In the modern world, citrus fruits and other exotic fruits are abundant on the shelves of hypermarkets all year round. People feast on it, sometimes without even understanding the benefits of this or that fruit. There are many similar vegetables and fruits, differing only in shade or size. These include tangerine and clementine. These plants are related, and due to their external similarity they are easy to confuse, but the difference between clementines and tangerines is significant.

Varieties of tangerines

The homeland of tangerines is China. If you look at where this fruit grows now, you might be surprised how much its distribution area has expanded. Citrus is popular in India, Mediterranean countries, Spain, France, Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Abkhazia, America, Brazil, Argentina, and Transcaucasia.

The most sought-after and popular types of tangerines in Russia:

• Abkhazian - sweet and sour, with a thin yellow skin with green veins. The skin is easily removed; there are seeds, but in small quantities.


• Turkish - tangerines of various shades from yellow to orange. Fruits with dark skin are sweeter. It takes some effort to separate the skin, and the flesh is filled with seeds.
• Spanish - a sweet variety with a thick skin. They are large and have an intense orange color. Seeds are rarely found in the pulp.
• Chinese - small, light yellow. It tastes sour with a very rich aroma. They are interesting to buyers because they are sold on branches, like cherry tomatoes.
• Israeli - fruits with sweet and sour pulp and a long-lasting aftertaste. There are few seeds in them, but the peel is difficult to remove.
• Moroccan - small size and flattened fruits with a golden-orange rind and a sweet taste of the pulp. The fruits are completely seedless.

Mandarin is represented by a large group of citrus varieties. They can vary in size, which varies from a pigeon egg to a medium-sized grapefruit, and can be honey-sweet, sour, tart and bitter, but all are characterized by easy separation of the pulp into segments and separation of the peel, which does not cause difficulties.

Benefits of tangerines

Everyone knows that citrus fruits are a source of ascorbic acid, but tangerines have a number of additional advantages that are valuable for the human body:

• strengthen the body's barrier functions;
• have antioxidant properties;
• are a source of positive mood;
• have a positive effect on the psycho-emotional state;
• prevent the occurrence of colds and also alleviate the course of the disease;
• improve the course of metabolic processes in the body;
• improve the functioning of the digestive system;
• eliminate toxicosis in women during pregnancy;
• are an excellent prophylactic against myocardial and bloodstream diseases;
• improve the general condition of a person with bronchitis, asthma;.
• endowed with antimicrobial and antimicrobial actions.

Interesting fact: a large amount of citric acid in tangerines prevents nitrates and toxic compounds from accumulating in the fruit.

Types of clementines

Clementine is a fruit that appeared thanks to the works of Clement Rodier, through the selection of mandarin and king orange. The author achieved the appearance of a juicy and tasty fruit with exceptional taste.

Clementine grows in Algeria, Italy, and Spain. Where the hybrid grows can be determined by the names of the species.

There are three popular types for the consumer basket:

• Spanish - the fruits may not be large, but may differ in larger sizes. Each clementine can contain up to 10 seeds;
• Corsican - a bright orange fruit with a pleasant aroma and seedless pulp. Citrus has its own regional trademark;
• Montreal - a sweet clementine that ripens in October and has up to 12 seeds in the pulp.

Clementine Rubino may be aesthetically interesting for lovers of unusual fruits. It has no obvious differences in taste, but it is characterized by an intensely red skin color and pigmented pulp.

Benefits of clementines

Varieties of clementines differ in size, taste, shape and color of the peel, but have a lot of useful common properties:

• eliminate migraine symptoms;
• have a positive effect on the body in case of respiratory ailments;
• strengthen the immune system;
• improve visual acuity;
• promote good digestibility of food, stimulate appetite, saturate the body with valuable vitamin and mineral complexes;
• have antimicrobial, antiviral effects;
• prevent dehydration during hyperthermia;
• are citrus, which has a positive effect on mood;
• essential oils of hybrids are priceless because... they prevent aging, have regenerative properties, restore the structure of hair, nails, and skin, therefore they are widely used in dermatology.

