Meet the Fruit

The mandarin (technically it is not a "mandarin orange", just "mandarin") is a cold-hardy, loose-skinned citrus.   More cold tolerant than all other citrus except for kumquats, mandarins have become a signature crop of the foothills; our climate and soil produces particularly flavorful fruit.

Easy to peel and easy to eat, mandarins are a great source of Vitamin A, C and thiamin. In fact, a single cup of mandarin sections provides 100% of the daily adult requirement for Vitamin C, and 18% for Vitamin B. They are also a good source of :

• calcium
• potassium
• limonene (may help prevent cancer)
• carotenoids and flavenoids
• dietary fiber

Research at Japan's National Institute of Fruit Tree Science suggests that eating mandarins may reduce the risk of developing serious health conditions such as liver disease, insulin resistance, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Recent USDA research shows that Placer County Mountain Mandarins contain significant amounts of synepherine, a naturally occuring decongestant that may help reduce the symptoms of colds and allergies.

While there are many types of mandarins (including the reddish variety some call tangerines), two varieties are commonly grown in the foothills.

Owari Satsuma Mandarins
The mandarin originated in China and was taken to India by traders. Later mandarins spread to Japan, where the Satsuma mandarin, known as Unshiu mikan, was developed about 200 years ago. Most commercial citrus farmers in the foothills grow 'Owari' Satsuma mandarins, which are orange-colored, 2-3 inches in size, and have a slightly flattened shape. Owaris are sweet, seedless, and easy to peel. Another Satsuma varety, 'Okitsu Wase,' is similar to Owari but it ripens one to two weeks earlier. 'Dobashi Bene,' a third Satsuma variety, has a deep orange-red color. It originated as a natural mutation of the Owari in Japan in 1940.

Clementine
The other common foothill mandarin, the Clementine, sometimes call the Algerian, came to California from the Mediterranean and Florida. The fruit is a deeper orange than the Satusma, with a rounder shape. They are commonly called tangerines in Florida, but they are a variety of mandarin.  The Clementine is seedless, unless there is a pollenizer nearby. The skin of the Clementine is loose enough to peel easily, and the fruit is sweet, juicy, and very aromatic. The Clemenules, (more properly 'Clementino de Nules'), which orignated as a natural mutation in Spain. It has become the most widely planted mandarin in Spain.

Download this information as a printable brochure by clicking on Mandarin Brochure.

 For more information about mandarin varieties, check out the article A Mandarin by Any Other Name. Also look at Citrus in the Foothills for home orchard information.