the same percentage parenthood, but it doesn't mean they are the same. Whatever it is in the genetic code that defines taste, shape, size,colour etc. etc. is clearly different.

So, it depends on your viewpoint and what you consider is the most important property - genetic origin or what you observe for yourself. Take your pick - there isn't really a correct answer!

There is one variety of Tangelo that is very similar to an Orange.

Really an orange is one specific cross that diverged to become many varieties through mutation.

Tangelos are man-made hybrids from the 20th century. The USDA is credited with creating the 'Orlando' hybrid in 1911. 'Minneola' was released in 1931 by the USDA. So, they are relatively new on the scene in the grand scheme of things.

If an orange is in fact a hybrid from the same parents (if distant), then the tangelo could probably be considered a 'type of orange'. However, since tangelos have such a unique taste, for marketing and classifying reasons, they are simply called 'tangelos'.

So I have a question for you. I'm not supposed to eat grapefruit when on my particular medication. Does that mean I should avoid any grapefruit hybrid such as a tangelo as well?

No Tangelos are not basically an orange. A tangelo is a cross (hybrid) between a tangerine and a grapefruit. - Silica

Tangelo is mandarin and pomelo

Since many now think orange (Citrus x sinensis) itself is a hybrid -- between pomelo (Citrus maxima) and mandarin (Citrus reticulata) -- genes seem to show ~25% pomelo and ~75% mandarin, that is why the question of similarity with tangelo.

But, like I said, tangelos have a unique flavor and character. I would take a well-grown tangelo over a sweet orange any day! Especially in fresh-squeezed juice. Amazing!

By the way, if you look up grapefruit (Citrus x paradisi) you will see that some think it is a hybrid of orange and pomelo or shaddock. So it might be a 'which came first, chicken/egg' thing!

So long as no one says it's "Insipid"!

LOL!

I would say that tangelos are very similar to oranges, in a way. But tangelos have more flavor than orange (although it's not exactly the same flavor). When tangelos get bred with mandarins the flavor starts becoming more orange-like.

Both tangelos and oranges can be seen as lying somewhere on the spectrum between mandarin and pomelo, the two progenitor citrus species from which at one time these citrus groups are believed to have originated from.

The term "tangelo" doesn't exactly carry a precise definition.

If we viewed all these citrus groups as being on a linear spectrum it would be in the following order:

Pomelo, pomelo hybrid, grapefruit, tangelo, orange, tangor, mandarin

The general definition of a tangor is a cross between grapefruit and mandarin, however it's not infeasible that a cross between pomelo and mandarin, crossed with a mandarin again, and then once more crossed with the pomelo-mandarin cross, could also be regarded as being a tangor. What I'm saying is it's all a matter of proportion. I think oranges tend to result when there is a lot of backcrossing and the flavor starts becoming more muted. That's one perspective on this (and not necessarily the only valid one).

pip313, you say "tangelo is mandarin and pomelo". here is something to consider, cocktail grapefruit came about from a cross between a pomelo and a tangor, and a tangor is very close to a mandarin. I'm guessing if you actually crossed a pomelo and mandarin it would be very close to being somewhere between grapefruit and orange on the spectrum (although without the distinctive flavors particular to grapefruit or orange). You could call it a "tangor", but it would be more pomelo-like than any common tangor.

(But then again, some people might not regard Cocktail as a true real grapefruit)

Sweet Orange (C. sinensis) is a very specific complex mandarin and pomelo hybrid that originated long ago from unknown actual parents and has been propagated asexually ever since. Its DNA has been fully sequenced. Since tangelos are mandarin and pomelo hybrids Sweet Orange could be called a tangelo, I suppose, but not the other way around. No one calls them so though.

Not every mandarin and pomelo hybrid is a Sweet Orange. Every time man or nature makes a cross between some mandarin and some pomelo the resulting hybrid can be called a tangelo but will be different from other tangelos. In practice though only sweet fruit good for raw consumption will be called tangelos.

I believe US and EU law firmly distinguish C. sinensis from tangelos and tangors for the purpose of labelling fruit and juice.

Whether one better likes Sweet Orange or some tangor or tangelo is a matter of individual preference.