Features of clementine and tangerine

If the choice is based on taste preferences, it is worth noting that when buying tangerines, it is difficult to guess whether they are sweet or sour. In this case, we can only rely on the seller’s integrity or intuition. If you don’t want to be disappointed and it’s important to choose a sweet citrus, then you should look at clementine. In terms of taste, it is much sweeter, richer in vitamins and nutrients, and more nutritious. They differ from tangerines in their rounder shape, smoother peel, similarity to an orange, and there is a difference in the biochemical structure of the fruit.

Tangerines are not round; they are usually flattened and have a loose peel structure. The color of their shell is less saturated compared to clementine. Tangerines often have a sweet and sour taste, but it should definitely be pleasant.

How to choose a ripe tangerine

There are no particular difficulties in choosing tangerines; the main thing is not to rush and adhere to certain rules:

• It is important that the fruits are not affected by rot or mold and that the skin on them is not broken.
• They should not be excessively hard or soft, and dried out tangerines are also unacceptable. The fruit is elastic when lightly squeezed.
• The citrus peel should come off easily.
• Heavy fruits have an advantage over light ones - they are sweeter and juicier.
• The color of ripe ones is uniform, and the peel is more saturated in color. The paler the tangerine, the more sour it is.

When should you limit your fruit intake?

Similarities can be seen in the beneficial properties of tangerine and clementine; they also have common contraindications:

• It is not recommended to enjoy the fruits for people with high blood glucose levels;
• pathologies of the digestive system;
• individual intolerance;
• for allergic manifestations.

Excessive consumption of these citrus fruits can oversaturate the body with vitamin C and, upon contact with certain medications, provoke toxic metal poisoning.

Which fruit is healthier?

Without going into details, clementine and tangerine have similarities, but it is worth noting that the benefits of consuming the fruits of a hybrid plant are much greater. The amount of ascorbic acid in fruits is higher, but you need to be careful with this indicator. Excessive amounts of vitamin C consumed can thin the blood to pathological limits. Clementine has a high concentration of flavonoids, micro- and macroelements.

Few people choose citrus fruits for medicinal purposes and taking into account the components of citrus pulp. It is enough for everyone to understand that tangerines and clementines are healthy. Usually, buyers make their choice based on taste preferences and everyone decides for themselves which fruit to eat, sweet or slightly sour. It is important to learn how to correctly determine the quality of a product and then the purchase will not seem like a “pig in a poke.”

Types of tangerines and where they grow

Mandarin is the same fruit that for a long time was not subject to any classification. In the middle of the last century, the Soviet scientist-breeder V.P. Alekseev defined seven main groups, highlighting the following types of tangerines:

1. Satsuma or “Unshiu” is a species that grows beautifully in Georgia, Abkhazia, the Krasnodar Territory and the Crimean Peninsula in the Russian Federation.
   stenia is resistant to temperate climates and is capable of bearing fully ripened fruits even with insufficient sunlight. Unshiu is often grown at home as a houseplant, which bears fruit just as actively as in open ground. This is facilitated by the tree’s short growth, which will not exceed 1.5 meters in limited space. In open ground, the tree reaches a height of 3 meters, which is also not much in comparison with other varieties. The plant bears its first fruits at the age of 3 years. Abundant and fragrant flowering occurs in May. Unshiu fruits are flattened in shape and covered with a thin, light orange peel with a slight hint of green that is easy to peel to reveal the delicate and sweet citrus pulp. The average weight of one fruit is approximately 70 g. The species is distinguished by the fact that the fruits do not contain seeds. Reproduction occurs by grafting to other trees, which is why varieties such as Pioneer 80 and Sochinsky 23 with excellent cold resistance and productivity have appeared.
2. Austere is a citrus fruit of Chinese origin. Perhaps this is one of the sweetest types of citrus, the distinctive feature of which can be called bright orange with a hint of red peel color.
3. A well-known representative of this species is the tangerine variety, which grows in the USA, as well as in Italy and on the island of Sicily. Unlike Unshiu, tangerines are covered with a thicker skin, but also do not contain seeds. The harvest of ripe and tasty tangerines is harvested between October and April. The peel is easy to peel, and the fruit pulp is divided into juicy slices.


