Tangerines are one of our most popular citrus fruits. Here you can find out what needs to be considered when planting and caring for the tangerine tree and how to harvest the fruit correctly.
At Christmas time, when it smells like cinnamon and cloves, the mandarine (Citrus reticulata) should definitely not be missing in the house. But even in summer it spreads Mediterranean flair on the terrace and balcony. And imagine how it feels to get your first tangerines from your own tangerine tree for Christmas. This doesn't have to be a dream, because the exotic fruits even thrive here with good care.
Tangerine tree: origin and properties
The tangerine is a coveted representative of the citrus family (Citrus). For thousands of years and hundreds of generations, the fruit has been consumed with devotion by humans. And the enthusiasm never ends. Every year at Christmas, the shops are overflowing with juicy tangerines. The plant originally came from areas in south-western China or north-eastern India, from where it spread all over the world. It finally reached Europe in 1805, where it enjoyed immediate popularity. Today the fruit is grown throughout the tropics and subtropics.
The color of tangerine
Interestingly, tangerines in the tropics are usually not orange at all, but rather look green-yellowish when unripe. But they are still juicy and wonderfully aromatic. So what is the difference to the bright orange fruits from the supermarket? Ripening tangerines are intense green. Only when they are ripe do they slowly turn orange. But the reason for this is not maturity as such, but the cold. With the approaching winter and the cold temperatures, the chlorophyll that gives the fruit its green color is broken down and the orange-colored carotenoids are more or less unmasked. In the tropics, on the other hand, the fruits also ripen, but due to the lack of cold they remain greenish. The tropical tangerines that you can buy in the store have therefore been treated with cold orethylene, which achieves the same effect.
Tangerine Tree Varieties
Tangerines are among the oldest citrus fruits and have been cultivated in China for thousands of years. So it's no wonder that this species has a number of varieties. No one can say exactly from which wild form mandarines once emerged.
- 'Tardivo di Ciaculli': The name of the variety means nothing other than "the late one from Ciaculli". True to its name, it is harvested quite late. The harvest of the sweet fruits is only due after the hibernation in March or April.
- 'Avana': It tolerates short-term frosts down to -7 °C and produces very tasty fruits. This tangerine variety is much earlier ripe. The fruits ripen between November and January.
Tangerines belong to the huge species complex of citrus plants. It feels like everyone is related to everyone here, so there are countless crosses between the species. True mandarins only belong to the species Citrus reticulata, but crosses with other citrus species are also often considered mandarin varieties:
- Clementine (Citrus clementina): The clementine is a cross between a tangerine and a bitter orange (Citrus x aurantium ). Its advantage is that it is quite robust and less sensitive to cold than the tangerine. You can find out more about the difference between tangerines and clementines here.
- Calamondin (Citrus madurensis): The calamondin is a cross between a tangerine and a kumquat (Fortunella). Their fruits are not sweet, but they can be processed into jam or used as a seasoning. The major benefit of this crop is that it can be overwintered warm. The right choice for all those who cannot offer a bright and cool place for the winter.
Buy a tangerine tree: you should pay attention to this
When buying a tangerine tree, you should first make sure that you can provide suitable winter quarters for the tree. Nothing is more annoying than buying an expensive tangerine tree and then dying in winter from improper care.
If you want to enjoy your tree for a long time, then you should look for a reputable tree nursery or a trustworthy dealer. Here the probability of good quality is significantly higher than in the garden center orhardware store. In addition, you usually have a larger selection and get much better information about your plant.
It is also important that you inspect the plant carefully, for example for scale insects (Coccoidea) and spider mites (Tetranychidae) so that you don't buy the pests at the same time. In general, the tree should of course be he althy and strong.
Plant mandarin tree
The tangerine tree kindles a longing for the warm summers of southern Europe. But it can also bring a touch of it into your home if you decide to give a tree a new home. You should plant tangerine trees immediately after the end of the winter dormancy. Every two to three years around the month of April it is time to change the pot.
The tangerine tree feels most comfortable outdoors in summer. It needs a lot of sun, but doesn't like being mercilessly exposed to it at midday. An airy location without drafts is perfect for the Mediterranean plant. Unfortunately, you cannot plant out the tangerine tree because it would not survive the winter. He prefers to spend this time in a suitable winter quarters.
The pretty little tree needs water-permeable substrate without too many nutrients. Mix garden soil, sand and gravel or crushed stone into a uniform plant substrate. If that is too time-consuming for you, you can also use citrus soil directly. Put some of the substrate in a sufficiently large pot with a drainage hole. You can now place the root ball of your tree on the ground and fill it all around with the substrate mixture. You can also mix a little compost or horse manure directly into the soil for fertilization. If you use pre-fertilized soil such as the peat-free Plantura organic universal soil, additional fertilization is not necessary. Finally, all you have to do is press down the earth lightly and water the tangerine tree.
Mandarin tree care
The Mediterranean-looking tree is used to warm climates. But with the right care and our tips for overwintering, tangerine trees can also thrive here.
