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'Cleopatra' ('Ponki', or 'Spice')–(now being shown as Citrus reshni Hort. ex Tanaka)–introduced into Florida from Jamaica before 1888; oblate, small; peel dark orange-red; pulp of good quality but seedy. Fruits too small to be of commercial value; they remain on the tree until next crop matures, adding to the attractiveness of the tree which is itself highly ornamental; much used as a rootstock in Japan and Florida.
'Dancy'–may have come from China; found in the grove of Col. G.L. Dancy at Buena Vista, Florida, and brought into cultivation in 1871 or 1872. Oblate to pear-shaped; of medium size, 2 1/4-3 in (5.7-7.5 cm) wide, 1 1/2-2 1/8 in (4-5.4 cm) high; peel deep orange-red to red, smooth, glossy at first but lumpy and fluted later, thin, leathery, tough; pulp dark-orange with 10-14 segments, of fine quality, richly flavored; 6-20 small seeds.
In season in late fall and winter. This is the leading tangerine in the United States, mainly grown in Florida, secondarily in California, and, to a small extent, in Arizona. Tree is vigorous, cold-tolerant, bears abundantly. Alternate-bearing induced by an abnormally heavy crop, can be avoided by spraying with a chemical thinner (Ethephon) when the fruits are very young.
Thinning enhances fruit size and market value. This cultivar is disease-resistant but highly susceptible to chaff scale (Parlatoria pergandii) which leaves green feeding marks on the fruit making it unmarketable. Control can be achieved by spring and summer or spring and fall spraying of an appropriate organic pest controller.
'Ponkan' ('Chinese Honey Orange')–round to oblate; large, 2 3/4-3 3/16 in (7-8 cm) wide; peel orange, smooth, furrowed at apex and base; medium thick; pulp salmon-orange, melting, with 9-12 segments, very juicy, aromatic, sweet, of very fine quality and with few seeds. The tree, not as cold-hardy as 'Dancy', small, upright; can be maintained as a "dwarf' and in China, where the fruit is greatly prized, may be planted 900 to the acre (2,224/ha). R.C. Pitman, Jr., of Apopka, Florida, organized the Florida Ponkan Corporation in 1948, served as its President, and has continuously promoted the culture of this delicious fruit.
'Robinson'–the result of pollinating the 'Clementine' tangerine with the 'Orlando' tangelo, at the United States Department of Agriculture's Horticultural Field Station, Orlando, Florida, was introduced into cultivation in 1960. It is essentially a tangerine, has 10 to 20 seeds. Back-crossing with pollen of the 'Orlando' greatly elevates fruit-set but also results in increasing the seed count to an average of 22 per fruit. This cultivar had lost popularity with growers but the recent practices to speed up coloring on the tree and loosen the fruit has been such an important advance in harvesting and in reducing time in the coloring room that it has reinstated the 'Robinson' as a commercial cultivar.
In 1980, the crop forecast was 1.1 million boxes, about 40% of that of 'Dancy'.
'Sunburst'–This cultivar was selected in 1967 from 15 seedlings; of hybrids of 'Robinson' and 'Osceola', the latter being another 'Clementine' pollinated with 'Orlando' tangelo but still dominantly a tangerine.
'Sunburst' was propagated on several rootstocks in 1970 and released in Florida in 1979. Oblate, medium-sized, 2 1/2-3 in (6.25-7.5 cm) wide; peel is orange to scarlet in central Florida, orange around the Indian River area; pulp in 11-15 segments with much colorful juice; seeds 10 to 20 according to degree of pollination; green inside. Matures in a favorable season: (mid-November to mid-December).
Tree vigorous, thornless, early-bearing, self-infertile; needs cross-pollination for good fruit set; amenable to sour orange, rough lemon, 'Carrizo' and 'Cleopatra' root-stocks though the latter results in slightly reduced fruit size; medium cold-hardy; resistant to Alternaria and very tolerant of snow scale.
Satsuma Mandarin
Citrus reticulata
Class III, Satsuma (sometimes marketed as "Emerald Tangerine")
The Satsuma orange is believed to have originated in Japan about 350 years ago as a seedling of a cultivar, perhaps the variable 'Zairi'. It is highly cold-resistant; has survived 12º F (-11.11º C); is more resistant than the sweet orange to canker, gummosis, psorosis and melanose. It is budded onto Poncirus trifoliata in Florida, sweet orange in California. It has been found in Spain that spraying with gibberellic acid 4 to 5 weeks before commercial maturity prevents puffiness, delays ripening, and permits harvesting 2 months later than normal, but this leads to reduced yields the following year.
For the gardener, the Satsuma Mandarin is the highest quality, most cold tolerant citrus for Texas. It is easy to peel, almost seedless, very sweet mandarin orange and is attractive evergreen foliage; white flowers with wonderful fragrance. It has hardiness to zone 9. It requires full sun exposure and grows about 5 ft tall and 5 ft. wide. These trees flowers in spring, fruits ripen in late fall. When growing outside of south Texas, grow in a 20-gallon container & move indoors when temperature is 25 F or colder.