4. Deliciosa is a species belonging to the Sino-Mediterranean group of citrus fruits. The most popular variety is the willow tangerine, a tree with a compact crown of narrow and long leaves. The fruits are flattened, orange in color, medium in size, 6-7 cm in diameter, sweet and sour in taste.
5. Reticulata is a species widely grown in China and India. The Ponkan variety, a large “golden-fruited” tangerine, with an original pear-shaped shape with a “navel,” is exported industrially. The fruits are easily peeled from the medium-thick peel, under which a juicy, tender, sweet and sour-tasting pulp is hidden. With bones. The harvest is harvested from December to the end of January; fortunately, the climate of the countries where the Ponkan variety is grown allows this. In addition to India and China, this citrus grows in Latin and South America, Taiwan and the Philippines.
6. The species of royal mandarins Nobilis ("Noble") - historically belongs to the Indochinese and Malay groups. The fruits are one of the largest with an inherent characteristic feature - a lumpy and thick peel, under which lies a juicy and sweet pulp with an excellent aroma and aftertaste. The best varieties of the “royal” species recognized throughout the world are: King (Siamese King), Tsao-tse, Uvatin-mikan.
7. The small-fruited species is suitable for growing at home - Chinese-Japanese varietal group. Favorite varieties are the sweet Mukaku-kishiu and Kishiu, and the sour Shiva-mikan, which feel great indoors, bringing a tropical touch to the interior, actively blooming and bearing fruit.
8. Hybrid species are varieties developed during breeding experiments on various citrus plants. Thus, it was possible to obtain fruits of bright colors, with unique taste, of various sizes and shapes:

• Calamondin – mandarin + fortunella;
• Rangpur – mandarin orange + lime;
• Clementine – mandarin + orange; (Corsican, Montreal and Spanish);
• Tangelo – tangerine + grapefruit (or pomelo);
• Thornton is a variety of tangelo;
• Mineola – American variety Dancy + Duncan grapefruit;
• Tangor – tangerine + sweet orange;
• Mandora – mandarin orange + sweet orange;
• Ellendale – tangerine + tangerine + orange;
• Citrandarine – mandarin + poncirus;
• Santina – clementine + orlando;
• Agli (“freak” in English) – tangerine + orange + grapefruit;
• Ichandarin – mandarin + Ichang papeda;
• Orangequat – tangerine unshiu + kumquat;
• Orange – mandarin orange + pomelo;
• Meyer lemon – lemon + tangerine (or orange);
• Kabosu – papeda + orange.

As a result of experiments in modern citrus breeding, a unique Baby variety appeared, as the name implies - these are mini tangerines, China. The fruits are so small that they literally melt in your mouth. The light skin of the Baby variety indicates its origin from the Chinese satsuma, the dark orange - from tangerine. Baby tangerines are extremely sweet and fragrant. The only drawback is that you have to clean them too often, since one thing is enough for “one tooth.”

When do tangerines ripen?

The ripeness of fruits is directly related to where they come from. The harvest is harvested from late October to February, depending on the area, growing conditions and characteristics of the variety.

China has long been recognized as a leader in the cultivation of citrus fruits, exporting to the world market 10 times more than, for example, the second country in terms of production of “orange” fruits – Spain. Due to the favorable climate, citrus trees bear fruit from the beginning of November to the end of January. While in Abkhazia and Sochi they have time to ripen only in December.

In general, the picture is such that the industrial volume of tangerine harvest occurs in December. Therefore, the fruit is traditionally considered a New Year's fruit, since all producers try to sell most of the harvest before the New Year holidays.

How to choose Abkhazian tangerines

Abkhazian tangerines, with a taste familiar to all immigrants from the USSR from childhood, are a traditional delicious decoration for every New Year's table in our country and not only for many decades in a row. Cold-resistant varieties were specially obtained from Japanese satsumas for cultivation in a special climatic zone - in Abkhazia, and are still used today.

In view of the fact that there is an abundance of fruits of various varieties from many countries on the market, many people have a question: how to distinguish Abkhazian tangerines, for example, from Chinese ones? The first difference is the medium-early ripening of the fruits. At the end of November, the “orange” plantations in Abkhazia are covered with small “suns”, and the harvest ripens by mid-December. The second difference is the matte peel. No gloss. The third difference is the subtle and pleasant aroma from the crust, which you feel when holding the fruit in your hands, the invigorating taste of the juicy pulp with a caramel aftertaste and sourness in the aftertaste. Depending on the variety, the Abkhazian harvest is predominantly seedless, although fruits with them are also found.