Water the tangerine tree
The heat-loving plant is quite tricky when it comes to watering. It must not be too moist, otherwise there is a risk of root rot. However, the plant does not feel too dry either. So check regularly if watering is necessary. You should absolutely avoid waterlogging. Also make sure thatexcess water does not remain in the coaster for more than an hour.
Tap water can be used for watering unless you live in an area with very hard water. A little lime in the water does not harm the tangerine tree, but can even help to cover the quite high calcium requirement of your tangerine tree.
Pruning Tangerine Tree
Early in the year, between the end of February and mid-March, the time has come for a pruning. In principle, this is not necessary, but serves to maintain shape and curb growth. Proceed with caution as tangerines are sensitive to over-pruning.
First remove dead branches from the plant to get an overview. Inward shoots should also be pruned, leaving an outward-facing eye at the end of each pruned branch. This allows the tree to sprout again at this point. This also applies to shortened shoots. It is important that you always keep the goal in mind when pruning: A nice spherical shape.
Fertilize mandarin tree
Mandarin trees only grow here as container plants. In order to bear numerous fruits, they also need sufficient nutrients. You can give some coffee grounds as fertilizer about once or twice a year. Manure or compost can also be mixed in generously every few years when repotting. However, both are less suitable as regular fertilization, since the nutrients only penetrate the soil slowly. Mineral fertilizers are available to the plant much more quickly. An ideal option for fertilizing your citrus plants is our Plantura Mediterranean fertilizer. This organic liquid fertilizer contains valuable microorganisms that stimulate root growth and thus promote he althy plant growth.
Mandarin tree wintering
While the tangerine tree can be outdoors in summer, the most critical time of the year is winter. Overwintering in a warm apartment damages the tree, which is why good winter quarters are essential. A suitable winter quarters would be, for example, a conservatory or a greenhouse. The temperatures there should be between 5 °C and 12 °C. Brightness is also crucial as the plant needs at least six hours of light to get through the winter well.
However, the plant should stay in its winter quarters for as short a time as possible. At best, it is sufficient to only put them in at the beginning of November and bring them outside again in April. However, protect the plant from frost and, if necessary, put it inside again for a particularly cold night.
During the time in the winter quarters, the plant needs little care. Only in the spring, when she has moved out of her winter quarters, does she become a little more needy. In the winter quarters, you should therefore hardly or not at all water the tree. The residual moisture in the root ball is usually more than sufficient. In the case of leaf fall, you should also reduce watering in addition to combating the causes, since the plant can then hardly evaporate any more water through its leaves.
Tip: You can also find detailed information in our article on overwintering citrus plants.
Propagate mandarin tree
Tangerines can easily be propagated by cuttings. To do this, cut off a shoot about 15 centimeters long. The best time to do this is in the spring after budding, when the plant is just full of juice. Now remove part of the leaves and put the cutting in a prepared mixture of garden soil and sand. In a sunny place, the cutting will root over the summer. You can achieve the right humidity by putting a plastic bag over it.
Another possibility is propagation via seeds. You can easily get these from purchased fruit. Rinse the seeds briefly and place them in prepared potting soil with few nutrients. Now cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil and place the jar with the precious good in a warm place. If you make sure that the soil stays nice and moist, the first seedlings will see the light of day after four to six weeks. With this type of propagation, however, the tree will only bear fruit after a few years, if at all, because it could also be barren.
Tangerine tree: Harvesting and storage of the fruit
You can finally harvest your tangerines in late autumn or even in winter.
You can see the right harvest time for this by the following points:
- The fruit no longer grows
- The tangerines are beginning to change color
- The fruit is no longer wholehard but gives way easily
You don't have to harvest all the fruit at once, you can live straight from tree to mouth for a while. Only as the winter progresses does most varieties slowly become overripe. When harvesting, use scissors so you can easily cut the fruit off the tree.
Tangerines are not climacteric, so once separated from the plant, they no longer ripen. Only fully ripe fruits should be harvested, otherwise the taste will still be sour and bitter. After harvesting, you should thoroughly clean the fruit to remove any fungal spores or similar. If you then store tangerines in a cool and air-permeable place, the fruits can stay fresh for several weeks. Make sure that the tangerines are not too close together and cause bruises on each other - this promotes mold growth.
Tangerines: ingredients, calories and vitamins
Tangerines, like all citrus fruits, are rich in vitamin C. It is extremely fortunate that European mandarins are harvested in autumn and winter, exactly when pathogens are particularly prevalent. Mandarins can help because vitamin C strengthens the immune system. Mandarins also contain vitamin E and a lot of calcium, which is important for cell growth. However, you will not get many calories with the aromatic fruits. So you can enjoy your tangerines with a clear conscience.
You can find more fruits with a lot of vitamin C in this article.
Tangerine and clementine: What's the difference?
Under the citrus trees it's all a mess: everyone is somehow related to everyone else. Mandarins are one of the oldest citrus plants. Although clementines look very similar to tangerines, they are a hybrid of tangerines and bitter oranges. They are popular mainly because they produce fewer seeds than tangerines and are therefore more pleasant to eat. We have summarized the exact difference between tangerines and clementines for you here.