From 71174.2735@CompuServe.COM Fri Apr 23 22:42:16 1993 Date: 23 Apr 93 17:29:13 EDT From: Rick Harrison <71174.2735@CompuServe.COM> To: Subject: Tangerine FAQ [revised] A DIRECTORY OF MANDARINS / TANGERINES AND THEIR HYBRIDS 1993.04 Rick Harrison, PO Box 54-7014, Orlando FL 32854, USA Internet e-mail: 71174.2735@compuserve.com phone: 407-645-3031 Mandarins/tangerines are citrus fruits and trees of the species _Citrus_reticulata_ Blanco. They are distinguished from other citrus species by the relatively loose skin of the fruits, the relative ease with which the segments can be separated, and (in most cultivars) the green cotyledons. Most varieties also contain chemical compounds not found in other citrus species: _thymol_ in the leaves and _tangeretin_ in the fruits. Some experts consider the varieties King, Satsuma, Cleopatra and Ponkan to be separate species unto themselves. If you live in an area that doesn't have hard freezes, you can grow tangerine trees outdoors; they usually require little attention after they have established themselves. In colder areas, they can be grown in greenhouses or in portable containers. Although I am trying to gather data on all known varieties, I have limited this list to varieties readily available in the United States and varieties of commercial importance elsewhere. hardiness = tolerance to cold; season = when the fruit is ripe (this varies depending on climate); holds = how well the fruit lasts on the tree after maturing; size, shape, base, apex, etc. = description of fruit +-----------+ | mandarins | +-----------+ variety: Clementine (a.k.a. Algerian) tree: medium, spreading or weeping habit, nearly thornless leaves: dark green above and lighter on underside; dense foliage season: Dec Jan Feb holds: well size: medium, diam. 2 to 2.5, height 2 to 2.75 shape: globose to ovoid, somewhat irregular base: evenly rounded to slightly necked, with radiating furrows apex: depressed axis: large, hollow color: deep orange-red surface: smooth, glossy, slightly pitted rind: medium thick, 1/8 to 3/16, loose oil glands: prominent, large, elliptical, depressions over primary ones segments: 8 to 12, slight adherence pulp: tender, melting, deep orange flavor: sweet seeds: 0 to 6, medium size, oblong to fusiform; embryo pistache green history: discov in Algeria, came to FL 1909 notes: seedless and self-fertile in some relatively arid climates, but requires pollination from Dancy, Kinnow, Orlando, Valencia in FL; produces best fruit in deserts of California and Arizona; an important commercial variety in the Mediterranean area variety: Cleopatra (a.k.a. Spice) tree: low, spreading, dense foliage, attractive leaves: small, dark green season: Jan Feb size: small, up to 2 inch diam. shape: oblate base: flat apex: depressed, generally navel marked color: deep red-orange surface: somewhat rough rind: very loose, up to 1/8 thick pulp: coarse-grained, orange flavor: tart seeds: numerous, small history: came from Jamaica to Florida before 1888 notes: used as rootstock for other varieties; possibly identical with Ponki, which is used as a rootstock in Japan variety: Dancy (formerly a.k.a. Moragne, Bijou) hardiness: hardy tree: medium-large, erect, nearly thornless leaves: broadly lanceolate, 3 to 4.75 inches long season: Nov Dec Jan holds: fair size: medium, diam. 2.25 to 3, height 1.5 to 2.125 shape: oblate base: usually necked, more or less corrugated apex: broadly depressed color: deep red-orange surface: smooth, glossy rind: thin, 1/8 to 3/16, leathery, easily removed segments: 10 to 14, easily separated pulp: melting, tender, dark orange vesicles: short, broad, relatively large flavor: rich and sprightly, pleasant aroma seeds: 6 to 20, short, blunt or beaked; cotyledons pistache green history: introduced into cultivation 1871 notes: Does best in Florida. Recently this variety's susceptibility to alternaria has been a problem in commercial groves. variety: Dweet category: mandarin (hybrid: Dancy x