Why do some citrus have seeds and some don’t?

We asked tangerine farmer Emily Thacher Ayala from Friends Ranch in Ojai, CA. She told us that seedlessness in citrus is a naturally occurring genetic mutation. In the last century, growers have selected and grown more varieties that have few or no seeds, which many consumers seem to prefer. When a farmer finds a variety by chance that does not make seeds, they can cut buds from those trees and graft them to make new ones. There are no genetically engineered citrus fruits. Seeds are used to grow the rootstock but the seedless variety can be grafted on to it.

Citrus you may find in your FruitGuys box include blood oranges, Pixie tangerines, navel oranges, Minneola tangelos, and other goodies. You can see what’s in your box by visiting our Mix Pages. Your box type is written on the sticker on the outside of your box, i.e. “Large Organic Harvest.”

If you ever have questions about any produce in your FruitGuys box, don’t hesitate to call us at 1-877-FRUIT-ME. We are here for you!