Hybrid between a mandarin and a grapefruit. There are several mandarin orange hybrids: Deep yellow-orange rind with rich yellow-orange flesh. Cultivars include ‘Owari’, ‘Dobashi Beni’, ‘Okitsu Wase’, and ‘Kimbrough’. Ripens very early: November and December. Grows well in intermediate and coastal areas. Medium-orange flesh with yellow-orange rind. Midseason, ripens winter to early spring: January through April. Very sweet and fragrant with seedy fruit. Ripens winter into spring: March and April. Large fruit to 2½ inches (6.5 cm) in diameter. Sweet-tart, sprightly, aromatic flavor with varying seediness. Wonderfully sweet tangerine flavor and juicy.

The last mandarin to ripen: March, April and May.įremont. Yellow-orange rind mottled with dark spots. The traditional Christmas “tangerine.” Ripens fall into winter: December and January. Originated and grown in North Africa and grown extensively in California since 1914.ĭancy or Dancy Tangerine. Ripens late fall into winter: December, January and February. Rind is deep orange to orange-red, smooth and glossy. Medium-small to medium sized and usually seedless flesh. Juicy, sweet, mild to rich flavor, excellent taste. Here’s a roundup of the most notable mandarin orange varieties and their hybrids and when you will find them at the farm market:Ĭlementine or Algerian Tangerine. The mandarin season extends from early winter into summer-with the harvest divided into early, midseason and late. The earliest ripening mandarin oranges and their hybrids are ready in early winter.

Those with the deepest red-orange peels are often called tangerines. Mandarins vary in color from orange to deep, nearly reddish orange. Mandarins-the majority of which are smaller and squatter than most oranges–have less acid than oranges, and generally contain more water and less sugar than oranges. The one thing that mandarin oranges have in common is that their peel or skin easily pulls away from their flesh and their segments are easily separated. Say mandarin orange and you are describing a large and diverse group of citrus varieties and hybrids that vary from very sweet to tart and from egg-sized small to medium grapefruit-sized large.

Clementine v tangerine