Citrus Family Drama: Meet the Original Citrus Fruits

For the last few months, our team has been working with fruit experts at the University of California, Riverside to create a Citrus Family Tree. It turns out the oranges, grapefruits, and tangelos we love come from a complicated web of fruit relationships. But they’re all descended from just five types of citrus: the original citrus fruits.

I, a lover of historical fiction, immediately imagined the five original citrus fruits as five royal families.

The Tale of the Original Citrus Fruits

Millions and millions of years ago, in the far-off land of Asia, there was the empire of Citrus. In this empire, five royal families ruled their kingdoms. The Mandarin family was by far the most powerful: They had lots of land, good looks, and taste. As they looked to extend their power, they sent off a child to marry into the Pummelo family, creating a whole new lineage and the beloved kingdom of Sweet Orange.

Beyond the Mandarin and Pummelo families were the three outlier kingdoms of Kumquat, Citron, and Citrus Micrantha. These families were still royal, but they were small and without much power. They were quirky and kept mostly to themselves, pushed to the edges of the land. One day, a rebellious black sheep of the Mandarins went rogue and married a Kumquat—and the Mandarinquat kingdom was born!

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of town there were others looking to infiltrate the kingdom: the Finger Limes. The Finger Limes were outsiders from the land of Australia. Even though they looked a lot like Citrus citizens (and even had similar taste), they never quite fit in with the five original families.

Over the years, new alliances were formed and new families created—continuing to expand the flavors and colors of the Citrus empire.

Explore the Citrus Family Tree

Do you imagine that much dramedy when you look at this Citrus Family Tree?

Jokes aside, it never ceases to amaze me that the delicious citrus fruits we enjoy today came from just five distinct types of fruit that were around 6–8 million years ago. Many popular modern varieties are also mutations or hybridizations that occurred without human intervention. So, next time you enjoy a navel orange or Cara Cara from the kingdom of Sweet Orange, you can thank the Mandarins and Pummelos for making such delicious offspring.

Want to learn more about where your favorite citrus fruit comes from and how to read the family tree? We have a blog that will answer all of your questions. Check it out here.