Mediterranean) tree: medium, open habit season: late size: medium-large shape: ovoid with a slight neck color: red-orange flavor: rich notes: does well in coastal and interior California variety: Emperor season: Nov Dec Jan Feb size: large, avg. diam. 2.5, height 1.75 shape: oblate, sometimes has a "neck" color: pale orange base: sometimes necked rind: moderately thin, easy to peel segments: 9 to 10, sometimes irregular pulp: pale orange color seeds: 10 to 16, long and pointed notes: widely grown in Australia early in 20th century variety: Encore category: mandarin (hybrid: King x Mediterranean) tree: medium, upright/spreading habit, few or no thorns season: Mar Apr May Jun holds: well color: yellow-orange speckled with dark orange-to-brown spots rind: easily peeled flavor: rich seeds: many history: introduced by University of California at Riverside; consumers often assume the dark spots on the rind are a sign of decay variety: Honey category: mandarin (hybrid: King x Mediterranean) tree: medium-to-large, vigorous, spreading season: early holds: well size: small to medium color: yellow-orange rind: easily peeled flavor: very sweet seeds: many notes: beware of name confusion; Murcott tangors are sometimes called "Honey tangerines"; Minneola is a.k.a. Honeybell. Honey is a commercial variety in California. variety: Kara category: mandarin (hybrid: Owari Satsuma x King) hardiness: sensitive tree: medium, vigorous, spreading, nearly thornless leaves: large, dark green, with drooping habit season: Mar Apr May holds: fair size: medium, diam. 2 to 3, height 2.125 to 2.75 shape: medium oblate to nearly globose, often somewhat conical color: orange surface: moderately grained rind: thin-to-medium, 1/8 to 1/5, loose, tough oil glands: numerous, medium size; oil is abundant, aromatic flavor: rich flavor, strong pleasant unique aroma seeds: 12 to 20, plump, yellow-tinged or yellow-green cotyledons history: H B Frost, CA Citrus Experiment Station, 1935 notes: best in interior California; sometimes grown for its juice variety: King (a.k.a. King of Siam) hardiness: hardy tree: upright, medium size, relatively open foliage leaves: large, 3 to 4.25, broadly lanceolate, margins slightly crenate season: Mar Apr May size: large, diam. 2.5 to 3.75, height 2.25 to 3.5 inches shape: oblate to near spherical base: rounded or somewhat necked, wrinkled with short radiating furrows apex: flattened or depressed, marked by characteristic areole color: yellow-orange to orange surface: rough and bumpy rind: thick, 3/16 to 5/16, tight but easily removed oil glands: large, depressions over main ones give finely pitted appearance flavor: rich and sprightly seeds: 5 to 15 or more, fusiform, plump, beaked, white cotyledons history: from Saigon to Riverside CA 1880; to Winter Park FL 1882 notes: susceptible to sun scald due to thin foliage, limb breakage due to over-bearing; might be identical to Kunenbo grown in Japan variety: Kinnow category: mandarin (hybrid: King x Willow-leaf) hardiness: very hardy tree: vigorous, large, erect, dense leaves: medium size, rather thin and pliable season: Jan Feb Mar Apr holds: well size: medium, diam. 2.125 to 3, height 2 to 2.5 shape: slightly oblate color: deep yellow-orange surface: smooth, glossy, easily scars rind: thin, 1/8, leathery, fairly easy to peel oil glands: conspicuous, oil is abundant and aromatic flavor: rich, high sugar and moderate acid, unique pleasant aroma seeds: 12 to 24, medium size, yellowish cotyledons history: H B Frost, CA Citrus Experiment Station, 1935 notes: reportedly has outstanding flavor, attractive appearance; probably will do better in CA and AZ than in FL variety: Pixie category: mandarin (offspring of Kincy) tree: medium-large, with erect open habit season: Apr May Jun size: small to medium color: yellow-orange rind: easily peeled flavor: mild seeds: none variety: Ponkan (a.k.a. Warnurco, Chinese Honey Orange, Batangas) hardiness: hardy? tender? (different sources give different