This website uses cookies, pixels, and other tracking technologies to personalize content, analyze how our site and apps are used, and create aggregated statistics.
We disclose data about site and app users to third parties so we can target our ads to you on other websites, and those third parties may use that data for their own purposes.
For more information on how we collect, use, and disclose this information, please review our
Privacy Policy.
Continued use of this site means you consent to our Privacy Policy.
Lavender Gem tangelos are small to medium fruits that have an obovate to globular shape with slightly flattened ends. The fruit’s surface ranges in color from golden yellow to orange and bears a glossy, leathery, and pebbled appearance, covered in prominent oil glands that release aromatic essential oils. Underneath the semi-thick rind, the flesh is divided into 11 to 12 segments by thin membranes and is tender, firm, and aqueous, encasing many round to oval, cream-colored seeds. The flesh also varies in color depending on the climate. In warmer regions, the flesh develops a light pink-purple flush, while in cooler climates, the flesh appears in amber, yellow, and ivory tones. Lavender Gem tangelos contain low acidity, creating a mild, sweet, and tangy flavor with fruity and floral notes. The peel is also considered to be less bitter than other citrus varieties with a subtly sweet taste.
Seasons/Availability
Lavender Gem tangelos are available for a limited season in the mid to late winter through early spring.
Current Facts
Lavender Gem tangelos are a rare hybrid citrus variety belonging to the Rutaceae family. The golden fruits are similar in appearance to grapefruits but are generally smaller in size and grow on trees that reach 2 to 3 meters in height. Lavender Gem tangelos are a cross between an unknown grapefruit variety and a Sampson tangelo, a hybrid developed from a grapefruit and tangerine. This unusual parentage has led some growers to nickname the variety a tangelolo. Lavender Gem tangelos earned their lavender descriptor from the pink-purple flush found in the fruits when grown in warmer climates. The fruits are also known as Wekiwa tangelos and Pink tangelos in some farmer’s markets. The variety is not commercially cultivated and is challenging to find, mostly produced as a boutique or specialty citrus grown in limited quantities.
Nutritional Value
Lavender Gem tangelos are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, nutrients with antioxidant-like properties to boost the immune system, increase collagen production, and reduce inflammation. The fruits also contain potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, calcium to strengthen bones and teeth, fiber to stimulate the digestive tract, and magnesium to regulate blood pressure and nerve operations.
Applications
Lavender Gem tangelos have a sweet, subtly tart flavor best suited for fresh eating and flavoring culinary dishes. It is important to note that the flesh may contain a significant number of seeds, requiring the fruits to be laboriously deseeded or strained if juiced. The skin can be easily peeled from the flesh, and segmented, consumed straight, out-of-hand as a snack, or the wedges can be tossed into green salads, stirred into fruit bowls, chopped into salsa, or blended into smoothies. Lavender Gem tangelos can also be pressed for their juice and used to flavor marinades, salad dressings, vinaigrettes, and bright sauces. In addition to dressings, Lavender Gem tangelo juice can be mixed into cocktails, or it can be used to sweeten ceviche, incorporated into baked goods, or blended into custards and puddings. Lavender Gem tangelos can be used as a sweeter substitute in recipes calling for grapefruit and pair well with other fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, melons, coconuts, and bananas, herbs such as mint, basil, and rosemary, ginger, and meats such as poultry, turkey, and fish. Whole Lavender Gem tangelos will keep for a couple of days at room temperature and 1 to 2 weeks when stored in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Lavender Gem tangelos are most notably referenced in Pastry Chef Lindsey Shere’s book, Chez Panisse Desserts. The dessert-focused book was written in 1985 and emphasized focused ingredients and recipes that showcase the ingredient’s primary flavor. Many of the recipes in the book are desserts that Shere developed while working for Alice Waters at the famous Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkley from 1971 to 1998. In her book, Shere favors the mild, sweet flavor of Lavender Gem tangelos and incorporates the rare fruits into a Lavender Gem sherbet.
Geography/History
Lavender Gem tangelos were believed by experts to have been developed in California sometime in the 1930s, but much of the variety’s history remains unknown. The boutique citrus was later introduced and grown in Florida in the 1980s, and in the present-day, the fruits are primarily cultivated in the Coachella Valley of Southern California. Lavender Gem tangelos can be found through farmer’s markets and specialty grocers in California and Florida.
