June 10, 2020
Remember our report late last month about the half-orange, half-lemon?
Readers were wondering what it looked like inside and what it tasted like …
Well, the mystery has been solved!
The gardener who grew the odd fruit on his navel orange tree at Taabinga Heights, sliced it open on Wednesday and southburnett.com.au was invited to have taste.
The first thing we can guarantee was the rind on the lemon side is different than the orange side, both inside and out.
Inside, the lemon half was also lighter and more yellow in colour than the orange half.
And the taste test?
The orange side was sweeter, while the lemon side had a slightly bitter tang.
Sadly, like most navel oranges there were no seeds so this odd fruit will probably be a one-off.
The gardener told us more fruit was now developing on the tree, but they all look like simple oranges!
* * *
UPDATE June 17: The mystery of the mixed-up orange has been solved.
The gardener who grew the odd orange contacted the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and received a reply.
The orange / lemon is the result of a genetic mutation which occurred either during fruit development or when the branch tissue was developing.
In genetics, this result is known as a chimera.
One of the most famous citrus chimeras is the “bizzaria“, a mix of the Florentine citron and a sour orange.
- External link: Images of other citrus chimeras
- Related article: Even The Fruit’s Mixed Up!
Gosh, is it April 1st already??? Where has the time gone.
Umm Peter … this is fair dinkum!