data) tree: small, upright season: Nov Dec holds: fair size: large, diam. 2.75 to 3.25 shape: globose to oblate base: flattened or somewhat necked, with irregular furrows apex: deeply depressed, with radiating furrows, sometimes with navel axis: large, hollow color: orange surface: smooth or finely papillate rind: medium thick, loosely adherent flavor: sweet, aromatic seeds: few, small, plump, nearly smooth; green embryos history: from China to FL 1892 variety: Satsuma (a.k.a. Unshiu) hardiness: very hardy (to 12'F when dormant) tree: small to medium, spreading, slow-growing leaves: (depends on strain) season: Sep Oct Nov size: medium to large shape: oblate to spherical or slightly conical color: orange to yellow-orange surface: slightly rough rind: thin, 1/8 to 3/16, tight but easily peeled oil glands: large and numerous flavor: good, low acid seeds: few history: originated in Japan circa 1600, Japan to USA 1876 notes: pulp ripens before rind changes color; there are many different strains, including Owari, Wase, Ikeda, Mikado; rootstock and soil influence fruit quality; mutations and throwbacks common variety: Wilking category: mandarin (hybrid: King x Willow-leaf) hardiness: hardy tree: medium, vigorous, columnar, dense leaves: medium size, up to 4.75 inches long season: Jan Feb Mar Apr holds: fair size: medium, diam. 2.125 to 3.125, height 1.75 to 3 shape: oblate color: deep yellow-orange surface: coarsely grained to nearly smooth rind: thin to medium, 1/8 to 1/6, brittle, loose oil glands: medium size, numerous, conspicuous; oil abundant, aromatic flavor: rich, good, high sugar, moderate acid, distinctive aroma seeds: 10 to 17, mostly plump, yellow-green cotyledons history: developed by H Frost, CA Citrus Experiment Station, 1935 variety: Willow-leaf (a.k.a. Mediterranean, China) hardiness: hardy tree: small to medium, broad, with fine willowy branches leaves: small, narrow, lanceolate season: Nov Dec Jan holds: poorly size: medium, diam. 2 to 2.5, height 1.75 to 2.25 shape: oblate to globose color: yellow-orange surface: smooth, glossy, segmentation visible rind: thin, 1/16 to 1/8, loose flavor: sweet, flavorful, distinctly aromatic seeds: 15 to 20 history: from Italy to Louisiana circa 1845 notes: needs a hot, non-humid climate for best fruit +-----------------------------+ | tangerine x tangelo hybrids | +-----------------------------+ variety: Fairchild category: (hybrid: Clementine x Orlando) tree: medium, rounded, dense, nearly thornless season: early holds: fair size: medium-size color: deep orange flavor: sweet, rich seeds: many history: developed by J R Furr, released 1964 notes: does best in the low deserts of California and Arizona; needs to be pollinated by other mandarins for best production variety: Lee category: (hybrid: Clementine x Orlando) hardiness: hardy season: Oct Nov Dec size: medium surface: smooth rind: adherent flavor: good history: developed by F E Gardner, released by USDA 1959 notes: pulp ripens before peel develops full orange color variety: Nova category: (hybrid: Clementine x Orlando) season: early size: medium to large shape: oblate color: orange rind: medium-thick, adherent but peelable history: developed by F E Gardner, released by USDA in 1964 variety: Page category: (hybrid: Minneola x Clementine) tree: medium, round, dense foliage, few thorns season: Nov Dec holds: well size: small-to-medium shape: nearly spherical (can pass for an orange) color: orange rind: medium-thin flavor: rich history: developed by F E Gardner, released by USDA 1963 notes: produces best fruit when pollinated by other varieties; "great choice for fresh juice lovers" variety: Robinson category: (hybrid: Clementine x Orlando) hardiness: hardy season: Oct Nov Dec color: yellow-orange to orange size: medium flavor: mild (actually _bland_ in my humble opinion) history: developed by F E Gardner, introduced in 1959 notes: best when pollinated by a tangelo or tangor; susceptible to twig and stem dieback