Character
The Story of Minneola
A Florida-born citrus hybrid marrying tangerine brightness with grapefruit depth. Minneola brings an effervescent, sun-kissed quality to fragrance top notes, evoking warm coastal mornings and orchard groves.
Heritage
The Minneola tangelo emerged in 1931 from the Lake Alfred Citrus Experiment Station in Polk County, Florida. Horticulturists crossed the Dancy tangerine with Duncan grapefruit in a breeding program aimed at creating cold-hardy citrus varieties. The hybrid exceeded expectations, producing a fruit with thin, loose skin and exceptional juiciness. Named after Minneola, a small Florida town, the variety gained commercial traction through the 1930s and 1940s. The city of Minneola embraced the association, staging annual festivals celebrating the fruit during peak season. Florida's warm sandy soils and humid summers proved ideal for cultivation, making the state the primary global producer. By the 1970s, Minneola had become one of America's most recognizable citrus varieties, appearing in grocery stores nationwide during winter months.
At a Glance
4
Feature this note
Citric Notes
Olfactive group
United States
Primary source region
Ingredient Details
Cold expression and steam distillation
Fruit peel
Did You Know
"This bell-shaped citrus was created by accident at a Florida research station, born from an unplanned cross between tangerine and grapefruit."