Moroccan tangerines

Tangerines from Morocco are one of the most popular and affordable fruits in Russia in winter. Bright orange “balls” with a traditional sticker in the form of a black diamond can be found at every retail outlet. The peel is easy to peel, and the flesh is juicy and sweet, with a small number of seeds.

How to choose Spanish tangerines

Spanish tangerines are medium-sized, bright orange fruits. Most often, branches with ripe fruits or single fruits with leaves are found on the shelves. The skin is large-porous, easy to peel, and the flesh is sweet. There are seeds in almost every slice, but there are seedless hybrid varieties.

Chinese tangerines

Considering the fact that China is the main exporter of the “orange” fruit in the world, the majority of batches of this product on our shelves were brought from there. Chinese tangerines are passed off as Abkhazian, since some varieties have identical thin matte skin that is easy to peel, and the pulp, although sweet in taste, has no characteristic aroma. Greenish tangerines from China are laid out on store shelves with leaves or on twigs. It is a mistake to assume that they last longer this way. Ripe citrus fruits are a perishable product.

Turkish tangerines

Tangerines from Turkey differ from their “brothers” in their low price, lack of seeds and slightly sour taste. They are characterized by a yellowish tint to the peel, which is easy to peel. Many people love them for their lack of seeds.

How to choose delicious tangerines

Sometimes it seems that buying fruit is a lottery: if it turns out to be sweet - lucky, sour - well, it doesn’t happen to anyone... To choose really ripe and sweet tangerines, you need to answer the question: which tangerines are the most delicious? It is enough to have a general idea of ​​the varieties and importing countries so as not to make a mistake with the choice:

• Large and flattened fruits usually have a sour taste;
• Medium-sized citruses with bright orange or yellowish peel are sweet;
• It is believed that tasty fruits weigh heavier than sour ones. In addition, light-weight citrus fruits have insufficient liquid, a lot of seeds and hard fiber.

Tasty means ripe. When choosing an orange fruit in a store, you should pay attention to:

• The skin should be smooth without dents or dark spots. Too loose or, conversely, dry peel indicates a low quality product;
• No mold, otherwise such a product will not only not taste good, but will also be harmful to health.

How to choose sweet and seedless tangerines

When we talk about seedless tangerines, of course, we are talking about the Pixie variety. These are bright orange fruits with a large-porous peel that is easy to peel. No other variety can boast such a delicate honey-sweet pulp with a pleasant caramel aftertaste. Another advantage of the Pixie variety is the absence of seeds. The fruits ripen at the end of winter and remain on the trees for six months.

But, as a rule, information about varieties is not indicated on fruit counters in stores and markets. Therefore, we are guided by knowledge about importing countries. If you really want to buy seedless fruits, then be sure to choose a harvest from Abkhazia, Turkey, although there is a high probability that they will turn out to be sour, or from Israel - beautiful, with a shiny crust, but not juicy, even dry-tasting fruits.

Sunny Mandarin

Currently, the crop is grown in a variety of countries: India, Spain, Morocco, Egypt, Abkhazia, Georgia, the USA, Argentina and Brazil, as well as in other countries of the world. Do they grow the fruit here and where do tangerines grow in Russia? This variety of citrus fruit is more resistant to sudden temperature changes, so it is widely cultivated around the world, including in Russia. In our country, they grow in the south of the Krasnodar Territory, in Sochi.

History of tangerines

Despite its wide distribution, Southeast Asia is considered the birthplace of citrus. One Chinese manuscript dating back to 1178 describes varieties of oranges and tangerines. These fruits were available only to high society - tangerines. Because of this, the plant received this name.

In China, since the year 1000, there has been a tradition: on New Year's Day, when you come to visit, you give two tangerines to the owners of the house, and when you leave, you receive two other tangerines as a gift. This tradition shows goodwill and wishes for prosperity to the owners of the house and guests.

Travelers brought tangerines from China to Europe and America. It is believed that citrus was brought to Italy only in the nineteenth century. The first tree was brought by Michel Tenor.