variety: Sunburst category: (hybrid: Robinson x Osceola) hardiness: hardy season: Nov Dec Jan flavor: sweet history: introduced in 1979, developed by Dr. C. Jack Hearn notes: best when pollinated by other varieties; resistant to citrus snow scale; vulnerable to citrus rust mite +----------+ | tangelos | +----------+ variety: K-Early category: probably a tangelo season: early -- the earliest mandarin notes: developed by H J Webber and W T Swingle; fruit tends to be bitter, with low sugar and low acid; grown by unscrupulous producers who get a high price for early fruit; K-Early looks like Orlando tangelo, and the resulting guilt-by-association has reduced the commercial market for Orlando tangelos variety: Minneola (a.k.a. Honeybell) category: tangelo (Duncan x Dancy) hardiness: hardy tree: medium-large, vigorous, round leaves: dark green, large season: Dec Jan Feb holds: well size: large shape: globose-ovoid with distinct "neck" color: red-orange rind: thick, brittle flavor: rich, tangy seeds: less than 10 on average notes: best when pollinated by Dancy, Clementine, Kinnow, Temple variety: Orlando (a.k.a. Lake) category: tangelo (Duncan x Dancy) hardiness: "more cold-tolerant than Minneola" tree: dark, distinctively cupped leaves season: Nov Dec Jan size: medium-large color: orange rind: strongly adherent flavor: mildly sweet history: bred by W T Swingle in 1911, released in 1931 notes: best when pollinated by Dancy, Clementine, Kinnow, Temple; will grow in deserts of CA and AZ variety: Seminole category: tangelo (Dancy x Duncan) tree: medium to large, vigorous season: Feb Mar Apr holds: fair size: medium-large color: red-orange rind: easily peeled flavor: sprightly, tangy seeds: many (22 average) history: released 1931 +---------+ | tangors | +---------+ variety: Ambersweet category: tangor+ ([Clementine x Orlando] x sweet orange) hardiness: hardy season: Oct Nov size: 3 to 3.5 diam. variety: Fallglo category: (hybrid: Bower x Temple) season: Oct Nov history: released by USDA 1987 variety: Murcott category: tangor hardiness: semi-sensitive tree: medium, upright season: Jan Feb Mar size: medium color: yellow-orange surface: smooth and somewhat glossy rind: thin, tight but peelable flavor: sweet, rich seeds: 18 to 24 history: probably the result of Swingle's breeding experiments, the parent tree lost its identification tag in transit to Safety Harbor FL in 1913. notes: slightly susceptible to scab fungus and xyloporosis variety: Tangerona category: tangor hardiness: sensitive season: Sep Oct size: small shape: roundish oblate color: yellow-orange rind: tight flavor: (reportedly) excellent seeds: many history: from Brazil to FL circa 1890 variety: Temple category: probably a tangor (parents unknown) hardiness: tender tree: spreading, bushy, somewhat thorny leaves: medium size season: Jan Feb Mar Apr holds: fair size: medium-large, diam. 2.5 to 3.25, height 2.25 to 2.5 shape: oblate to spherical color: orange to red-orange surface: slightly pebbled or rugose rind: medium thick, 1/8 to 3/16, loose and peelable, leathery oil glands: spherical to elliptical segments: 10 to 12 pulp: tender, melting, orange vesicles: medium size, fusiform flavor: rich and spicy seeds: average 20, medium, plump history: originated in Winter Park FL, distrib Buckeye Nurseries 1917 notes: somewhat susceptible to scab variety: Umatilla category: tangor (Owari Satsuma x Ruby orange) season: late size: large color: red-orange surface: smooth history: bred by W T Swingle in 1911, released in 1931 notes: good quality; fruit is size and shape of King +--------------+ | bibliography | +--------------+ Hume, H. Harold; Citrus fruits and their culture; 1904 Jackson, Larry K.; Citrus growing in Florida; 3rd edition, University of Florida Press, 1991 Sturrock, David; Fruits for southern Florida; Southeastern Printing Co, 1959 Webber & Batchelor, editors; The citrus industry -- history, botany and breeding; University of California, 1943 */ end of file /*