'Owari'–oblate to rounded or becoming pear-shaped with age; of medium size, 1 1/2-2 3/4 in (4-6.1 cm) wide, 1 1/2-2 1/2 in (4-6.25 cm) high; peel orange, slightly rough, becoming lumpy and fluted, thin, tough; pulp orange, of rich, sub acid flavor; nearly seedless, sometimes 1-4 seeds. Early but short season. Peel often remains more or less green after maturity and needs to be artificially colored in order to market before loss of flavor.
For the gardener, Mandarins have shapely, symmetrical, rather open, rounded crowns and rarely require pruning. They can get 15-20 ft (4.6-6.1 m) tall. The white flowers appear in March and April and are very fragrant, usually attracting hoards of honey bees. The orange colored fruit of most mandarins is juicy and sweet, loose skinned and easy to peel. The tree is small, almost thornless, large-leaved, with faint or no wings on petioles; cultivated commercially in northern Florida, Alabama and other Gulf States; very little in California.
They are hardy to Zones 8B - 11. Mature satsumas and 'Changsha' tangerines can tolerate temperatures as low as 15ºF (-9.4ºC) or lower if they have become cold-acclimated. A sudden freeze to 25ºF (-3.9ºC) without any previous cold weather can be more damaging than a freeze to 20ºF (-6.7ºC) that comes after a period of low temperatures. Freeze damaged mandarins may lose some leaves, but they usually recover. Small trees, less than 2 or 3 years old are not as cold hardy as bearing trees. Satsumas are commonly grown along the Gulf Coast in zone 8B, where they need some protection only during the very coldest nights, maybe once every 5-10 years on average.
I know someone who has a 'Changsha' tangerine and an 'Owari' Satsuma in their yard near Tallahassee for 10 years now.
They protected them from near 20ºF (-6.7ºC) freezes with blankets and light bulbs when they were young. However, once they get too big, there is a chance of losing them with a big freeze in that area. 'Changsha' has survived 4ºF (-15.6ºC) temperatures near Dallas, Texas. Desired cultivars of mandarin oranges, like most citrus cultivars, are bud grafted onto seedlings of the same or a closely related species. Satsumas are usually grafted onto trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata) seedlings; most other mandarin cultivars are grafted onto 'Cleopatra' mandarin seedlings.
'Wase'–Discovered at several sites in Japan from before 1895; believed to be a bud sport of 'Owari'; was propagated and extensively planted in Japan before 1910; was growing in Alabama in 1917; one tree was sent to California in 1929; oblate to rounded or somewhat conical; large, 2 1/3 in (5.81 cm) wide, 1 3/4 in (4.5 cm) high; peel orange, thin, smooth; pulp salmon-orange, melting, sweet, with 10 segments more or less. Very early in season. Tree is dwarf, slow-growing, heavy-bearing, but susceptible to pests and diseases; has been planted to a limited extent in California and southern Alabama.
'Kara' ('Owari' X 'King' tangor)–a hybrid developed at the California Citrus Experiment Station and distributed in 1935; sub-oblate or nearly round; of medium size, 2 1/8-3 in (5.4-7.5 cm) wide, 2 1/8-2 3/4 in (5.4-7 cm) high; peel deep-orange to orange-yellow, lumpy and wrinkled at apex, puffy with age, thin to medium, fairly tough; pulp deep yellow-orange, with 10-13 segments, tender, very juicy, aromatic, of rich flavor, acid until fully ripe, then sweet; usually 12-20 large seeds, at times nearly seedless. Late in season. Tree is vigorous, thornless, with large leaves, the petiole narrowly winged. Grown in coastal California.
Keeping Quality and Storage
Tangerines generally do not have good keeping quality. Commercially washed and waxed 'Dancy' tangerines show a high rate of decay if kept for 2 weeks, will totally decay if held 4 weeks, at 70º F (21º C). To prolong storage life, pads impregnated with the fungistat, diphenyl, have been placed in shipping cartons. The chemical is partly absorbed by the fruit and Federal regulations allow a residue of only 110 ppm. Storage trials have shown that washed and waxed 'Dancy' and 'Sunburst', with 2 pads per carton, absorbed more than 110 ppm in 2 weeks at 70º F (21º C). Though 'Dancy' absorbed more of the fungistat than 'Sunburst', it showed more decay.
Storage of unwashed 'Dancy' fruits for 2 weeks at 39.2º F (3º C) with 1 pad per carton showed diphenyl absorption below the legal limit. Unwashed 'Sunburst' fruits with 2 pads can be stored 4 weeks without absorbing excessive diphenyl. Early-harvested tangerines are less susceptible to decay but apt to absorb an excess of diphenyl.