Initially, trees were grown in European countries only in greenhouses, but later, in the south of Italy and France and other countries where tangerines currently grow, trees began to be planted in open ground.

There are legends that say that the first trees were brought as a gift to Napoleon himself.

Tangerines in Russia

In Russia, for a long time, people had not even heard of such a fruit, let alone knew where tangerines grow. In the post-war period, children, and even adults of ordinary families, could not afford to buy fruit. This continued until Gorbachev's perestroika. With it, tangerines became more accessible and appeared on the New Year's tables of citizens of the Soviet Union. To this day, Russia has a tradition of celebrating the New Year with tangerines: without them, even a holiday is not a holiday.

Distribution of trees around the world

In 1908-1911 millions of grown seedlings were transported to the Gulf States and America. They began to be grown in large quantities in Texas and California. So many trees were planted in Mexico that it caused the market value of the fruit to decrease. For this reason, excess tangerine orchards were destroyed.

In some countries where tangerines grow, they have not gained much popularity due to the disadvantages of commercial use. This is because the fruits must be picked immediately when ripe, otherwise they will fall from the trees and break. Ripe fruits are stored for a relatively short time: the thin peel is susceptible to fungal infections, can dry out, and is damaged during transportation.

However, with established sales channels and a proven delivery system, regions and countries receive fruits with excellent taste and in unlimited quantities.

Growing tangerines today

And in which country where tangerines grow today? Citrus fruits are grown all over the world, but in different quantities. The largest tangerine plantations grow in China, Korea, Brazil, the USA, Morocco, and Abkhazia. Here they are grown for sale to neighboring countries.

Works of breeders

Over their thousand-year history, tangerines have been crossed with a variety of fruits more than once. They were crossed with oranges to create tangors. The fruits are unusually sweet and have virtually no seeds. When combined with kumquat, the result was calamondin. The breeders even remembered ichang. As a result of the work done, they managed to get this unusual fruit.

There were attempts to combine mandarin with poncirus - they got citrandarin. In Russia, Mineola is popular - it is a hybrid of grapefruit and tangerine. You can also find uglifruit on store shelves - it is also a hybrid of tangerine and grapefruit, but has a different, sweeter taste.

Tangerines are one of the most famous and diverse groups of edible citrus fruits. Tangerines grow over a wider range than oranges due to their greater tolerance to low temperatures where other citrus fruits freeze. The orange mandarin is native to Southeast Asia and the Philippines. This citrus grows most abundantly in Japan, southern China, India, and is grown for personal consumption in Australia.

Tangerines have long been an exclusively Asian fruit, where they have grown for centuries. Towards Western countries, these fruits moved in small steps, and the appearance of tangerines in new territories was usually associated with the interest of a particular gardener in a certain variety of citrus. Thus, the initial history of the spread of tangerines can be traced through the chronology of the introduction of individual varieties in limited areas.

Two varieties were brought to England from the colony in 1805, they were subsequently distributed in Mediterranean culture, and by 1850 they had become well known in Italy. Around the same time, the Italian consul brought several specimens of tangerine trees to the United States in New Orleans. From there, tangerines reached Florida and California, where they grow on an industrial scale to the present day.

The first tangerines were brought from Japan to the Arab region in 1876. And already from 1908 to 1911, a million grown tangerine tree seedlings were delivered for planting in the Persian Gulf states. In the USA, tangerines began to be grown in states with a less mild climate in Texas, California and Georgia. In Mexico, tangerines were overplanted, causing their market value to decline and excess orchards to be destroyed in the 1970s. There are limited plantings of tangerines in Guatemala and some other areas of tropical America.

These fruits have not achieved high popularity in Western countries because tangerines have several disadvantages for commercial use. During the ripening period, the fruits do not stick well to the trees and the entire harvest must be harvested almost at once. In addition, the fruits have a delicate thin skin that is susceptible to damage, drying out and fungi. Low transportability implies a high price for the end consumer. In this regard, tangerines lose to oranges and grapefruits.

However, with well-established logistics and well-developed distribution channels, the regions adjacent to the places where tangerines are grown receive fruits in practically unlimited volumes and with the best taste characteristics among all citrus fruits. Today, the largest producers of these fruits in the world for export are China, Brazil, Korea, Italy, the USA, Morocco, the countries of the Mediterranean and the Caucasus region, where tangerines grow, grown, as a rule, for sale to neighboring countries.