SPECIALTY PRODUCE
1929 Hancock St San Diego 92110
View on Instagram
(619) 295-3172 [email protected]
From RANCHO DEL SOL available at SPECIALTY PRODUCE…Lavender Gem tangelos have a unique appearance, with a glossy, leathery surface covered in oil glands that release fragrant essential oils. Their flesh color can change based on climate, appearing light pink-purple in warmer regions or amber, yellow, and ivory in cooler ones. With 11 to 12 tender, juicy segments, these tangelos also encase many cream-colored seeds and are known for their balanced mild sweetness and floral-fruity undertones.
Lavender Gem tangelos in season at Berkeley Bowel food store … Lavender Gem tangelos are versatile in their culinary uses, offering a sweet and subtly tart flavor. The fruits can be eaten fresh as snacks or incorporated into dishes like salads, salsas, smoothies, and fruit bowls. Their juice enhances marinades, dressings, sauces, cocktails, and even desserts. They pair well with fruits, herbs, ginger, and meats like poultry and fish, staying fresh for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
Specialty Produce
1929 Hancock St Suite 150 San Diego CA 92110
View on Instagram
(619) 295-3172 [email protected]
Lavender Gem Tangelos from Rancho Del Sol … Lavender Gem Tangelos are a product of fascinating hybridization: a cross between a mysterious grapefruit variety and Sampson tangelo, itself a blend of grapefruit and tangerine. Due to this unique lineage, growers sometimes call them "tangelolos." Their cultivation is highly limited, making them rare specialty fruits that are hard to find. In warmer climates, their flesh takes on a pink-purple hue associated with their lavender gem name.
Mud Creek Ranch
Santa Paula , CA
(805) 525-0758
Lavender Gem tangelos were developed in California around the 1930s and later introduced in Florida in the 1980s. Today, they are primarily grown in the Coachella Valley of Southern California. Known for their boutique appeal, these fruits are mainly available through farmer’s markets and specialty grocers in California and Florida. Despite their intriguing name, much of the variety's history remains a mystery.
Mud Creek Farms
Santa Paula, CA
(805) 525-0758
Lavender Gem tangelos are highlighted in Lindsey Shere's 1985 book, Chez Panisse Desserts, where she celebrates their sweet, mild flavor. Known for her work at Chez Panisse restaurant from 1971 to 1998, Shere crafted recipes showcasing primary ingredients, including a Lavender Gem sherbet that emphasizes the fruit's unique qualities. This book underscores the culinary value of rare and exceptional ingredients.
Mud Creek Farms
Santa Paula, CA
(805) 525-0758
Lavender Gem tangelos: These small to medium citrus fruits have a glossy, pebbled rind in shades of golden yellow to orange, often releasing aromatic essential oils. Their flesh varies in color based on climate—light pink-purple in warmer areas and amber to ivory tones in cooler climates. They feature tender, juicy segments with a mild, sweet-tangy flavor complemented by floral notes and low acidity, making them highly versatile and less bitter than many other citrus fruits.
2 peas in a pod
1358
Deer Canyon Rd Arroyo Grande CA 93420
+18058013370 [email protected]
Lavender Gem tangelos have a sweet, subtly tart flavor and versatile culinary uses. Their easily peeled skin makes them ideal for fresh consumption or incorporation into dishes like green salads, salsas, and smoothies. Their juice can enhance marinades, cocktails, or baked goods. Pair them with fruits, herbs like mint and basil, or proteins such as fish and poultry. Stored in a fridge, they remain fresh for 1 to 2 weeks.
Mud Creek Farms
Santa Paula, CA
(805) 525-0758
Lavender Gem tangelos: These rare citrus fruits are a hybrid between a Sampson tangelo and an unknown grapefruit variety, often nicknamed a tangelolo. They have a unique pink-purple blush in warmer climates and are also called Wekiwa or Pink tangelos. Not commercially grown, they are boutique fruits typically cultivated in small quantities and harder to find in markets.
Mud Creek Farms
Santa Paula, CA
(805) 525-0758
Lavender Gem tangelos were developed in California in the 1930s, and while much of their history remains unclear, the variety gained popularity in Florida during the 1980s. Today, these unique fruits are mainly cultivated in Southern California’s Coachella Valley. They are typically available through farmer’s markets and specialty stores in California and Florida.
Specialty Produce
1929 Hancock St, San Diego, CA 92110
View on Instagram
6192953172
Lavender Gem Tangelos from Rancho Del Sol…Lavender Gem Tangelos are highlighted in Lindsey Shere's 1985 book, "Chez Panisse Desserts." In this dessert cookbook, Shere emphasizes recipes that showcase primary flavors. While working for Alice Waters at Chez Panisse from 1971 to 1998, she developed a sherbet recipe using the mildly sweet Lavender Gem Tangelos, highlighting the fruit's rare and delicate qualities. This underlines their culinary value in gourmet recipes.
