. They are generally smaller and sweeter than oranges, somewhat flatter in shape and depending on cultivar, have a thinner, easy-peel skin. The trees grow slightly smaller than Oranges, at around 2m to 2.5m tall, are evergreen and highly ornamental trees with sweetly scented star-like flowers; many are available as DWARF or a STANDARD.
Whilst many Mandarins are considered seedless or mostly seedless, if planted in combination with other citrus, seedless varieties can develop more seeds than what we would sometimes like. Lloyd suggests that this is nature’s way of making sure that the next generation happens, and we gain yet another cross or hybrid.
Clementines are the smallest type of the Mandarin we stock at Wairere; they are super sweet, have few seeds and have red-orange smooth, shiny, easy-peel skins. Fruiting season is mid-winter.
Clementine Cultivars
- Clementine
- Corsica No. 2
- Bay Sweetie NZ Bred variety.
Satsuma Mandarins are a specific type of Mandarin Orange, originating in Japan more than 700 years ago. Satsumas are a lighter orange, sweet, juicy, mostly seedless and have skins that “puff-up” over the flesh making it so easy to remove, and they are easily identified with their distinctive flat shape. All Satsuma Mandarins are closely related, and the home gardener would find it very difficult to identify one variety from another. Don't be fooled into thinking that once Satsuma fruits turn orange, they’re ready to eat - they will still be quite tangy at this early stage, and the longer you leave the fruit on the tree the sweeter it will be. Generally, Satsumas fruit early winter.
Satsuma Cultivars
- Aoshima
- Kawani
- Miho controlled seed pollination from Miyagawa
- Miyagawa
- Okitsu was a nu-cellular seedling from Miyagawa
- Satsuma
- Silverhill
Other Mandarin
- Afourer – New offering from 2022, late season fruit – August to October.
- Beauty of Glen Retreat – Australian, large, sweet fruit, ripens early, around July.
- Burgess Scarlet –sweet, easy peel, yields heavily bi-annually from June-August.
- Encore – Good reliable cropper, late, long fruiting period - November - February.
- Richards Special – large, tasty, sweet fruit, late season fruiter – August to October.
- Thorny – high flavour med-large fruit, hardy variety. Matures late winter.
Tangerines or Tangors are a specific type of (bigger) Mandarin Orange - they are a bright orange colour, slightly tougher skins, and their flavour is a little less sweet, with an after tang. Generally, these are hardier than Mandarins and can be grown in most parts of NZ. Tangor - “Tang” Tangerine and “Or” Orange.
- Tangor Dweet - a highly ornamental trees, with sweet juicy fruit in mid-winter
- Tangor Kiyomi – reliable cropper, easy-peel, spicy sweet fruit, fruits autumn
- Tangor Murcott – aka Honey Tangerine – thin easy-peel, sweet juicy and aromatic fruit
- Tangor Ugli – aka Jamaican Tangelo – good yields, delicious, juicy fruit, fruits late spring.
Please note:
Fruiting times may be different to stated above, depending on which region of NZ.