What is the difference between citrus and mandarin oranges? Is a citrus a mandarin orange, and is tangerine peel the same as mandarin peel?

We all know citrus and mandarin oranges, but can you tell them apart well? Or do you think they are the same fruit? Below we will walk you through the difference between citrus and mandarin oranges. We can see the difference just from their appearance.

Here is how mandarin oranges and citrus differ:

1. Mandarin orange: the fruit is smaller, usually oblate, with skin that is orange-red, vermilion, or orange-yellow; the peel is thin, the spongy layer is thin, the taste is sour or sweet, and it does not keep well in storage.

2. Gan mandarin: the fruit is larger, roughly spherical, with skin that appears yellow, orange-yellow, or orange-red; the peel is thick and coarse, the spongy layer is thick, the taste is moderately sweet and sour, and it keeps well in storage.

Is citrus a mandarin orange? From the introduction above, it is not. Some people often say that chenpi is mandarin peel, but is that true? Actually, yes: after the peel of an orange is dried in the sun, it becomes chenpi.