Canned mandarin oranges aren’t orange varieties, but seedless citrus fruits called tangerines. Three primary varieties of tangerines are Tangerines, Mandarins and Tangelos. Although Japan leads the world in tangerine production, California and Florida are U.S. manufacturers. Tangerine trees are very similar to other citrus-bearing forms, with little differences in leaf density and growth habit.
Roots
Although fruit is the goal of cultivating tangerine trees, the most important part of this plant lies under ground. Tangerine tree roots aren’t reliably cold hardy or infection resistant. As all citrus trees in commercial production, tangerines are propagated by budding, that grafts a growth bud in a tangerine tree onto another citrus variety’s rootstock. Growing in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11, satsumas would be the most cold-hardy tangerine cultivars. Satsuma tangerines are grafted onto trifoliate orange rootstocks (Poncirus trifolata), which let them grow in areas that are too cold for other citrus fruits.
Wood and Foliage
Normally, tangerines are much more cold hardy and drought tolerant than oranges. Unlike other citrus varieties, tangerine trees have an open growth habit, with limbs that frequently droop. Leaves aren’t as abundant on tangerine trees as other citrus trees, and breeding programs have already rendered branches virtually thornless for ease of harvesting fruits. Twigs and leaves might be susceptible to your disfiguring fungal condition resulting from the pathogen Elsinoe fawcettii. Warty lesions on leaves and wood do not compromise hair.
Flowers
Tangerine blossoms are considered “perfect” because they contain both male and female parts. Flowers grow singly, or as little clusters in leaf axils. As a parthenocarpic plant, tangerine trees are able to make fruit in the absence of nonpollinated blossoms. White blossoms create negligible pollen and resulting fruits are virtually seedless, which is commercially important in marketing tangerines. Their fragrant white flowers are desirable from the fragrance business, which markets their essential oils individually, or as a part in citrus blends.
Fruit
Tangerine fruit does not mimic the round shape of additional citrus relatives; it looks like a slightly flattened ball instead. The rind isn’t hard to peel, which gives rise to its nickname of “zipper fruit .” Fruits are just mildly acidic and quite sweet, with few to no seeds. Each tangerine has 10 to 12 segments, which readily separate from one another and contain pulp that is contained within thin membranes. In areas that have cooler nighttime temperatures, the natural orange peel turns reddish-orange. Some vigorous varieties, like Murcotts, which can also be referred to as honey tangerines, bear so much fruit that branches might bend or break under the weight.