In the Coorg region of India, mandarins of the main crop, harvested in January/February, lose moisture and become shriveled and unmarketable in 10 days at room temperature, 69º F (20.26º C). Wax-coating extends shelf-life to 14 days. Fruits stored in perforated polyethylene bags remain marketable for 21 days at room temperature, and, whether waxed or unwaxed, held at 41º F (5º C), retain quality for 31 days.
Food Uses
Mandarin oranges of all kinds are primarily eaten out-of-hand, or the sections are utilized in fruit salads, gelatins, puddings, or on cakes. Very small types are canned in syrup.
The essential oil expressed from the peel is employed commercially in flavoring hard candy, gelatins, ice cream, chewing gum, and bakery goods. Mandarin essential oil paste is a standard flavoring for carbonated beverages.
The essential oil, with terpenes and sesquiterpenes removed, is utilized in liqueurs. Petitgrain mandarin oil, distilled from the leaves, twigs and unripe fruits, has the same food applications. Tangerine oil is not suitable for flavoring purposes.
In 1965, the 'Dancy' tangerine was found to contain more of the decongestant synephrine than any other citrus fruit-97-152 mg/liter, plus 80 mg/100 g ascorbic acid.
Mandarin peel oil contains decylaldehyde, y-phellandrene, p-cymene, linalool, terpineol, nerol, linalyl, terpenyl acetate, aldehydes, citral, citronellal, and d-limonene. Petitgrain mandarin oil contains a-pinene, dipentene, limonene, p-cymene, methyl anthranilate, geraniol, and methyl methylanthranilate.
Other Uses
Mandarin essential oil and Petitgrain oil and tangerine oil, and their various tinctures and essences, are valued in perfume-manufacturing, particularly in the formulation of floral compounds and colognes. They are produced mostly in Italy, Sicily and Algiers.
The first time I ever saw a blood orange was in a wine commercial. I did not know what they were and after about 6 months, I finally wrote the winery and asked what kind of orange they were using in the commercial. Their response was “Blood Orange.”
BLOOD ORANGE
The blood orange, with its sweet, deep red colored flesh, was most likely the result of a mutation that occurred in 17th century Sicily. In most varieties of blood orange even the pulp and skin is slightly sweet, and not bitter. Vibrant and dramatic, the interior of a blood orange resembles a red rose and tastes like an orange kissed by a raspberry. The orange is sweet, with less acid than juice oranges. Blood oranges make a splashy appearance from January to May. Their deep-red flesh is enticing when added to salads and desserts, and the unusual flavor, with hints of fresh berries, enhances many dishes.
Blood oranges are excellent fresh, in garnishes and salads, and their juice makes superb sauces, sorbets, and desserts.
The blood orange is an old variety of orange that only recently made an appearance in the US. The unusual color and flavor of this unique orange make it a popular gift, as well as a gourmet addition to your own table. Blood oranges were brought to America in the 1930's by Italian and Spanish immigrants. Resembles a Valencia orange, sometimes has a red blush on the skin. Fruit is small to medium-size; the skin may be smooth or pitted.
Although Italian in origin, grown in California in the U.S. The season is December through July. The exact reasons for the red interior color are not known. It is believed, though, that light, temperature and variety are important factors.
You should gauge freshness as you would for any orange, by choosing the heaviest for its size. Red coloring on the skin does not guarantee red color inside.
You can keep them up to 2 weeks in refrigerator and you should handle bloods like any other orange. They are ideal for adding to any fruit mixture or salad. Use plain or add to mixed drinks, or as a base for sauces.
Blood oranges are also very good for your health, as the pigments that give the fruit their red color counteract damaging free radicals which contribute to many ailments, including cancer and the early signs of aging. Blood oranges contain antocyanins - pigments used in the pharmaceutical industry because of their ability to prevent capillary fragility, scavenge free radicals and inhibit lipid peroxidation (which is a major factor in the development of liver disease, diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease and other conditions). Blood oranges of course are high in vitamin C, and they're also a good source of potassium.
Blood oranges are sometimes called pigmented orange, good-quality blood oranges should be firm and heavy for their size. Select thin-skinned oranges with smooth, finely-textured skin. The flavor of this orange has raspberry and strawberry overtones, and is less acidic than other oranges.
For the gardener: Blood oranges are supposed to have a dark rose pulp, but this can be modified by climate. In Southern California, the typical pulp color occurs when blood oranges are raised in desert areas, e.g., in the Coachella Valley, but homeowners who grow blood oranges in coastal Orange and Los Angeles County are disappointed to discover that the pulp is orange, not red.
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Author Bio Box: Arlene Wright Correll
 Resources: Excerpted from “Arlene’s Gardening Series” by Arlene Wright-Correll
For more gardening or cooking information click http://www.learn-america.com/ and click on Arlene’s Books you can download or buy my gardening & cook books. All my royalties from the sale of my books go to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and we thank you for your attention to this site.
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