As such, the citrus industry plays an important role in the life of every Floridian. The primary varieties of Florida oranges are navel, Hamlin, Pineapple Orange, Ambersweet and Valencia. Specialty fruit are also part of the Florida citrus family. Varieties include Temples, tangerines and tangelos. Temples, which are available only two months a year, generally are regarded as one of Florida's finest eating fruit.
Temples are juicy and easy to section.
They have few seeds, peel easily and taste rich and sweet. Tangelos are a zingy-tasting hybrid cross of tangerines and grapefruit. They are very juicy and peel easily. The peel is usually pebbly, of medium thickness, and reddish-orange in color. Oranges from the Sunshine State, which are grown in a subtropical climate where nighttime temperatures are warmer, often retain some green or yellow color, even through the fruit inside is fully ripe.