Tell your friends about it.

Mandarin is an exquisite, beloved citrus fruit. The tangerine tree is evergreen, with dense leaves.

Often this fruit is planted at home, someone on the windowsill in the house, people living in warm regions grow tangerine trees right in their yard.

Growing tangerines at home is not at all difficult, the main thing is that there is no frost outside. The tree pollinates on its own, after which the fruits quickly develop.

After planting a tree, already in the third year you can pamper yourself with juicy fruits. The fruit ripening season is September, and by the end of October the fruits will be completely ready for consumption.

For sale, tangerines are picked in September, when they are slightly greenish; as a rule, they ripen well under artificial conditions.

Unlike oranges, tangerines are quite easy to peel; the skin separates well from the pulp.

In which countries do tangerines grow?

Mandarin grows in temperate latitudes, where the winter temperature does not drop below 8 degrees. Most varieties grow in hot countries, namely China, Egypt, Spain, Abkhazia, Georgia, Turkey, Morocco, Azerbaijan, Italy, France, Brazil.

What are the benefits of tangerine?

The composition of useful microelements in mandarin is special; the fruit is considered indispensable for the body during the cold season. Recently, tangerines have begun to be brought to Russia even in spring and summer, therefore, it is possible to receive vitamins and macroelements all year round.

Mandarin is rich in vitamin B, A, C, rutin, organic acids and sugars. Winter varieties have a large supply of minerals, namely calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc. Citrus pulp is also rich in phytancides necessary for the body, which protect against fungus and virus.

After eating tangerine, your appetite awakens, and you can eat it in unlimited quantities, since the fruit has absolutely no calories.

Tangerine peel, rich in essential oils and carotene, is especially useful. Healthy oils are produced from tangerines and are widely used in cosmetology.

Tangerine oil, when consumed internally, has a beneficial effect on the walls of the stomach, helping food to be absorbed and digested well. The activity of blood vessels and the heart is normalized if you eat this wonderful fruit more often.

Various decoctions are prepared from citrus peel, also with the addition of lemon and mint, which help with colds, relieve stress, and alleviate diseases associated with pneumonia. If you make compresses with tangerine oil, you can defeat fungus on the skin in a short time.

The fruit can be considered waste-free; even tangerine seeds are used to strengthen and restore the body. They are rich in potassium, which has a beneficial effect on the heart, prevents heart attacks, vitamin A promotes the natural production of collagen.

In what cases is tangerine contraindicated?

Despite its unique taste and beneficial properties, tangerine is still prohibited for consumption in some cases. People with chronic diseases need to eat it in small quantities.

Citrus should not be consumed if:

• for stomach ulcers;
• for colitis, enteritis, gastritis;
• for hepatitis, cholecystitis;
• for diabetes mellitus;
• for allergies.

The best varieties of tangerines

There are many varieties of tangerine trees. Below you can see a photo of a tangerine tree, and also learn about the best varieties.

The Unshiu variety grows in Russian latitudes and Europe and is grown as an indoor tree. The tree tolerates sudden changes in temperature well, and also ripens well even with little exposure to sunlight.

Pioneer 80 variety - the variety is hardy in the cold season, grows in the Krasnodar region. The fruits ripen in October. The fruit is easy to peel, sweet and juicy.

Sochi is a tangerine variety that ripens especially early, the fruits are deep orange in color, sweet with a peculiar sourness. This tangerine is grown in Krasnodar and Georgia.

Calamondin is a tangerine crossed with a kumquat, has a thin peel, has a sweet and sour taste, is dark orange in color, and has seeds inside.

Rangpur is a mandarin orange crossed with lemon that grows in India. The fruits are small in diameter, no more than 5 cm, sour, bright orange in appearance, and shaped like a lemon, as they have an elongated nose.

How to grow tangerine at home?

Many people grow the tangerine tree, at first it is decorative, due to its dense, rich green leaves, in the third year the tree bears small fruits. It is quite easy to grow tangerines from seeds at home.

Most often, it is the seed that is placed in the ground; as a result, the fruits are not very sweet, rather not edible. In order to get a good harvest at home, tangerines need to be propagated by cuttings.

Peat is not placed in the ground; the tree does not tolerate an acidic environment. The soil should be moistened once a week. The room temperature is maintained at 17 -21 degrees in summer, and not lower than 16 degrees in winter.

In the winter season, tangerine requires more light, so it is necessary to install additional lamps. In summer, the tree feels great outdoors under a canopy.

Tangerines should be sprayed with clean water; the leaves love moisture. In summer, the tree is moistened up to three times a day.

The citrus tree needs feeding; it is carried out from April to August. You can buy fertilizer containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.

With proper care, a tangerine tree produces a good harvest, and if you grow trees on your own property, you can enjoy your homemade tangerine all year round.

Photo of tangerine

One of the most delicious citrus fruits are tangerines. Both adults and children love them. Where do tangerines grow and when did they appear?

It was the Chinese and Cochin varieties that were brought to Europe in the nineteenth century.

Sunny Mandarin

Currently, the crop is grown in a variety of countries: India, Spain, Morocco, Egypt, Abkhazia, Georgia, the USA, Argentina and Brazil, as well as in other countries of the world. Do they grow the fruit here and where do tangerines grow in Russia? This variety of citrus fruit is more resistant to sudden temperature changes, so it is widely cultivated around the world, including in Russia. In our country, they grow in the south of the Krasnodar Territory, in Sochi.

History of tangerines

Despite its wide distribution, Southeast Asia is considered the birthplace of citrus. One Chinese manuscript dating back to 1178 describes varieties of oranges and tangerines. These fruits were available only to high society - tangerines. Because of this, the plant received this name.

In China, since the year 1000, there has been a tradition: on New Year's Day, when you come to visit, you give two tangerines to the owners of the house, and when you leave, you receive two other tangerines as a gift. This tradition shows goodwill and wishes for prosperity to the owners of the house and guests.

Travelers brought tangerines from China to Europe and America. It is believed that citrus was brought to Italy only in the nineteenth century. The first tree was brought by Michel Tenor.

Initially, trees were grown in European countries only in greenhouses, but later, in the south of Italy and France and other countries where tangerines currently grow, trees began to be planted in open ground.

There are legends that say that the first trees were brought as a gift to Napoleon himself.

Tangerines in Russia

In Russia, for a long time, people had not even heard of such a fruit, let alone knew where tangerines grow. In the post-war period, children, and even adults of ordinary families, could not afford to buy fruit. This continued until Gorbachev's perestroika. With it, tangerines became more accessible and appeared on the New Year's tables of citizens of the Soviet Union. To this day, Russia has a tradition of celebrating the New Year with tangerines: without them, even a holiday is not a holiday.

Distribution of trees around the world

In 1908-1911 millions of grown seedlings were transported to the Gulf States and America. They began to be grown in large quantities in Texas and California. So many trees were planted in Mexico that it caused the market value of the fruit to decrease. For this reason, excess tangerine orchards were destroyed.

In some countries where tangerines grow, they have not gained much popularity due to the disadvantages of commercial use. This is because the fruits must be picked immediately when ripe, otherwise they will fall from the trees and break. Ripe fruits are stored for a relatively short time: the thin peel is susceptible to fungal infections, can dry out, and is damaged during transportation.

However, with established sales channels and a proven delivery system, regions and countries receive fruits with excellent taste and in unlimited quantities.

Growing tangerines today

And in which country where tangerines grow today? Citrus fruits are grown all over the world, but in different quantities. The largest tangerine plantations grow in China, Korea, Brazil, the USA, Morocco, and Abkhazia. Here they are grown for sale to neighboring countries.

Works of breeders

Over their thousand-year history, tangerines have been crossed with a variety of fruits more than once. They were crossed with oranges to create tangors. The fruits are unusually sweet and have virtually no seeds. When combined with kumquat, the result was calamondin. The breeders even remembered ichang. As a result of the work done, they managed to get this unusual fruit.

There were attempts to combine mandarin with poncirus - they got citrandarin. In Russia, Mineola is popular - it is a hybrid of grapefruit and tangerine. You can also find uglifruit on store shelves - it is also a hybrid of tangerine and grapefruit, but has a different, sweeter taste.